Questions to Ask Before Switching Your SEO or Digital Marketing Agency

Changing your SEO or digital marketing agency can be an important business decision.

Perhaps you have been working with the same agency for six months, one year or even several years. You have invested money in SEO, Google Ads, website development, content marketing or social media management, but the results are not meeting your expectations.

Your website may be receiving traffic without generating enough enquiries. Your agency may be reporting keyword improvements while your sales team continues to struggle with lead quality. Communication may have become difficult, or you may simply feel that your current agency no longer understands your business priorities.

You might already be speaking with other agencies.

One promises better rankings. Another offers a lower monthly fee. A third claims it can generate more leads within a few weeks.

At this stage, switching agencies may appear to be the simplest solution.

However, changing your digital marketing partner without asking the right questions can create new problems.

Your new agency may recommend a complete website redesign without understanding your existing SEO performance. Important content may be removed. Tracking configurations may be changed. Advertising campaigns that were generating enquiries may be interrupted.

You may also discover that your previous agency controls important accounts, website access or marketing assets.

In other cases, the new agency may repeat the same strategy that failed previously because the underlying business problem was never identified.

The objective of changing an agency should not simply be to replace one service provider with another. It should be to improve the way your business attracts, converts and retains customers.

Before making a decision, you need to understand what went wrong, what should change and what the next agency must do differently.

This guide covers 35 essential questions to ask before switching your SEO or digital marketing agency, along with practical explanations, examples, warning signs and a transition checklist.

It is particularly useful for business owners, founders, CEOs, managing directors and marketing teams who want to make a more informed decision before committing to another agency contract.

Part 1: Questions to Ask Yourself Before Changing Agencies

Before approaching a new agency, start by reviewing your own expectations and business requirements.

1. Why exactly do I want to change my current agency?

This is the most important question.

Being dissatisfied is understandable, but you should identify the specific reasons.

Are you unhappy because your website traffic is declining? Are you receiving traffic but no qualified enquiries? Are your advertising costs too high? Is the agency failing to complete agreed work?

Or is the problem primarily communication?

Different problems require different solutions.

For example, if your agency has improved organic visibility but your website's contact form is broken, replacing the agency may not be the first priority.

If the agency repeatedly ignores technical problems or cannot explain its strategy, the relationship may require more substantial changes.

What to do: Write down the three most important reasons you are considering a switch.

For each reason, identify what evidence you have and what improvement you expect.

2. What business results was my agency originally hired to achieve?

Review the original agreement.

Perhaps the objective was to increase organic traffic, improve local visibility, generate qualified enquiries or support eCommerce sales.

The agency should be evaluated against the agreed objectives.

If the original contract focused on SEO traffic growth but your current priority is lead generation, the strategy may need to change.

That does not automatically mean the agency failed.

However, a professional agency should be willing to discuss how its work can better support your current business requirements.

3. Have I evaluated actual performance or only looked at monthly reports?

Monthly reports can contain useful information, but they should not be accepted without understanding what the metrics represent.

Review Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4, advertising platforms and actual lead records where available.

Look at commercially important landing pages, qualified enquiries and sales opportunities.

For example, a 40% increase in website traffic may sound impressive, but it may be less commercially meaningful if most new visitors arrive through unrelated informational searches.

Ask whether the reported improvements are relevant to your business.

4. Is the problem with the agency, the website or our sales process?

Marketing performance depends on several connected systems.

An agency may attract relevant visitors, but the website may not explain the services clearly.

A website may generate genuine enquiries, but the sales team may respond too slowly.

A company may receive qualified leads but lose customers because its offer is not competitive.

Before changing agencies, investigate the complete customer journey.

Otherwise, the same problem may continue under a new provider.

5. Have I clearly communicated my concerns to the current agency?

Sometimes an agency does not fully understand the client's dissatisfaction.

You may have discussed concerns informally, but never agreed on a specific corrective plan.

Arrange a structured performance review.

Explain the problems, share relevant sales feedback and ask for proposed solutions.

Document the agreed actions.

If the agency responds constructively and demonstrates the ability to improve, continuing the relationship may be reasonable.

If it repeatedly avoids accountability, switching may become a stronger option.

6. Am I expecting results within a realistic timeframe?

SEO generally requires time, particularly for new websites or competitive industries.

However, the need for patience should not be confused with accepting a lack of progress.

Even when rankings and leads take time, you should be able to review completed work, technical improvements, relevant content development and changes in search visibility.

Paid advertising may provide useful performance data more quickly, but profitability can still depend on campaign learning, customer demand and the sales cycle.

Evaluate timelines according to the service and business circumstances.

7. What do I want the next agency to achieve that the current agency has not?

Do not approach new agencies with only a general request for better SEO.

Define the actual business outcome.

For example:

"We are a B2B manufacturing company looking for more relevant enquiries from procurement managers, distributors and institutional buyers."

That gives the new agency a clearer problem to solve.

Your objectives might include improving commercial search visibility, generating qualified leads, reducing wasted advertising spend or improving website conversion performance.

Make these priorities clear before requesting proposals.

Part 2: Questions to Ask Your Current Agency Before Leaving

Before ending the relationship, request the information needed to make a fair decision and protect your existing marketing investment.

8. What work has actually been completed during our contract?

Ask for a clear record of completed activities.

For SEO, this may include technical fixes, page optimisation, content development, internal linking and other agreed work.

For PPC, it may include campaign changes, targeting improvements and conversion tracking updates.

For website development, it may include implemented features, bug fixes and performance improvements.

Do not rely only on a list of tasks marked as completed.

Ask for affected URLs, implementation records or other relevant evidence.

9. Which activities produced meaningful business results?

Ask the agency to identify its most useful work.

For example, did improvements to a particular service page coincide with stronger commercial search visibility?

Did a landing page change help increase genuine enquiries?

Did advertising optimisation reduce irrelevant leads?

The agency should distinguish between observed results and outcomes it can reasonably attribute to its work.

10. What important problems remain unresolved?

Every website has opportunities for improvement.

Ask for a list of known technical problems, content gaps, tracking issues and pending recommendations.

Identify which problems are urgent and which can be addressed later.

Also determine whether any tasks are waiting for your internal developer, content team or management approval.

This information will be useful during the transition.

11. Who owns our website, domain and marketing accounts?

This question is essential.

Confirm the ownership and access arrangements for your domain registrar, website hosting, content management system, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads, Google Business Profile and relevant social media accounts.

Your business should understand which assets it owns, which are licensed and which are controlled by external providers.

Review the contract where ownership is unclear.

Do not assume that paying an agency automatically transfers ownership of every asset it uses.

12. Can we receive a complete record of our marketing work and data?

Request relevant reports, content inventories, campaign records, technical recommendations, important account configurations and completed deliverables.

Where contractually appropriate, request website backups, source files and creative assets.

Historical information can help the next agency avoid repeating unsuccessful activities.

13. What happens to our SEO and advertising campaigns after termination?

Ask whether any services will stop, which accounts will remain active and whether scheduled changes need to be completed.

For paid advertising, confirm billing and account access arrangements.

For SEO, identify ongoing technical work, content publication schedules and any website changes that require monitoring.

A planned transition can reduce unnecessary disruption.

14. What are the contract termination and handover conditions?

Review the notice period, payment obligations, renewal clauses and handover responsibilities.

Ask for clarification in writing where necessary.

If there is a legal dispute, obtain appropriate professional advice.

Avoid making assumptions about your rights or obligations based on informal conversations.

Part 3: Questions to Ask a New SEO or Digital Marketing Agency

A new agency should be evaluated on its understanding of your business, proposed strategy, capabilities and working process.

15. What do you understand about our business and target customers?

A professional agency should ask questions before recommending a package.

It should understand what you sell, who buys it, where customers are located and how your sales process works.

For example, a B2B medical device manufacturer has different customer needs from a local dental clinic or an eCommerce fashion store.

An agency that proposes the same strategy to every business may not be considering those differences.

16. Will you audit our existing website and marketing performance before making changes?

A new agency should review the current situation before recommending major changes.

Depending on the engagement, this may include technical SEO, existing content, commercial landing pages, analytics, lead quality, paid campaigns and website usability.

The purpose is to identify what should be retained, improved or changed.

Be cautious if an agency immediately recommends rebuilding the entire website without reviewing its current performance.

17. What would you do differently from our previous agency?

This is one of the most useful questions.

Share the problems you experienced and ask how the new agency would address them.

A credible response should explain the proposed approach and the assumptions behind it.

For example, if your website receives traffic but few enquiries, the agency might recommend analysing search intent, important landing pages, tracking and conversion journeys before increasing content production.

Avoid accepting vague promises such as "We will provide better SEO."

18. Which marketing channels should we prioritise and why?

Your business may not need every digital marketing service immediately.

Depending on your objectives, SEO, Google Ads, content marketing, website improvements or another channel may deserve priority.

A new agency should explain the reasoning.

For example, a business that needs immediate enquiries may consider paid advertising while developing a longer-term SEO strategy.

A company with substantial existing organic traffic but poor conversion performance may need website improvements before investing heavily in additional traffic.

19. How will you identify commercially relevant keywords and audiences?

Ask how the agency conducts keyword and audience research.

It should consider customer intent, business relevance, competition, geography and existing website coverage.

For a B2B company, keywords associated with procurement, product specifications or suppliers may be more relevant than broad educational searches.

The agency should explain how its targeting supports your business objectives.

20. How will you measure qualified leads rather than just traffic?

If lead generation is your priority, this question is essential.

Ask the agency how it defines a lead, how it identifies qualified enquiries and how it will use sales feedback.

It should also explain which conversions can be tracked reliably and which attribution limitations remain.

Do not accept a promise of a fixed number of qualified leads without understanding the assumptions and measurement method.

21. Who will actually work on our account?

Ask about the delivery team.

Who will handle SEO strategy? Who will manage technical tasks? Who will create content? Who will oversee advertising campaigns? Who will communicate with your business?

The person presenting the proposal may not be the person doing the work.

Understand the team's capabilities and responsibilities.

22. What will you deliver during the first 30, 60 and 90 days?

Request a practical onboarding and implementation plan.

The first month may focus on audits, tracking and urgent improvements.

The following months may involve service page optimisation, technical implementation, content work and performance evaluation.

The exact activities depend on the website.

A useful plan should identify priorities, responsibilities and measurable outputs without guaranteeing unrealistic results.

23. How will you report performance and explain problems?

Ask to see a sample report.

A useful report should include relevant performance trends, completed work, important issues and next priorities.

For lead-generation campaigns, it should discuss genuine enquiries and qualified leads where reliable data is available.

The agency should explain negative results as clearly as positive ones.

24. What happens if the strategy is not delivering the expected results?

Ask how the agency investigates underperformance.

Will it review keyword relevance, technical issues, content quality, conversion tracking, customer feedback and competition?

How will it decide what to change?

An agency should have a structured improvement process rather than relying on repeated promises.

25. Can you show relevant examples of work?

Request genuine examples that demonstrate the agency's capabilities.

Relevant case studies may include technical improvements, content projects, website development or lead-generation campaigns.

Ask what problem was addressed, what work was completed and how results were measured.

Do not judge an agency solely by client logos or impressive-looking charts.

Part 4: Questions About Pricing, Contracts and Ownership

A lower monthly fee does not automatically mean better value.

The next contract should clearly define what your business is purchasing.

26. What exactly is included in the monthly fee?

Ask for a detailed scope.

Clarify whether the fee includes technical SEO, on-page optimisation, content creation, link acquisition, reporting, development and other services.

If some activities are billed separately, request that information before signing.

Avoid comparing two proposals based only on price when the scopes are different.

27. Are there additional costs we should expect?

Possible additional expenses include advertising spend, website development, content production, third-party tools, design work and other agreed services.

Ask for a clear distinction between recurring fees and one-time costs.

This helps you understand the total investment.

28. Who will own new content, accounts and creative assets?

Review ownership terms before work begins.

Clarify rights to website content, graphics, videos, campaign materials and relevant account configurations.

Some third-party tools or licensed materials may remain subject to separate terms.

Your business should understand what it can continue using after the contract ends.

29. What is the minimum contract commitment and termination process?

Ask whether the engagement is monthly, quarterly, six-monthly or annual.

Understand notice periods, renewal provisions and payment obligations.

A longer contract may be reasonable for certain projects, but the terms should be clear and commercially appropriate.

30. How will you protect our website and existing SEO performance?

Ask whether the agency plans to change URLs, website structure, hosting, content or technical configurations.

If major changes are proposed, request a documented implementation and testing plan.

The agency should understand the risks of unnecessary redirects, deleted pages, incorrect canonical tags and accidental indexing restrictions.

Existing useful SEO work should not be discarded without a reason.

Part 5: Questions About the Transition Process

Switching agencies should be managed like a business project.

A poorly coordinated transition can interrupt campaigns, delay important work or create confusion about responsibilities.

31. What information will the new agency need from the previous provider?

The new agency may need access to analytics, Search Console, advertising accounts, website systems, content inventories and previous reports.

It should explain which information is essential and why.

Use appropriate access permissions rather than sharing passwords unnecessarily.

32. How will you prevent disruption to existing campaigns?

For SEO, the agency should preserve important pages and monitor significant technical changes.

For paid advertising, it should review active campaigns, conversion tracking and billing arrangements before restructuring.

The objective is to avoid unnecessary interruption while allowing justified improvements.

33. Who will coordinate with our developer, content team and sales department?

Marketing changes often depend on other teams.

An SEO recommendation may require developer implementation.

Content may require subject-matter approval.

Lead quality evaluation may require CRM and sales feedback.

Ask who will coordinate these activities and how tasks will be tracked.

34. What should we expect during the first three months after switching?

The agency should distinguish between immediate implementation outcomes and longer-term marketing results.

You may reasonably expect a clearer strategy, completed priority work, improved tracking and better visibility into performance.

You should not assume that changing agencies will automatically produce immediate rankings or revenue growth.

35. How will we know whether switching agencies was the right decision?

Agree on evaluation criteria before the new engagement begins.

These may include:

• Completion of agreed deliverables.

• Improved technical website health.

• Better visibility for commercially relevant searches.

• More reliable conversion tracking.

• Improvements in qualified enquiries.

• Stronger communication and project management.

• Clearer priorities and accountability.

• Progress towards sustainable customer acquisition economics.

The right metrics depend on the business.

The important thing is to establish a baseline and evaluate progress consistently.

How to Compare Your Current Agency with a New Agency

Before making a decision, compare the providers using the same criteria.

Evaluation area	Current agency	Prospective agency
Understanding of business	Based on actual experience	Based on discovery and proposal
Strategy	Evidence from completed work	Proposed approach and assumptions
Technical expertise	Verified implementation	Relevant examples and team capability
Lead generation	Actual performance data	Measurement and improvement plan
Communication	Existing service history	Proposed process and references
Reporting	Reports already received	Sample reports and commitments
Pricing	Current total cost	Proposed total cost
Ownership	Existing contract terms	Proposed contract terms
Transition risk	Continuity of current work	Quality of handover plan

Remember that a prospective agency's claims are not equivalent to verified results.

A new provider may present a convincing strategy, but its performance for your business remains unproven.

Evaluate the evidence and risks accordingly.

Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Switching Agencies

Choosing a new agency only because it is cheaper

A lower fee can be attractive, but it may also reflect a smaller scope or different level of involvement.

Compare what each provider will actually deliver.

Believing guaranteed ranking promises

No agency can guarantee a particular organic ranking.

Be cautious of promises that ignore competition, website condition and search engine control.

Rebuilding the website without a proper audit

A redesign may be beneficial, but unnecessary changes can affect existing SEO performance.

Review the current website before deciding what should be replaced.

Ignoring account ownership

Do not discover after termination that important accounts are controlled by someone else.

Clarify ownership and access early.

Failing to preserve historical data

Previous reports, campaign records and website changes can help the new agency understand what has already been attempted.

Changing every marketing channel simultaneously

Making major changes to SEO, PPC, website design and analytics at the same time can make performance difficult to interpret.

Prioritise changes according to risk and business value.

Not involving the sales team

If lead generation is the objective, the sales team should help define qualified leads and provide feedback.

Expecting instant results

A new agency should improve the quality of strategy and execution, but commercial results still depend on market conditions, implementation and the customer journey.

A Practical 30-Day Agency Switching Checklist

Before termination

• Review the current contract and notice period.

• Document the reasons for switching.

• Collect important performance reports.

• Verify access to website and marketing accounts.

• Identify incomplete work and active campaigns.

• Review ownership of content and other assets.

• Arrange appropriate backups.

During the handover

• Confirm the transition schedule.

• Share relevant reports and technical records.

• Review active advertising campaigns.

• Preserve important SEO configurations.

• Assign responsibilities to both teams.

• Confirm billing and access changes.

• Test important website functions.

After the new agency starts

• Establish a performance baseline.

• Approve the initial strategy.

• Define qualified lead criteria.

• Agree on the first 90-day priorities.

• Set reporting and meeting schedules.

• Review completed work.