How to Hire an SEO Agency

Choosing the right SEO agency can be the difference between slow, unpredictable growth and a scalable, compounding channel that drives predictable revenue. But with hundreds of agencies claiming to be “full-service” or “data-driven,” how can you tell who’s actually delivering long-term results?

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Reviewing an SEO agency requires more than skimming testimonials or asking about rankings. You need to evaluate their strategy, execution, technical depth, and ability to tailor their approach to your business model.

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This guide breaks down our complete review methodology. You’ll learn how to assess the agency’s performance in areas like keyword research, technical SEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) readiness, content quality, reporting, and client impact giving you the clarity to choose a partner who can truly move the needle.

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Our Agency Reviews

1. 22 Best SaaS SEO Agencies for 2025
2. Top 18 B2B SaaS SEO Agencies
3. Top 14 SaaS Demand Generation Agencies
4. 13 Best SaaS Lead Generation Agencies
5. Top 14 B2B SEO Agencies for 2025
6. Top 8 B2B Demand Generation Agencies
7. 29 best SaaS Digital Marketing Agencies in 2025
8. 16 Leading GEO Agencies Driving the Future of Growth

What Services Does an SEO Agency Provide?

An SEO agency performs search engine optimization (SEO) as a service. Typically, SEO agencies will use a combination of on-page, off-page, and technical optimizations to improve a website’s visibility, traffic, and revenue from organic search results.

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1. Leverage SaaS SEO Levers

SEO for SaaS businesses requires a completely different understanding, overarching philosophy, and approach that aligns with the product and overall business goals.

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At Exalt Growth, SaaS SEO strategy defines top-down how a business leverages its competitive advantages to solve its core challenges through SEO. It outlines the differentiated approach the business takes to executing specific SEO tactics to overcome these challenges.

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1. Product-led SEO to strategize ways to leverage product for growth
2. Transactional SEO to reach adjacent solutions, use cases, and jobs to be done

To illustrate our approach in action, we've created case studies showcasing how we have 10x Dovetail's organic growth and grown Cascade from Seed to $29USD Million Series A through Product-Led SEO.

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2. Conduct Comprehensive SaaS SEO Audits

An SEO agency starts with a deep audit of a SaaS website, analyzing:

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1. Technical performance (site speed, mobile optimization, crawlability)
2. On-page SEO (meta tags, headers, keyword usage, UX/UI improvements)
3. Backlink profile (authority and credibility of referring domains)
4. Competitive landscape (benchmarking against SaaS competitors)
5. Conversion rate optimization (CRO) (how well the site converts visitors into users)

This audit helps pinpoint weaknesses and opportunities to refine an SEO strategy tailored to SaaS growth.

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3. Keyword Research and Strategy for SaaS

SEO agencies conduct in-depth keyword research to target high-intent search terms that drive SaaS conversions. This includes:

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1. Top-of-funnel (ToFu) keywords for awareness-stage blog content (e.g., “What is project management software?”)
2. Middle-of-funnel (MoFu) keywords for solution-aware users (e.g., “best project management tools for teams”)
3. Bottom-of-funnel (BoFu) keywords for high-conversion pages (e.g., “Trello vs Asana comparison” or “Monday.com pricing”)
4. Branded vs. non-branded searches to capture existing demand and expand reach
5. Feature-specific keywords that highlight SaaS functionalities (e.g., “AI-powered CRM software”)

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4. On-Page Optimization for SaaS Websites

SaaS companies need optimized website structures that drive conversions. SEO agencies refine:

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1. Landing pages with keyword-rich, persuasive copy
2. Product pages optimized for search intent and feature-specific queries
3. Blog content that ranks for industry-related terms
4. Internal linking to enhance site navigation and SEO authority
5. Technical elements like meta tags, alt text, and URL structure

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5. Off-Page SEO and Link Building for SaaS

Authority and credibility are critical for SaaS companies to stand out in competitive markets. SEO agencies:

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1. Build high-quality backlinks from industry-relevant publications and SaaS directories
2. Leverage digital PR and guest posting to earn mentions on authoritative websites
3. Monitor brand reputation by managing online reviews and social proof
4. Encourage partnerships and co-marketing opportunities for link-building synergy

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6. Programmatic and Technical SEO for SaaS Platforms

SaaS websites often involve complex architectures, dynamic content, and multi-domain strategies. SEO agencies address:

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1. Site speed optimization to reduce bounce rates and improve UX
2. Schema markup implementation to enhance rich results on search engines
3. Mobile responsiveness to ensure a seamless cross-device experience
4. Core Web Vitals improvements to meet Google’s performance benchmarks
5. Managing subdomains vs. subdirectories for SaaS knowledge bases, blogs, and international sites

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7. Content Marketing and Thought Leadership

SEO agencies help SaaS companies build credibility through strategic content marketing. This includes:

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1. Educational blog posts to address industry pain points and generate organic traffic
2. SEO-driven pillar pages and topic clusters for comprehensive coverage of SaaS-related topics
3. Case studies and success stories to showcase real-world use cases
4. Product-led content integrating SaaS features into valuable insights
5. Webinars, whitepapers, and reports to position the company as an industry thought leader

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8. Local SEO for SaaS (If Applicable)

For SaaS companies with physical offices or regional services, local SEO can help drive targeted traffic. This includes:

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1. Google Business Profile optimization for brand visibility
2. Building local citations on industry-relevant directories
3. Targeting location-based keywords if the SaaS serves specific markets

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9. Data-Driven Performance Tracking and Reporting

SEO for SaaS isn’t just about rankings—it’s about growth metrics that align with business goals. Agencies track:

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1. Organic traffic growth to measure visibility improvements
2. User engagement metrics (bounce rate, time on page, pages per session)
3. Lead and trial sign-ups driven by organic search
4. Keyword rankings and search visibility
5. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) from SEO efforts

Regular reporting helps SaaS companies make data-backed decisions for continuous improvement.

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10. Staying Ahead of Google Algorithm Changes

SEO is constantly evolving, and SaaS companies need adaptable strategies. Agencies:

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1. Monitor Google algorithm updates and adjust tactics accordingly
2. Keep up with AI advancements in search (e.g., Google’s Search Generative Experience)
3. Conduct competitor analysis to identify emerging opportunities

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Key Services Offered by SEO Agencies

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Why SaaS Companies Need a Specialized SEO Agency

Unlike e-commerce or local businesses, SaaS SEO requires a unique approach that aligns with:

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1. Longer sales cycles and complex buyer journeys
2. Freemium and trial-based acquisition models
3. Scalability in international markets
4. Highly competitive industry landscapes

A dedicated SaaS SEO agency helps companies build predictable, scalable, and sustainable organic growth strategies that drive customer acquisition and retention.

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Benefits of Hiring an SEO Agency

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SEO agencies play a crucial role in helping SaaS businesses achieve long-term growth through technical improvements, high-value content, and data-driven optimization.

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Investing in a specialized SaaS SEO strategy is not just about rankings, it’s about building a sustainable pipeline of high-quality leads, reducing customer acquisition costs, and staying ahead in a competitive industry.

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SEO Agency Reviews

Choosing the right SEO agency can be the difference between slow, unpredictable growth and a scalable, compounding channel that drives predictable revenue. But with hundreds of agencies claiming to be “full-service” or “data-driven,” how can you tell who’s actually delivering long-term results?

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Reviewing an SEO agency requires more than skimming testimonials or asking about rankings. You need to evaluate their strategy, execution, technical depth, and ability to tailor their approach to your business model. Here is a list of our agency reviews:

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How to Review an SEO Agency: 10 Step Process

To effectively review an SEO agency, you should assess their work quality, time management, responsiveness, overall cost, and client satisfaction. A comprehensive review should also consider factors like industry analysis, competitive research, keyword research, technical audits, and creative strategies to help clients stand out. It's also crucial to evaluate their SEO strategy, which often includes keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, and link building. 

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Here's a more detailed breakdown of how to review an SEO agency: 

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1. Evaluate Work Quality & Results:

Focus on tangible outcomes:

• Instead of just looking at tactics, analyze the SEO agency's ability to drive real results, such as increased organic traffic, improved keyword rankings, and higher conversion rates. 
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Demand results:

• Agencies should be able to demonstrate a clear plan to achieve specific SEO goals. 
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Review previous work:

• Look at case studies and past client successes to get an idea of their capabilities. 

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2. Assess Their SEO Strategy & Approach:

Understand their process:

• Ask them about their SEO methodology, including how they conduct keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, and link building.
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Consider their approach to content:

• Evaluate how they plan to create, optimize, and promote content to attract more organic traffic.
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Evaluate their focus:

• Do they prioritize long-term organic growth, or are they more focused on short-term tactics? 
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3. Content Execution & Topical Authority

SEO success in SaaS depends on in-depth, authoritative content ecosystems. We review:

1. Topic cluster strategies (pillar pages + supporting content)
2. Use of semantic keywords and entity-based content modeling
3. Integration of original research, product-led demos, and storytelling
4. Use of schema markup and structured data

Agencies that consistently publish content frameworks for “category ownership” rank higher.

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4. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Readiness

We now assess whether agencies optimize for AI-driven discovery platforms like Google SGE, ChatGPT Search, and Perplexity:

1. Are they preparing content for structured responses and citations?
2. Do they use prompt-testing, entity markup, and generative schema strategies?
3. Can they increase a client’s inclusion rate in zero-click summaries?

GEO capabilities are weighted heavily for 2025 and beyond.

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5. Technical SEO Capability

SaaS websites often involve complex structures subdomains, app integrations, gated content, and JS-heavy frameworks.

We assess:

1. Site architecture audits and crawlability solutions
2. Page speed optimization and Core Web Vitals
3. Indexation management for product docs, knowledge bases, and gated pages
4. International SEO (where applicable)

Top-rated agencies demonstrate mastery of modern technical SEO for SaaS infrastructure.

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6. Reporting, Communication & Transparency

SaaS brands need partners who integrate into their workflows. We rate agencies based on:

1. Real-time dashboards (Looker Studio, Supermetrics)
2. Slack and Notion-based collaboration
3. Weekly stand-ups or async updates
4. KPI alignment with SQLs, trials, demos, not just sessions and clicks

Transparency, clarity, and integration elevate an agency’s score here.

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7. Evaluate Their Communication & Client Relationship:

Assess responsiveness and communication:

• A good SEO agency should be responsive to your questions and provide regular updates on their progress.
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Evaluate client relationship:

• They should be able to understand your business goals and tailor their services accordingly.

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Check for open communication:

• Are they transparent about their processes and how they are achieving results? 
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8. Client Outcomes & Case Studies

We verify:

1. Revenue impact or ROI from organic channels
2. Performance benchmarks (e.g., domain authority growth, keyword lift)
3. Clarity and relevance of case studies (especially for other SaaS clients)

Results that tie SEO to real SaaS KPIs like LTV, CAC, and demo conversion are weighted most.

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9. Consider Overall Cost & Value:

• Evaluate the cost of their services: Compare their pricing structure to other agencies and see if it aligns with the value they provide. 
• Look at ROI: Can they demonstrate a clear return on investment for your SEO efforts? 
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10. Reputation & Industry Recognition

We analyze:

1. Clutch, G2, or UpCity reviews
2. Industry awards, event presence, and thought leadership
3. Executive interviews, webinars, and published frameworks

Agencies respected by their peers and clients alike tend to sustain long-term excellence.

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Agency Scoring Criteria

Each agency is scored across 7 dimensions using a weighted model:

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By carefully evaluating these factors, you can choose an SEO agency that aligns with your business goals and can help you achieve your desired outcomes. 

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Final Thoughts

Reviewing an SEO agency goes far beyond checking portfolios or pricing, it’s about understanding their strategy, technical capabilities, communication style, and results orientation. The best agencies aren’t just service providers, they’re strategic partners who understand your business goals and build systems to achieve them.

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By using a structured review process that evaluates everything from semantic content execution and technical SEO to GEO readiness and client impact, you can confidently identify an agency that aligns with your growth vision.

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Whether you’re scaling a SaaS platform or revamping your organic acquisition model, the right SEO partner will not just improve rankings they’ll drive meaningful, measurable, and lasting growth.

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FAQs

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Is hiring an SEO agency worth it?

SEO can provide a great ROI if you want to generate more traffic to your site and drive conversions. If you're interested in hiring an SEO agency, first validate SEO as an acquisition channel for your SaaS and make sure you have the budget to execute.

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How much does it cost to hire an SEO agency?

Hiring an experienced SEO freelancer or agency by the hour typically costs anywhere between $50-$250 USD per hour. Cost for projects or ongoing retainers can vary dramatically depending on your SaaS and strategy. For a good agency expect to pay at least $5,000 USD a month.

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Interesting Reddit thread on how SEO agencies do their work

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Is SEO worth it?

Validating SEO as a viable channel involves assessing how well it aligns with the business model, product, and core challenges. By asking targeted questions about SEO’s potential impact on business objectives, SaaS companies can determine if SEO is worth it for them to drive predictable, scalable growth.

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What should I look for in an SEO agency?

Look for a strategic, data-driven partner with proven results, clear processes, and experience in your industry. They should demonstrate expertise in technical SEO, content execution, link building, and performance reporting.

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How do I know if an SEO agency is delivering results?

Track key metrics like organic traffic growth, keyword rankings, conversions, and revenue attribution. A good agency should tie their efforts to business outcomes, not just vanity metrics.

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What questions should I ask before hiring an SEO agency?

Ask about their SEO methodology, how they define success, the tools they use, who works on your account, reporting frequency, and experience in your niche (especially if you’re SaaS or B2B).

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How long does it take to see SEO results?

Typically, 3–6 months for early traction, and 6–12 months for significant ROI. This varies based on competition, current domain strength, and strategy depth.

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Why is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) important in 2025?

GEO ensures your content is cited or surfaced in AI-driven search platforms like Google SGE and ChatGPT. It’s critical for future-proofing SEO visibility beyond traditional search results.

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Should SEO agencies be involved in content creation?

Yes. Top agencies help create or guide content aligned with topical authority, semantic structure, and user intent key factors for ranking and engagement.

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What’s the difference between a freelancer and a full-service agency?

Freelancers may specialize in one area (like content or audits), while agencies offer integrated expertise, scalability, and support across technical, strategic, and content disciplines.

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What is SEO methodology?

SEO methodology refers to the structured approach an agency or professional uses to optimize a website for search engines. It typically includes steps like keyword research, technical audits, on-page optimization, content development, link building, and performance tracking.

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What is the 10x rule in SEO?

The 10x rule in SEO means creating content that is 10 times better than anything currently ranking for a target keyword. It emphasizes delivering unmatched value through depth, clarity, design, and user experience to outrank the competition.

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What are the 4 pillars of SEO?

The four pillars of SEO are:

1. Technical SEO – Ensures your site is crawlable and indexable.
2. On-Page SEO – Optimizes content, structure, and tags for relevance.
3. Content – Creates valuable, authoritative information that ranks and engages.
4. Off-Page SEO – Builds authority through backlinks and external signals.

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What is the SEO analysis process?

The SEO analysis process involves auditing a website’s technical health, keyword performance, backlink profile, content quality, and competitive position. This helps identify gaps and opportunities to improve visibility and ranking potential.

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What are the golden rules of SEO?

Golden rules of SEO include:

1. Write for users, optimize for search engines.
2. Prioritize content quality over quantity.
3. Build topical authority, not just pages.
4. Keep your site technically clean and fast.
5. Earn trust with transparency and credibility (E-E-A-T).