What changes the scope?
A small service website with a broken contact form needs a different plan from a large catalogue with indexing problems. Existing content, development access, competition, geographic coverage and the quality of current measurement all influence the work.
The starting point
Website size, technical constraints, content quality and the amount of reliable baseline data.
The work included
Research, technical implementation, writing, editing, review and reporting are separate responsibilities.
The business model
Local services, online sales and complex buying journeys require different content and measurement.
Access & coordination
Existing developers, approval steps and system access influence what can be delivered and when.
An audit, a project and ongoing work are different.
| Type of work | What to clarify | A useful deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Audit or assessment | Which pages and systems are reviewed? Is implementation included? | A prioritised set of findings, evidence and actions. |
| Defined improvement project | Which changes, approvals and release checks are included? | Agreed changes with verification and a handoff. |
| Ongoing SEO programme | How are priorities chosen, changes approved and results reviewed? | A maintained plan, visible work and regular evidence-based decisions. |
These are ways to structure a conversation, not published packages. This review edition does not offer fixed prices, a free audit, a contract term or a delivery deadline.
Questions worth asking before you agree.
- What problem will this work address, and what evidence supports it?
- Who writes the content, implements the fixes and approves publication?
- Which deliverables and exclusions will be in the written scope?
- What account access is needed, and who retains ownership?
- How will completed work, qualified enquiries and limitations be reported?
- What are the fees, currency, payment terms and cancellation rules?
- What happens to the website, accounts and records when the engagement ends?
Compare useful work and business fit.
A low price with unclear responsibilities can leave essential work undone. A long task list can also miss the needs of the business. Ask how the proposal connects your current problems to actions you can review.
Expected search outcomes should be discussed as expectations with assumptions, not guarantees. Google’s hiring guidance recommends asking about experience, communication and measurement, and warns against first-place guarantees.
Prepare for a useful conversation. Bring your website address, actual service market, the customer action you care about and the most frustrating problem today. Do not share passwords in an enquiry form.
Further reading
Reference guidance reviewed October 21, 2026. Check the source for current requirements.