Hiring an SEO Agency? What to Expect

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is often sold as the magic way that businesses appear on Google’s first page– or lately, in the answers of AI engines. The reality, however, is more complex than this. 

The SEO landscape in Singapore and Malaysia is crowded. You will find everything from freelancers offering cheap packages to established agencies with full-scale teams. This wide variety of options often makes it challenging to choose the right strategic partner.

This guide clarifies exactly what a professional SEO engagement looks like. We will cover the key criteria in hiring a good agency,  SEO pricing and contracts, campaign scope and execution, to the typical results you can realistically expect from a reputable agency.

How to Choose a Good SEO Agency Partner

SEO does not solely consist of  just “adding keywords” to your site. 

Search engines and AI platforms today are much more sophisticated than before, and use a wide range of signals to determine which websites or brands to display in their results. A complete SEO campaign would need to cover all these key areas that form the foundation of modern SEO, which should cover both Google and AI engines. 

Thus, when evaluating a potential partner, ensure their campaign proposal covers these key pillars of modern SEO:

• On-Page SEO: Optimising content and page structure.
• Off-Page SEO: Building authority through backlinks and mentions.
• Technical SEO: Improving site health, speed and crawlability, to implementing structured data.
• Local SEO: If you have a local brick-and-mortar business presence, Google My Business optimisation is essential.
• AI SEO: Implementing optimisation to improve visibility in Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and answer engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Overviews.

Keen to find out how ready is your website for AI Search?

Take this free,  60-seconds AI Visibility Audit to find out.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Be cautious if an agency conveys:

• Guaranteed #1 Rankings: This is a major red flag. No SEO agency, even the best ones can guarantee top rankings as no one can fully control Google’s algorithms. Honest, ethical agencies rely on proven methodologies rather than making impossible promises.
• Cheap Pricing: Many freelancers or agencies offering “cheap” SEO services usually focus on only On Page SEO. However, this may not be enough to generate significant results.
• Black Hat Techniques: Some agencies may engage in tactics like buying low-quality links to increase domain authority or keyword stuffing, which risks Google penalties that will severely compromise your visibility later.

Typical SEO Campaign Process

Here is a typical campaign process that you can expect from an SEO agency.

Audit & Strategy

The first phase sets the foundation. It includes:

• Initial Consultation: Aligning business goals with search strategy.
• Website Audit: Identifying current rankings, traffic and  technical health. 
• Industry & Competitive Analysis: Understanding who you are up against.
• Keyword & AI Prompt Research: Finding what your customers are searching for.
• Content Calendar: Planning articles and target pages to update. 
• Google Business Profile Analysis: Checking your local visibility.
• Backlink Strategy: Planning how to build backlinks and authority.

Implementation

From month one through the end of the contract, the team executes the strategy:

• On-Page SEO: Optimising metadata and content for target pages.
• Off-Page SEO: Executing outreach campaigns to earn brand mentions and backlinks from reputable external websites and directories.
• Local SEO: Optimising your Google Business Profile for map pack visibility.
• Technical SEO: Working with developers to improve core web vitals, mobile responsiveness, and site errors, to implementing schema markup. 
• AI SEO : Additional optimisations to improve visibility in AI platforms

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

You should not have to guess if the work is happening. A proper agency provides:

• Monthly Reports: Detailed breakdowns of progress and results.
• Key Performance Metrics: Website traffic, keyword rankings, brand mentions in AI prompts, and backlinks acquired.
• Dedicated Support: Access to an account manager who understands your campaign, provides  regular updates or answer any queries you might have.

Looking for a trusted SEO agency? 2Stallions’ modern SEO framework is designed to boost your visibility on both search engines and AI platforms. Speak to our expert team for a free, no-strings-attached site audit and consultation.

Expected SEO Results and Timelines

SEO results are not immediate. Google requires time to re-crawl, index, and re-evaluate your website changes. The peak impact of SEO campaigns is typically realised 6 to 12 months after implementation. 

Here’s a rough timeline on the results that can be expected: 

• Months 1–3: With improved website and content, you may see initial movements in your rankings and traffic.
• Months 3–6: You will likely witness rising rankings and organic traffic. 
• Month 6+: This marks the compounding phase. As your website’s authority grows, rankings and organic traffic should see stronger, continual rise, accompanied by increased sales or enquiries.
  

Estimated Growth in Organic Traffic

While every campaign is different, these are typical growth benchmarks for a healthy campaign.
Note: Timelines and results depend heavily on your starting Domain Authority and industry competition.

Factors Outside an SEO Agency’s Control

Even with an agency’s best efforts, SEO results are also significantly dependent on these external factors: 

• Industry & Competition: High-competition sectors (like healthcare or finance) where many competitors have also implemented SEO would take longer to rank than niche industries.
• Original Domain Authority: A mature website with stronger domain authority will see results faster than a brand-new domain.
• Website Quality: Design, user experience (UX), and page speed affect user engagement and rankings. If your site is poorly designed, slow or not user-friendly, it usually leads to poor engagement signals from visitors and Google will rank it lower.
• Landing Page Quality: Traffic means nothing if the page doesn’t convert. The attractiveness of your offer and landing pages are key for visits to turn into sales or enquiries.
  
• Google Algorithm Updates: Google releases core updates several times per year. These often cause temporary volatility in rankings and traffic. While most sites quickly recover, occasionally select websites may be affected for longer.
  

What SEO Teams Require from the Client Side

Success is a partnership. To get the best results, your agency will also need cooperation from your side:

• Information: Comprehensive details about your products, services, and USP.
• Access: Logins for your Content Management System (CMS) (e.g., WordPress) to make on-page changes.
• Data: Access to Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track performance.
• Developer Support: The agency may need to liaise with your in-house developer to implement specific technical recommendations.

Common Misconceptions About SEO

Myth: “We can rank #1 for every keyword.”

This is one of the most common misunderstandings about SEO. While reliable SEO agencies can usually significantly improve clients’ visibility and organic traffic, no one can guarantee a specific #1 ranking. 

Myth: “SEO is a one-time project.”

Google and AI engines prefer fresh, updated websites and content. Thus even after your SEO campaign is completed, it is still important to continually update your website with the latest information, publish fresh content, and maintain technical health. 

Is SEO the Best Option for Your Business?

SEO is powerful, but it isn’t the only marketing channel nor is always the best strategy for every business.

SEO is the best fit if your target customers actively use Google to search for providers or solutions.

SEO may not be the priority if your customers are primarily on social media (e.g., lifestyle products). In that case, social content or ads might yield better returns.

If you need immediate results, paid ads on Google (SEM) are a better short-term choice. However, many competitive businesses use a hybrid approach, running Ads for immediate leads or sales while building SEO for long-term, sustainable growth.

What Success with an SEO Agency Looks Like

When SEO works, it can be one of the most profitable marketing channels in the long term– with the capacity to bring a continual stream of web traffic and enquiries month-to-month without having to spend on advertising . Here are some examples of results experienced by 2Stallions’ clients:

• Cardiology Clinic Chain: Achieved a 1,954% increase in organic traffic, accompanied by strong expansion in their patient base.
• Australian Campervan Brand: Increased organic search traffic by 344% and enquiries by 168%.
• B2B Scientific Instruments Supplier: Saw a 133% increase in organic traffic and a 236% increase in website enquiries.