Start with what you need
Before comparing agencies, write down three things:
- The goal. Calls, form enquiries, online orders or store visits.
- The market. One city, all of Pakistan, or overseas.
- The budget range you can sustain for at least six months.
An agency that asks about these before quoting is already ahead of one that sends a package list.
Seven questions to ask every agency
- Can I see a case study with the client's name and Search Console data? Screenshots with dates are hard to fake.
- Who will do the work? Ask for the person's name and experience.
- What exactly will you deliver each month? Get it in writing.
- How do you build links? The answer should mention outreach, PR or content, not a number of backlinks for a price.
- What will the monthly report show? It should include enquiries or sales, not only rankings.
- Who owns the accounts and content? You should.
- What is the contract term and notice period? Long lock-ins protect the agency, not you.
Red flags
- "#1" and "best" claims with nothing behind them
- Guaranteed first-page rankings in a fixed number of days
- Pricing by keyword count. Ten keywords or a hundred tells you nothing about the work
- Numbers that contradict each other across the same website
- No named clients and no reviews you can trace to a real profile
- Very low prices. Real SEO takes skilled hours every month. See what SEO costs in Pakistan
- Their own site does not rank for anything, or is out of date
A simple scorecard
Score each agency from 0 to 2 on every line. Anything under 9 out of 14 is a risk.
| Criterion | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | None | Claims only | Named, dated case studies |
| Reviews | None | On their site only | On Google or Clutch |
| Deliverables | Vague | Listed | Written into the agreement |
| Link building method | Bought links | Unclear | Earned links, shown monthly |
| Reporting | Rankings only | Traffic | Leads or revenue |
| Ownership | Agency holds accounts | Shared | You own everything |
| Contract | 12-month lock-in | 6 months | Short notice period |
Local or overseas agency?
A Pakistani agency understands local search habits, Roman Urdu queries, WhatsApp as a sales channel and city-level competition. You can also meet the team. An overseas agency may suit a company selling only abroad, at several times the cost.
If you are in Lahore, you can visit our office and ask us these same questions.
Frequently asked questions
How many agencies should I compare?
Three is enough. Ask each for an audit of your site. The quality of the audit tells you more than the sales call.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Rarely. Compare what is delivered each month. A low price usually means fewer hours, junior staff or bought links.
Is a free audit a trick?
It is a sales tool, but a useful one. You keep the findings whether or not you hire the agency. Ours is here.
See where your site stands
A senior strategist reviews your website and sends you a written audit, free.