SEO Contract Questions

SEO Contract Questions Every Small Business Should Ask

If you’re a small business owner working with a digital marketing company, you’ve probably had some SEO proposals land in your inbox that sound too good to be true. The truth is, some of them are.

Some are fantastic, like Shelley’s Social Media. We’re fantastic, and we’ll give you a solid proposal and get you results better than our competitors for half the price.

But here’s the thing: before you lock into any contract, even with us, it’s important to know exactly what you’re signing up for and how it affects your business long-term.

So here are a few key questions you should be asking before you sign on the dotted line.

Who Owns the Content?

When you pay for blogs, graphics, or website updates, do you actually own that content? Most people assume they do. They paid for it, right? But here’s the ugly truth: some agencies keep control of the content, so if you leave, you lose it. That’s a red flag.

You need to ask about ownership. If they say, “It’s ours until this date,” or “It’s ours unless you cancel,” that’s not okay. Ownership should always stay with you. It’s your content, your investment, your brand.

Agencies like to worm around this in their contracts, saying the content is yours, but sliding in a clause that makes it theirs if you stop services. Don’t let that slide. Make sure you ask directly: Who owns the content? What does the contract actually say about it?

What Happens if You Cancel Early?

Life happens. Businesses evolve, budgets shift, and sometimes you need to pause or cancel. The question is - what’s the process?

Ask directly: What happens if I cancel early? What do I have to do? What does that look like? Some contracts carry heavy cancellation penalties or make you keep paying for months after you stop services. You need to know that upfront.

Here’s the flip side: when you sign a contract, the agency brings on people for your account and budgets for that work. That’s why cancellation clauses exist.

But listen, everybody should have a cancellation clause. If they don’t, that’s a major red flag. Don’t even sign with someone who doesn’t have one.

Read the fine print, and make sure the contract spells out exactly what happens if you cancel.

(Helpful resource: FTC Guidance on Contracts for spotting unfair or misleading terms.)

How Often Are Deliverables Reviewed or Explained?

A lot of times, business owners get a nice-looking report once a month filled with charts and jargon that doesn’t actually explain anything. You deserve more than that.

Real reports should spell out what was done to get the numbers, what the numbers actually mean, and what the plan is to improve them. They should also show you how you can support the process, even outside the project scope.

If you don’t understand the report, the problem isn’t you. It’s the provider.

(See also: SBA’s Small Business Guide for understanding vendor contracts and services.)

Why Monthly Accountability Matters

A lot of people think Search Engine Optimization or Artificial Intelligence Optimization (SEO/AIO) is something they can do once and then leave alone. It’s not. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of deal. It’s ongoing. Rankings shift, algorithms change constantly, your competitors are working too, and your business keeps evolving.

If your contract doesn’t include monthly accountability calls, sometimes called analytics meetings or team meetings, that’s a problem. There should always be a set time when you can talk to your provider at least once a month and go over strategy.

Otherwise, you have no idea what’s being done, what the goals are, or what’s changed. Make sure monthly accountability is built into your agreement.

We’ve put together a full breakdown of our SEO services so you can see what accountability really looks like. And if you’re comparing proposals, check out our SEO Truth Series blog collection to see how we call out the fine print most agencies skip.

Bottom Line

Don’t get locked into a bad deal. Ask the right questions before you sign an SEO contract:

• Who owns the content?

• What happens if I cancel early?

• How often will results be explained?

• How do you hold yourself accountable every month?

These aren’t just contract questions — they’re business survival questions.

CTA: Contact us today, and we’ll send you our SEO Contract Checklist, the exact tool we use to help small businesses cut through the fluff and spot the traps before it’s too late.