How we research, evaluate, and rank SEO companies with complete transparency and editorial independence.
At Digital Rankings, we believe you have the right to know exactly how we evaluate the agencies we recommend. This document outlines our complete research methodology, ranking criteria, and editorial standards.
Unlike many review sites that base rankings on paid placements or superficial metrics, we conduct comprehensive research over multiple months to produce rankings that reflect genuine quality and capability.
Each ranking undergoes a rigorous multi-phase research process. Here's exactly how we evaluate agencies:
We identify all SEO agencies operating in or serving the target market through business directories, industry databases, Google Business Profiles, and community recommendations.
Agencies are screened for minimum criteria: active business status, verifiable client work, professional web presence, and at least 2 years of operation.
Qualifying agencies undergo detailed assessment including portfolio review, case study verification, client interviews, and technical capability evaluation.
We contact current and former clients to verify performance claims and assess satisfaction. We aim for at least 3-5 client interviews per agency.
Each agency receives scores across our weighted criteria. Final rankings are determined by total weighted scores, with editorial review for consistency.
We evaluate agencies across six core criteria, each weighted based on its importance to client outcomes:
| Criteria | Weight | What We Evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Proven Results | 25% | Verifiable client success stories, documented traffic/ranking improvements, case studies with measurable outcomes. |
| Client Retention | 20% | Long-term client relationships, repeat business rate, client tenure averages, and churn rate indicators. |
| Industry Expertise | 15% | Team credentials, certifications, years of experience, specialized knowledge, and thought leadership. |
| Transparency | 15% | Clear pricing, detailed reporting practices, communication quality, and honest representation of capabilities. |
| Value Proposition | 15% | ROI for clients at various budget levels, pricing relative to deliverables, and overall cost-effectiveness. |
| Local Reputation | 10% | Community standing, local reviews, business relationships, and regional market knowledge. |
Our evaluations draw from multiple independent sources to ensure accuracy and reduce bias:
Digital Rankings maintains complete editorial independence. We operate under the following principles:
No Pay-for-Play: We never accept payment for rankings, reviews, or favorable placement. Agencies cannot buy better positions.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some agency links may generate affiliate commissions. This compensation never influences our rankings or editorial recommendations.
Conflict Avoidance: Team members with personal relationships to agencies recuse themselves from that agency's evaluation.
Correction Policy: We promptly investigate and correct verified inaccuracies. Contact us at our contact page to report errors.
Rankings are living documents that require regular maintenance to remain accurate:
Full re-evaluation of all ranked agencies with fresh research and client interviews.
Review for significant changes: agency closures, major complaints, leadership changes.
Individual listing updates when circumstances change substantially.
Digital Rankings may earn commissions from some links on our site. However, we want to be absolutely clear: this compensation has zero influence on our rankings. We establish rankings first through our research methodology, and only then identify which agencies offer affiliate programs. Many of our top-ranked agencies have no affiliate relationship with us.
We welcome feedback on our rankings and methodology. If you believe an evaluation contains errors or doesn't reflect current agency performance, please contact us with specific information.
All appeals are reviewed by our editorial team. We investigate provided evidence, may conduct additional research, and respond with our findings. Note that disagreement with a ranking does not constitute grounds for change—we only modify rankings based on factual corrections or significant new information.
Visit our contact page and select "Report an Inaccuracy" or "Question About Methodology." Include specific details and any supporting documentation.