Knowing what packages usually contain is one thing; knowing what to insist on is another. This is the buyer’s side — what a package needs to include for the money to be well spent, and the omissions that quietly make an engagement fail.
For what bundles typically contain, see what is included in an SEO package.
Insist on these five
1. A diagnostic phase before the plan
Any package that begins delivering before anyone has examined your site is delivering a template. The first month should establish what is actually wrong.
2. Named implementation responsibility
The single most common cause of wasted spend: recommendations produced, nobody assigned to apply them. Either the provider implements, or your team does and has the capacity, or the work does not happen. Settle this before signing.
3. Commercial measures, not activity measures
Enquiries and revenue, with rankings as a leading indicator. A package reporting only tasks completed and keywords tracked can run indefinitely without producing anything.
4. Access to the actual work
You should be able to see the pages written and the changes made, not only a summary of them. If the work cannot be pointed at, be sceptical it happened.
5. Ownership of everything
Your site, content, analytics, Search Console and Business Profile stay yours, with your access, throughout and afterwards. This is non-negotiable and occasionally violated.
What should be written down
- Scope, in specifics rather than categories.
- What is excluded — content writing, development hours, design, tools.
- How many hours, or how many deliverables, and of what.
- Who does the work and their seniority.
- Reporting frequency and what it will contain.
- Notice period and what happens to assets on exit.
Reasonable to expect, often missing
- A prioritised plan rather than a list of everything possible.
- An explicit statement of what will not be done and why.
- A realistic timeframe — six to twelve months before commercial impact.
- Somebody senior involved, not only at the sales meeting.
- Willingness to say the budget is too low for the market you are in.
That last is the strongest signal of a provider worth engaging. See how to choose an SEO provider.
Frequently asked questions
Should content writing be included?
If content is part of the plan, yes — or you need a named alternative. Content planned but never written is the second most common stall after unimplemented recommendations.
Is a twelve-month commitment reasonable?
Yes, given how long the work takes, provided there is a notice period. Twelve months with no exit is not.
What if I already have an in-house team?
Then you may need direction rather than delivery, which is a different and usually cheaper engagement. See SEO advisory services.
How do I compare two packages?
Normalise the scope first. See comparing SEO packages.
Consulting CTA
To have a package reviewed before you sign, book an SEO consultation.