SEO RFP

Think SEO RFPs are just about finding a new agency? Think again.

Whether you're heading up an in-house digital team, working at an agency preparing proposals, or already partnering with an SEO provider - you'll find value here. These insights will help you evaluate capabilities, prepare stronger responses, and plan strategically for what's next in search.

As the owner of an SEO agency who reviews dozens of RFPs each year, I've seen firsthand how the quality of an RFP can make or break a project's success. We not only respond to dedicated SEO RFPs but also regularly contribute to SEO components within larger development and marketing RFPs alongside our agency partners.

One thing becomes clear very quickly: a well-crafted RFP leads to better proposals, more accurate pricing, and ultimately, more successful projects. Let me share what I've learned from both sides of the process.

Last year, our agency won a significant enterprise SEO project that stood out from the start because of its exceptional RFP. The company, a multinational e-commerce platform, provided one of the most comprehensive and clear RFPs I've seen in 15 years of agency work.

What made it special? The RFP included detailed analytics data showing current organic traffic patterns, specific technical limitations of their custom e-commerce platform, clear prioritization of markets and product categories, explicit success metrics tied to revenue goals, and a thorough overview of their internal teams and capabilities.

The result? We could provide a highly accurate proposal that matched their budget expectations, outlined a realistic timeline, proposed specific solutions for their technical challenges, and included the right mix of resources based on their internal capabilities. More importantly, six months into the project, we're tracking exactly to plan because both parties started with a clear, shared understanding of the work involved.

Why Most SEO RFPs Fall Short

In contrast, I frequently see RFPs that create problems from the start. Common issues include vague objectives like "improve our SEO" without specific metrics, missing technical details about the current website infrastructure, unclear budget parameters that lead to mismatched proposals, no context about internal resources and capabilities, and lack of clarity about decision-making processes and timelines.

These gaps force agencies to make assumptions, leading to proposals that miss the mark or require significant revision.

Current Situation Analysis

The foundation of any strong SEO proposal is a thorough understanding of where your business stands today. As an agency, we can't provide accurate projections or resource estimates without clear baseline metrics and context. When we receive RFPs missing this information, we typically need to spend valuable time during the proposal process requesting these details, which can delay the process and lead to less accurate proposals.

Your current situation analysis should include your organic traffic metrics, but go beyond just numbers. We need to understand the story behind those metrics. For instance, if your traffic dropped 30% last quarter, was it due to a specific Google update, technical changes, or competitive factors? This context helps us propose appropriate solutions and allocate the right resources.

Key elements to include:

• Current performance metrics and their context
• Technical infrastructure and limitations
• Previous SEO efforts and their results
• Internal team capabilities and resources

Clear Goals and Success Metrics

In my experience, the most successful SEO projects are those where everyone agrees on what success looks like from day one. Generic goals like "improve our SEO" or "increase organic traffic" don't give agencies enough direction to propose effective solutions. Instead, we need specific, measurable objectives that tie directly to your business goals.

When crafting your RFP, tie your SEO goals to broader business objectives. For instance, if you're expanding into new markets, specify which markets and what market share you're targeting. If you're focused on revenue growth, provide current revenue from organic search and target increases. This level of detail helps us propose appropriate strategies and allocate resources effectively.

The timeline for achieving these goals is equally important. SEO results typically develop over time, so we need to understand your expectations for both short-term wins and long-term growth. This helps us propose realistic strategies and set appropriate checkpoints for measuring progress.

Essential metrics to define:

• Traffic and revenue targets with specific timelines
• Market share objectives for key segments
• Conversion rate and engagement goals
• Timeline expectations for different objectives

Technical Requirements and Constraints

Technical requirements might seem dry, but they're crucial for accurate project scoping. I've seen countless projects go over budget or miss deadlines because technical constraints weren't properly outlined in the RFP. Your technical infrastructure affects everything from implementation timelines to the tools we can use for monitoring and reporting.

Be specific about your content management system, any custom development work required, and any technical limitations we need to work around. For instance, if your CMS has specific limitations for meta tag updates or URL structures, we need to know this to propose appropriate solutions. Similarly, if you have specific requirements for mobile performance or international markets, these need to be clearly outlined.

Security and compliance requirements are particularly important. If you operate in regulated industries or handle sensitive data, we need to know what restrictions apply to our work. This affects everything from our tool selection to our implementation approach.

Critical technical considerations:

• Platform limitations and requirements
• Security and compliance needs
• Integration requirements with existing systems
• Mobile and international specifications

Modern SEO Considerations

The SEO landscape of 2025 is vastly different from even a few years ago. Today's successful SEO strategies need to account for AI-driven search behaviours, voice search, and multi-platform visibility. Your RFP should clearly outline your requirements in these areas.

For instance, do you need optimisation for AI-powered search engines? Are you looking to leverage AI tools for content creation or optimisation? What about voice search optimisation – is this a priority for your business? Understanding your stance on these modern considerations helps us propose appropriate strategies and tools.

Data privacy requirements are particularly crucial in today's environment. We need to understand your requirements for data handling, storage, and reporting. This affects our choice of tools and methodologies, as well as how we structure our reporting and analysis processes.

Modern elements to address:

• AI and automation requirements
• Multi-platform search presence needs
• Data privacy and security standards
• Content strategy priorities

Project Management and Communication

The most technically brilliant SEO strategy will fail without effective project management and communication. In my experience, this is often the difference between a successful project and one that struggles, regardless of the technical execution.

Your RFP should clearly outline your expectations for project management and communication. What reporting frequency works for your team? Who needs to be involved in different types of decisions? What's your internal approval process like? Understanding these elements helps us structure our team and processes to align with your needs.

Knowledge transfer is another crucial element often overlooked in RFPs. If you want your internal team to learn from our work, we need to know this upfront so we can build in appropriate training and documentation time. Similarly, if you're looking to eventually transition work to an internal team, this needs to be part of the initial planning.

Key management elements:

• Communication expectations and cadence
• Decision-making process and stakeholders
• Knowledge transfer requirements
• Success measurement and reporting needs

AI Integration and Modern Challenges

In 2025's SEO landscape, understanding how an agency leverages AI while managing its risks is crucial. Your RFP should probe deeply into how agencies are adapting to and utilizing AI in their delivery. This isn't just about using AI tools – it's about understanding how AI is reshaping search behavior and agency operations.

When we evaluate agency responses about AI integration, we look for thoughtful approaches that balance efficiency with quality. How are they using AI to enhance their work without compromising authenticity? What safeguards do they have in place against AI-related penalties? Most importantly, how do they ensure AI serves as a tool for enhancement rather than a crutch?

Key areas to explore:

• AI tools usage and policies
• Content authenticity assurance
• AI search visibility strategies
• Risk management approaches

Agency Adaptability and Stakeholder Management

The rapid pace of change in SEO demands agencies that can pivot quickly while maintaining alignment with all stakeholders. Your RFP should investigate not just what agencies know, but how they learn and adapt.

We've seen firsthand how agency adaptability can make or break SEO campaigns. When Google rolls out major updates or new SERP features emerge, how quickly does the agency recognise, analyse, and respond to these changes? More importantly, how do they communicate these changes and their implications to stakeholders across your organisation?

Critical evaluation points:

• Change management processes
• Stakeholder communication strategies
• Cross-department collaboration approaches
• Performance impact analysis methods

Here's a common scenario we encounter: A $200,000+ website development project reduces SEO requirements to a single line - "Must follow SEO best practices." This approach isn't just inadequate; it's potentially damaging to your investment.

At minimum, any significant digital project RFP should address:

• Technical SEO specifications (server configuration, URL structure, site architecture)
• Content and structure requirements
• Integration points between SEO and development
• Post-launch optimisation plans

Remember: Retrofitting SEO after development is always more expensive than building it in from the start.

A well-crafted SEO RFP isn't just a procurement document – it's the foundation of a successful partnership. Whether you're seeking dedicated SEO services or incorporating SEO into a larger project, taking the time to create a comprehensive RFP that addresses both traditional elements and modern challenges will save time, reduce misunderstandings, and lead to better results.

In today's rapidly evolving search landscape, the most successful partnerships will be with agencies that can demonstrate not just their current capabilities, but their ability to adapt, integrate AI effectively, and manage stakeholder relationships across your organisation.