Due Diligence Guide

How to Choose a Dental SEO Agency — 8 Questions Every Dentist Must Ask

Choosing an SEO agency is one of the most consequential marketing decisions you will make. This guide gives Canadian dentists the specific questions to reveal whether you are talking to a genuine specialist or a generalist with good sales copy.

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8 Questions for Your Future Partner

Before signing any agreement, ask these specific questions. A specialized dental agency like Dentist SEO will have clear, documented answers for all of them.

1. Do you work exclusively with dental clinics?

Why it matters: Dental SEO requires healthcare-specific expertise. Generalists apply the same templates to every industry.

2. Can you show specific dental ranking results?

Why it matters: Anyone can promise results. Ask for documented ranking data from dental clients specifically.

3. How do you handle RCDSO or provincial compliance?

Why it matters: An agency that doesn't know regulatory rules creates significant licensing risk for your practice.

Specialized agency deliverables document representing transparency and due diligence

4. What is included in monthly deliverables?

Vague "ongoing optimization" is a common trap. Ensure specific deliverables are documented each month.

5. Which dental schema types do you use?

The right answer includes Dentist, FAQ, and MedicalProcedure schema for rich results.

6. Do I own all assets if I leave?

Never sign with an agency that holds your website, content, or GBP access hostage in a proprietary platform.

Warning signals and red flags checklist for choosing a marketing agency

Agency Red Flags

Guaranteed #1 Rankings

No ethical agency can guarantee specific positions. It's a standard red flag in the SEO industry.

Long Lock-in Contracts

Be wary of 2-year minimums. We believe results should earn your investment every month.

White-Label Outsourcing

Resellers who outsource your clinical work overseas without disclosure often produce poor, non-compliant content.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I pay for SEO?

Most quality dental SEO agencies in Canada charge $1,500–$3,500/month. Anything significantly below $1,000 should trigger a deep review of what is actually being delivered.

Is a local agency better?

Not necessarily. SEO is executed remotely. What matters is niche dental expertise and Canadian market knowledge, not the physical proximity of their office.

Dentist evaluating agency performance and rankings data