What to Ask an SEO Company for References and Citations

If you're evaluating an SEO or citation-building company, asking for references is the single best way to separate a legitimate service from one that will submit your business to spammy, low-quality directories and call it done.

What to ask for when requesting references

• A live client example — a real business they've built citations or backlinks for, ideally in a similar industry to yours.
• Proof of individual placements — not just a summary count of "200 citations built," but the actual live listings or screenshots for a sample of them.
• Timeline honesty — ask how long their process actually took for that client, not just the promised turnaround.
• Whether the client is still using them — repeat business is a stronger signal than a one-off testimonial.

How does an SEO company get you citations, exactly?

A legitimate process looks like this:

1. They audit your existing citations for inconsistencies first, rather than just adding new ones on top of a messy foundation.
2. They lock down your exact NAP (name, address, phone) format before submitting anywhere.
3. They submit manually, or through a reviewed process, to directories that are actually indexed and relevant to your category.
4. They report back with proof — the live listing or a screenshot — for every citation, not just a final count.

If a company can't clearly explain this process when asked, or refuses to show individual proof of placements, that's a warning sign. See our own citation building guide for the full process we follow.

Red flags when checking references

• References that are vague ("we've helped hundreds of businesses") rather than specific and checkable.
• No willingness to show even one real, live example.
• Citation counts that seem impossibly high for the price — often a sign of spammy, automated, low-quality directories.

Frequently asked questions

Should an SEO company be able to show me proof of past work?

Yes — a legitimate service can point to specific, live, checkable examples of citations or backlinks they've built, not just summary statistics.

Is it normal to ask for references before hiring an SEO company?

Completely normal, and a reasonable company will expect it — treat hesitation to provide any as a signal to look elsewhere.