Can I see SEO growth reports before hiring anyone?

Absolutely – you not only can ask to see SEO growth reports or case studies before hiring an agency, you should. Reputable SEO firms expect this and are prepared to showcase their results. 

For example, we openly ahre case studies (we’ve published 27+ of them). Seeing these reports will give you confidence in the agency’s capabilities and a realistic idea of what outcomes to expect.

Why Asking for Reports/Case Studies Is Important

Hiring an SEO agency is an investment, so you want proof of return. Growth reports or case studies provide:

• Evidence of success: Anyone can claim they’re “SEO experts,” but a detailed report showing traffic climbing, keywords ranked, or conversions uptick is concrete proof.
• Relevant experience: You can see if the agency has worked with businesses similar to yours. For instance, if you run a SaaS startup, a report showing how an agency grew a SaaS company’s signups by 200% via organic search is directly relevant.
• Transparency and trust: Agencies that willingly share past results signal confidence and transparency. If an agency hesitates or has nothing to show, consider that a red flag.

In short, past performance (while not a guarantee) is one of the best indicators of future success. A growth report essentially lets the agency’s work speak for itself.

What to Look for in SEO Growth Reports

When an agency hands you a case study or report, here’s how to read it:

• Initial state vs. outcome: Good reports set the stage: “Client X was at 5,000 organic visits per month, and 6 months later we got them to 20,000” or “organic leads grew from 50 to 200 per month in a year.” Look for clear before-and-after metrics.
  
  
• Timeframe: SEO results take time, but you want to see a reasonable trajectory. If an agency shows a 3-year span for minor growth, that’s less impressive than rapid growth in 6-12 months (assuming that’s your goal). For example, Embarque’s reports often highlight growth in under a year – Flick, a client of theirs, reached 9.6 million yearly visitors in <12 months, which is a strong, time-bound result.
  
  
• Key performance indicators (KPIs): Traffic is one thing, but the best reports tie SEO to business outcomes. Look for metrics like conversions, sales, sign-ups, or revenue generated from that organic traffic. An agency might show that SEO increased e-commerce revenue by 150%, or that demo requests doubled after their content revamp. This is golden because it links SEO directly to ROI.
  
  
• SEO specifics: The report should mention what was done to achieve growth (at least in summary). Did they create 100 new blog posts? Optimize technical SEO (and how)? Build X number of backlinks? It helps you gauge their methods and whether they align with what you need. For instance, a report might note, “We identified 50 high-intent keywords and created new pages for each, which led to a 40% traffic uplift,” or “Fixed over 200 technical errors, improving site speed and boosting rankings across the board.”
  
  
• Graphs or visuals: A visual timeline of organic traffic growth or a chart of keyword rankings can quickly show the impact. If the line trends sharply upward after the agency’s involvement, that’s a good sign! Just ensure the scale/timeframe is clear (sometimes a small bump can look huge if the graph is zoomed in too much).

Examples of What You Might See

• Traffic growth charts: e.g., “Organic sessions grew from 2,000 to 10,000/month over 8 months,” often presented as a line graph trending upwards.
  
  
• Ranking improvements: A table showing how many keywords were in the top 3 or top 10 positions before vs. after. For example, an agency report might state, “Client moved from 50 keywords in Google top 10 to 300 keywords in top 10 in one year.”
  
  
• Conversion metrics: If lead or sales tracking was set up, you might see “Contact form submissions from SEO traffic rose 3x, resulting in an estimated $X in new pipeline.”
  
  
• Testimonial or commentary: Many reports include a blurb from the client or a narrative. Something like, “Our sign-ups jumped by 120% after their SEO overhaul,” attributed to the client’s CMO. While qualitative, it adds credibility.
  
  

Embarque’s case studies, for instance, usually combine these elements. One of their reports on a B2B SaaS client shows not just a 1,500% increase in organic traffic, but also an 833% increase in monthly recurring revenue, along with an explanation of the strategies used (product-focused content, technical fixes, etc.). That level of detail is what you want to see.

How to Request and Interpret Reports

When talking to a prospective agency:

• Ask directly: “Do you have example case studies or growth reports from similar projects?” Good agencies often have a PDF or a web page ready to share.
  
  
• Consider NDA limits: Sometimes, agencies can’t reveal the client name publicly but can share anonymized data. That’s fine as long as the results are clear.
  
  
• Ask questions: When reviewing a report, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. If you see a spike in traffic, ask what caused it. If conversions went up, ask what changes led there. A trustworthy agency will happily walk you through it. This also gives you insight into how they communicate and educate their clients.
  
  
• Multiple examples: Ideally, look at more than one report. If an agency only has one success story, it could be a fluke. Multiple case studies (across different companies or industries) show that they have repeatable processes.
  
  

Suy nghĩ cuối cùng

Seeing SEO growth reports before hiring isn’t just about vetting the agency – it also educates you on what to expect. It sets a baseline for results and timing. If an agency like Embarque shows you that they’ve consistently helped companies double or triple their traffic in a year, you have a benchmark.

Ultimately, demand transparency. The best agencies take pride in their work and will gladly show you how they’ve made an impact for others. It’s a green flag if they can produce a report with real numbers and clear achievements. It empowers you to make an informed decision and start a partnership knowing you’ve seen the playbook and the score from past games, not just heard the coach’s hype.