The Ultimate Guide to Reviewing Your SEO Partner’s Performance

Evaluating your atlanta seo agency agency’s results is critical to ensure your investment is delivering real results. Start by revisiting the objectives you set when you first hired the agency. Did you aim to grow organic visits, climb SERP positions, capture more qualified leads, or raise conversion rates?. These goals form the foundation of your evaluation.

Gather data from your analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and any third party platforms the agency uses. Look at trends over time—not just month to month but quarter to quarter—to identify patterns and sustained progress.

Review the reports the agency provides. Do they present insights in an accessible, actionable format?. Effective reports translate data into strategic insights tied to revenue, engagement, or customer acquisition. When reports lack explanation, it’s a red flag for passive or disconnected service.

Ask the agency to walk you through their key metrics and justify their strategies. A strong agency will be able to articulate why certain tactics were chosen and how they support your overall marketing goals.

Assess the technical and creative execution of their SEO efforts. Check if the agency is keeping up with SEO best practices such as improving site speed, fixing broken links, optimizing meta tags, and building high quality backlinks. Steer clear of firms using keyword stuffing, private link networks, or automated spam.

Look at your website’s technical health through audits or tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs. Do you see persistent 404s, blocked resources, or duplicate content problems?. Even the strongest backlink profile won’t compensate for a broken foundation.

Evaluate how proactive and transparent the agency is. Great partners anticipate your needs and communicate before issues arise. Are they sending monthly insights without prompting, or do you have to chase them?. Consistent, honest dialogue signals commitment to your growth.

Compare cost to tangible business value. Evaluate whether their efforts have translated into measurable revenue growth. Has increased visibility resulted in higher-converting visitors?. Has the cost per acquisition decreased?. If your revenue has grown significantly because of their efforts, the agency is likely adding real value. Without measurable returns, reevaluate the partnership’s purpose and potential.

Finally, ask for feedback from your internal team. Are sales reps seeing higher-quality leads? Is customer service noticing fewer support tickets due to clearer site navigation?. Human feedback can uncover hidden wins—or warning signs—no metric captures.

Prepare a comprehensive assessment and present it in a dedicated review call. Be honest about what’s working and what isn’t. Give them a chance to respond and propose improvements. Flexibility and humility are signs of long-term value. If they’re defensive, dismissive, or resistant to change, it’s time to move on.