Hiring an offshore SEO company should not feel like a gamble.
The wrong choice can mean pretty reports, risky links, and zero accountability. The right one feels boring in the best way: clear scope, safe links, measurable wins, and clean handoffs across time zones.
This guide shows you exactly how to pick that partner with a copy-ready RFP, a weighted scorecard you can use in an hour, and a 90-day pilot plan that proves value fast. We will also point to the specific Google documentation your vendors should already know by heart.
What “Good” looks like When the Team is Offshore
Before you request quotes, align on what “good” means. A strong offshore SEO partner does three things at once:
- follows Google Search guidance for technical health and page experience,
- keeps link acquisition inside Google’s spam policies,
- reports in GA4 and Search Console with owner names and a narrative on what moved and why.
Google’s page experience guidance recommends achieving “Good” Core Web Vitals for real users. Use the 75th percentile as your bar and track LCP ≤ 2.5 s, INP ≤ 200 ms, and CLS ≤ 0.1 for pages in scope. Require that target as an acceptance criterion in your contract.
Validate improvements in the Core Web Vitals report inside Search Console, which uses field data. (Google Help)
The 7 failure modes that sink offshore SEO deals
Use this list to spot trouble before it lands in your roadmap. Each item maps to a control in the RFP or contract.
- Guaranteed rankings instead of a plan.
- Scope that hides content or link budgets.
- Link promises with no rules or logs.
- No Core Web Vitals targets or reporting owners.
- Vague GA4 dashboards with no narrative.
- One person wearing every hat with no backup.
- No handover plan on exit.
Google’s spam policies and outbound link guidance are your north star for number 3. Paid or sponsored placements need rel="sponsored" or nofollow. Make this explicit.
Your copy-ready RFP template
First, a quick framing note. The best RFPs make vendors comparable. They also force itemized deliverables and named owners so you do not buy a black box.
Paste these sections into your email or doc, then request pricing:
- Business context and goals: Markets, sales cycle, top metrics, target segments.
- Keyword clusters and target pages: The initial clusters and landing pages that matter most.
- Scope modules and outputs per month: Technical, On-page, Content, Links, Analytics. Require counts, not vibes.
- Page experience acceptance criteria: Core Web Vitals at the 75th percentile for LCP, INP, CLS on pages in scope.
- Data access and reporting: GA4 and Search Console access, named owners, and a monthly “why it moved” note.
- Link safety rules: Allowed sources, disallowed tactics, and a live placement log with domain, URL, and anchor. Paid placements must use rel="sponsored" or nofollow.
- Compliance and IP: IP assignment, DPA if applicable, backups for each role, and credentials policy.
- Pilot terms and go or no-go gates: 90-day pilot and criteria for scale or stop.
- Exit and handover pack: Briefs, content files, link logs, dashboards, and credentials.
The weighted scorecard that makes decisions obvious
Before the table, decide what matters most for your ICP: speed to value, governance, and measurable outcomes. Assign weights so the smoothest proposal does not beat the safest and most capable team.
| Criterion | What to look for in answers and artifacts | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy depth | Cluster plan tied to pages, CWV included in acceptance criteria | 20% |
| Execution capacity | Named pod, hours per role, outputs per week and per month | 20% |
| Link safety | Source criteria, placement log sample, rel="sponsored" policy | 15% |
| Reporting quality | GA4 + GSC dashboards, monthly narrative on cause and effect | 15% |
| Compliance and IP | DPA, IP assignment, backups per role, credential handoff plan | 10% |
| References and proof | Case notes that match your market and stage | 10% |
| Pricing clarity | Itemized scope, content and link budgets separated from fee | 10% |
How to use it
Score each vendor 1 to 5 per row, multiply by the weight, and pick the highest total. Require artifacts for every row. For reporting, ask to see the GA4 views and the Core Web Vitals report they will rely on.
Model comparison: company vs white-label vs freelancer network
There is no single right model. Choose by risk tolerance, speed, and who owns strategy.
| Model | Best for | Strengths | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore SEO company | Leaders who want one accountable pod | Strategy plus execution plus governance in one place | Higher base fee, vet link policy and CWV targets against Google docs |
| White-label agency | In-house strategists who need production | Flexible capacity, easy to spin up | Demand QA rubric and reporting ownership |
| Freelancer network | Tight budgets with strong internal PM | Lowest initial cost, specific specialists | Coordination load, fragile backups, link risk without clear rules |
Tie-back to Google guidance
Whatever the model, your contract should align with page experience targets, Search Console reporting, and link safety rules. Vendors who cannot speak to LCP, INP, CLS, GSC, or rel attributes are not ready to own your domain.
Your 90-day pilot plan with go or no-go gates
Pilots should prove capability and reduce downside. Here is a plan that works for founders, COOs, and HRBPs who want speed without surprises.
We use outcome trends and user experience, not vanity lifts. Track CWV on target templates, ask for GA4 and GSC owners by name, and require a monthly narrative on what changed and why.
INP replaced FID in 2024, so ensure vendors are measuring interactivity correctly.
| Phase | Weeks | What happens | Proof of progress to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations | 0 to 2 | Analytics QA, Search Console review, full technical audit, top fixes | GA4 and GSC validated, first CWV deltas on priority templates, clear backlog owners |
| First wins | 3 to 6 | On-page updates, 2 to 4 briefs shipped, first safe placements with log | Rank and CTR lift on target pages, placement log reviewed against policy |
| Scale or stop | 7 to 12 | Increase content velocity, expand outreach, add experiments | Non-brand leads trending up, CWV targets met on pages in scope, clean monthly narrative with next steps |
Red flags You Should Reject in Writing
Put these in your RFP and contract so you can say no without debate.
- “Guaranteed page one rankings.”
- Link promises without source criteria, attributes, and a live placement log.
- No Core Web Vitals targets or reliance on the 75th percentile standard.
- No GA4 or Search Console access for you.
- No time-zone overlap or response SLA.
Each of these conflicts with Google’s own guidance or makes it impossible to verify work. Paid or sponsored links need the right rel attribute. CWV must be measured at the 75th percentile. Reporting needs owners and access, not screenshots.
FAQs
How many vendors should I invite to the RFP?
Three is usually enough to compare strategy depth, link safety, and reporting quality without slowing decisions. Use the weighted scorecard so the best evidence wins, not the best presentation. For interview structure, Google’s own “How to hire an SEO” video is still the best 10 minute primer.
Which page experience metrics belong in my contract now that INP replaced FID?
Use Core Web Vitals. Set acceptance criteria at the 75th percentile for LCP ≤ 2.5 s, INP ≤ 200 ms, and CLS ≤ 0.1 on pages in scope. Ask vendors how they will track and improve these in the field. Link their monthly narrative to changes in these numbers.
What should my link policy actually say?
Define allowed sources and disallowed tactics. Require a live placement log with domain, URL, anchor, and contact. Paid or sponsored placements must be marked rel="sponsored" or nofollow to align with Google’s link guidance. Keep this inside your SOW so there is zero ambiguity.
What reports should I expect monthly?
A GA4 landing-page view for organic, a cluster dashboard tied to target keywords, a technical health and Core Web Vitals snapshot, and a written narrative that explains cause and next steps. Search Console should be referenced for field data and coverage issues.
How do I handle implementation when my SEO is offshore?
Keep analysis and ticket writing with the SEO team. Assign implementation to your devs or to the vendor’s devs under a pre-deploy checklist. Acceptance requires proof in staging and production, then verification in GA4 and Search Console. That clean split keeps velocity and accountability high.
