How to choose an SEO company (and not get scammed)?

Judge them on their own work, not promises. Ask for real case studies in your niche where possible, ask exactly what they'll do each month, check whether their strategy is revenue-focused, and walk away from anyone guaranteeing #1 rankings. Nobody controls Google's algorithm.

Demand plain-English reporting tied to traffic and leads, not "we built 50 backlinks." The biggest red flag is a long lock-in contract where nothing visible happens for months. My rule: a good SEO can explain the plan so you actually understand it, and will happily start with a small scoped project before you commit to anything ongoing. SEOs tend to complicate things that could be said simply. That's what I value in my work, and I always talk with clients in plain terms.