A fair local SEO contract names the work to be done, says you own your domain, website, Google Business Profile and listings, reports what was actually changed each month, and lets you leave with reasonable notice. Walk away from ranking guarantees, fake reviews, paid links, and anything that leaves the agency owning your accounts.
This isn’t legal advice. Have a lawyer read any contract you’re unsure about. It’s a checklist from the operator’s side of the table.
Ownership comes first
The most expensive agency problems aren’t bad SEO. They’re lost access. Make sure the contract says, in plain words:
- You own the domain, registered in your company’s name and account.
- You own the website and its content, including anything the agency writes or designs for you, once it’s paid for.
- You own your Google Business Profile. The agency can be a manager; your company is the owner.
- You own your listings on Bing Places, Apple Business Connect and directories, under logins you control.
- You own the analytics and Search Console properties.
If a website is built on an agency’s proprietary platform, ask what happens when you leave: can you export the content and pages, or do you start again?
What should be delivered
A good contract names the work, not just “SEO services”. For local SEO that usually means some mix of:
- an initial audit, with findings you receive in writing
- Google Business Profile corrections
- listing and NAP cleanup
- specific pages written or rewritten, by name
- structured data and on-page fixes
- monthly reporting that lists the changes made, not just charts
Ask for examples of the monthly report before you sign.
Reporting you can check
Rankings and traffic reports are useful, but they’re easy to dress up. Ask for a change log: which pages were edited, which listings were corrected, what was published. You can check every item yourself.
The free grader is a quick way to check the on-page work on your homepage before and after.
Term and exit
Read the term length, the notice period, any early termination fee, and what happens to the work on exit. Long minimum terms with automatic renewal are common in local marketing; make sure you know the date you’d need to give notice.
Red flags
- Guaranteed rankings or “page 1 in 30 days”. Nobody controls Google’s results, and local results vary by where each searcher stands.
- Reviews written or bought by the agency. The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials prohibits fake reviews and buying reviews, and Google removes them.
- Keyword-stuffed business names on your profile. Against Google’s guidelines and a common cause of suspension.
- Fake locations or virtual offices to appear in more towns.
- Hundreds of city pages that differ only by the town name.
- Link packages or private blog networks. Google’s spam policies cover link schemes.
- Accounts registered to the agency, or refusal to give you owner access.
Questions to ask before signing
- Who will do the work, and can I talk to them?
- What will you change in the first 30 days, specifically?
- Will I own everything you create and every account you set up?
- What does your monthly report contain? Can I see one?
- What happens if I leave after six months?
- Have you worked with businesses like mine (yards, plants, contractors)? What did you change for them?
A good agency will be glad you asked.