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Proposal Red-Flag Checker

Most bad engagements are visible in the paperwork before they start, but only if you know which absences matter. These are the eight questions we'd ask of any proposal — including our own.

  1. 1Does it say in writing that you own the website, code, and content when the engagement ends?
  2. 2Will the domain, analytics, and advertising accounts be in your business's name, with you as owner?
  3. 3If you left, would the site keep working somewhere else?
  4. 4Do you get direct access to the analytics, rather than only a monthly summary?
  5. 5Does it list specific deliverables, rather than hours or “ongoing optimization”?
  6. 6Are the cancellation terms and notice period stated plainly?
  7. 7Are recurring third-party costs — hosting, licenses, ad spend — itemized separately from the fee?
  8. 8Does it guarantee rankings, traffic numbers, or a number of leads?