[ Search visibility · Full playbook ]
// 01 / 20The buyer's playbook.
The working reference behind SEO Services Pricing & Buyer Guide 2026: what to ask, what to watch and how to run the first 90 days.
← Back to the guide[ RFP questions ]// 01
Questions that reveal real capability.
Ask for a relevant example, the decision made, the result or learning, and the person who would own the work.
- 01Which search demand will you deliberately not pursue—and why?
- 02How will you separate branded from non-branded growth?
- 03How do technical, content, internal-link and authority work reinforce one another?
- 04How do you validate intent before commissioning content?
- 05What happens when recommendations need developer time?
- 06How will you measure qualified leads, pipeline and revenue—not only clicks?
- 07How do you respond to AI-search experiences and falling click-through?
- 08What access, approvals and client hours are assumed?
[ Risk ]// 02
Make failure visible before signature.
| Risk | Early warning | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic without pipeline | Informational visits dominate | Prioritize commercial intent; connect CRM outcomes |
| Keyword cannibalization | Several URLs rank for one intent | Consolidate or differentiate |
| Unbuilt recommendations | Technical backlog ages | Reserve engineering owners |
| Generic content | No expert evidence | Use SMEs and original examples |
| Attribution overclaim | Every conversion credited to SEO | Document limits and cohorts |
[ Value case ]// 03
Measure outcomes—not activity.
01Qualified non-brand organic clicksBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
02Commercial queries in top 10Baseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
03Organic conversion rateBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
04Qualified leads and pipelineBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
05Incremental gross profitBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
06Referring domains and earned mentionsBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
[ First 90 days ]// 04
Move from evidence to operating rhythm.
01
Days 1–30
Baseline, intent map and technical priorities
Exit evidenceApproved baseline, owners, scope and risk log
02
Days 31–60
High-value page improvements and content refresh
Exit evidenceWorking outputs, QA evidence and decision record
03
Days 61–90
Authority assets, outreach and conversion iteration
Exit evidenceMeasured result, learning backlog and operating owner
[ Reference desk ]// 05
Speak the same language.
| Term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|---|
| Search intent | The job a searcher is trying to complete. |
| Technical SEO | Crawl, render, index and performance foundations. |
| Topical authority | Connected depth and evidence around a subject. |
| Cannibalization | Pages competing for the same intent. |
| SERP | The search-engine results page. |
| Qualified organic lead | A search lead matching agreed fit criteria. |
[ Playbook in hand? ]