How to vet ecommerce SEO providers before shortlisting

What to take away about ecommerce SEO

Fix six criteria in writing before you read any proposalplatform coverage, template and internal linking work, measurement access, compliance documents, named owners and unit pricing.
Ask for read-only Google Analytics 4 and Search Console access plus a signed case study before you believe any ranking or revenue claim.
Date every market figure to an ONS reference period, and check a provider's record against the ICO enforcement register.
Keep the shortlist at three to five candidates, and record why each rejected one failed.
Compare provider types rather than brand namesplatform specialists, template and linking generalists, and compliance-led suppliers for regulated categories.

Six criteria to set before you compare

Write the criteria before you contact anyone. A scoring sheet built afterwards tends to justify the choice you already wanted.

Platform coveragedoes the provider work on your platform weekly, or learn it on your account?
Template and internal linkingwill they fix category and faceted navigation templates first?
Measurement accessdo they agree to read-only Google Analytics 4 and Search Console access from day one?
Compliance documentscan they name the rules that apply to your category, and the date each was last checked?
Named ownerswho does the work, and how many accounts does that person hold?
Unit pricingwhat is the monthly cost per 1,000 SKUs, or per market you sell into?

Provider inclusion criteria

Written method
Named market
Evidence you can check
Template work
Indexation checks
Named owners

Send the same written brief to every candidate and ask for the same format back. A provider answering a different question is not comparable, however strong the answer looks.

The scoring method behind a fair shortlist is set out in our review and comparison methods guide, which explains why documented evidence outranks price.

Match the provider type to your store

Provider types differ in what they fix first. Names matter less than the work each one takes on.

Match the provider type

Provider type that fits

Single store, a few hundred SKUs: Template and internal linking specialist on your platform
Multi-brand group: One measurement standard with a named owner per brand
Regulated category: A supplier that documents compliance checks and review dates
Paid media alongside organic: Reporting that splits organic from paid
B2B or trade store: A provider with account and price list experience

What to avoid

Single store, a few hundred SKUs: Enterprise reporting packs at this size
Multi-brand group: One account manager stretched across four brands
Regulated category: Anyone who cannot name the rules that apply
Paid media alongside organic: A blended dashboard with no split
B2B or trade store: Consumer-only case studies

Record why you rejected each option. A table starts the conversation rather than ending it.

How to verify ranking, traffic and revenue claims

Ask for read-only Google Analytics 4 and Search Console access before the first paid month, and check the property history predates the contract.
Request the query list the provider claims to have won, then confirm impressions and average position for the same date range.
For revenue claims, ask for the organic segment in GA4 with the conversion definition named, not a screenshot of a total.
Check one case study by speaking to the named client, or ask for a written reference you can call.
Log the date of every check, so the next review starts from a known baseline.

A screenshot proves a number existed. Access proves who produced it, over which dates, and under what measurement settings.

Turning three quotes into one comparable monthly figure

Providers quote retainers, fixed projects and day rates, so convert each quote to the same unit. Our guide to an ecommerce SEO budget template shows how to hold those lines in one sheet.

A store budgeting £2,000 a month (illustrative figure) should ask what that buys in template hours, content pieces and reporting. Collect at least three written quotes and record the monthly figure each implies.

Do not adopt an average from a blog post as your benchmark. Your own three quotes are the benchmark.

Official checks for dated figures and company records

Market sizing usually starts with official data. The ONS business statistics pages publish UK business population and sector figures with stated reference periods, so you can see which period a number covers.

When two sources use different reference periods, note both dates beside the figure instead of averaging them.

Data protection is the sharpest edge of an ecommerce contract. The ICO enforcement action register records concluded cases and monetary penalties, which shows how the regulator treats failures rather than how a supplier describes itself.

Check the supplier is a registered company too. The Companies House register lets you confirm the company number, filing history and named officers before you sign.

Geography checklist for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Coverage is a contract question, not a marketing one. Work through this list with each candidate.

Geography checklist

Name the nations your store sells into, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Ask which duties the provider documents for each nation, and request the named document rather than an assurance.
Confirm who handles distance selling information duties under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 for each market.
Put the agreed scope in the contract, not only the proposal.
Note where Scottish and Northern Irish arrangements differ from England, and who checks them.

Buyers in England can use our product comparison checks for England to see which local evidence a supplier should hand over.

Common questions

How many providers belong on a shortlist?

Three to five is usually enough to compare like with like. More spreads your checks thin and invites price-led decisions.

What should I check before sharing customer data?

Check the provider against the ICO enforcement register, then agree in writing where the data sits and who can see it.

Can a freelancer compete with an agency?

Yes, when the evidence standard is the same. Compare briefs and named owners, not headcount.