Term sheet · Hiring an SEO agencyFive clauses
SEO agency in Darwin: what to ask before you sign
Hiring an SEO agency is a contract like any other, with one difference: Google publishes its own advice on what to ask, what to avoid and what no one can promise. This guide, published by Dotto, sets that advice beside the Australian law on misleading claims and contracts, and the places a Territory business can turn if the work goes wrong.
Google puts the stakes plainly. Hiring someone to do search engine optimisation “is a big decision that can potentially improve your site’s visibility and save you time, but you can also risk damage to your site and reputation.”
This is general information, not legal advice. Google Search Central is the place to check Google’s own rules; the ACCC and NT Consumer Affairs are the places to check consumer law. Every source is listed at the foot of the page that uses it.
The term sheetFive clauses to settle before you sign
A term sheet lists what two parties have agreed before the long contract is written. These are the five things worth settling with an SEO agency, each with what the official source says and the clause that explains it.
- Clause 1
- Google’s questions for an SEO
Google suggests interviewing a potential SEO, and its own list of questions includes “Do you follow the Google Search Essentials” and “How do you measure your success?”
- Clause 2
- Promises no one can make
“No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google,” in Google’s words. Section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law reads: “A person must not, in trade or commerce, engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive.”
- Clause 3
- Spam tactics that cost you
Google’s spam policies end in a plain consequence: “Sites that violate our policies may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all.” It also says that “you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire”.
- Clause 4
- The contract and the handover
IP Australia says IP created by a contractor belongs to the contractor unless the contract says otherwise. In Search Console, Google’s help says only an owner can give other people access, so whose account holds that role belongs in the contract.
- Clause 5
- When it goes wrong in the Territory
NT Consumer Affairs describes itself as the first point of contact for help with a consumer dispute in the NT, where it administers the Australian Consumer Law. For business-to-business disputes, the federal small business ombudsman responds to small businesses in dispute with other businesses.
Before the first meetingWhen Google says hiring helps
Google does not assume every business needs an agency. “If you run a small local business, you can probably do much of the work yourself,” its page on hiring an SEO says, and it suggests starting with its SEO starter guide, which describes much of what an SEO will do.
It also names the moments when outside help is most useful: “a great time to hire is when you’re considering a site redesign (the earlier, the better), or planning to launch a new site.” Even if you do hire, Google says it is useful to know the techniques yourself, so you can tell when an SEO wants to use one that is not recommended or is strongly discouraged.
Why DarwinNational rules, Territory doors
Most of what is in these clauses is the same anywhere in Australia. Google’s advice applies to every site, and business.gov.au says all businesses selling goods and services in Australia must comply with the Australian Consumer Law, including businesses overseas. An agency in Darwin and one interstate answer to the same law.
Help with a dispute is where the Territory comes in. business.gov.au explains that the ACCC deals with widespread issues but not individual complaints, while state and territory consumer protection agencies manage individual complaints. In the NT that agency is NT Consumer Affairs. The ombudsman’s list of the state-based Small Business Commissioners it works with names five states, and the Northern Territory is not among them. The ombudsman itself responds to small businesses in dispute with other businesses, and that is the route the last clause follows.
How the clauses readGoogle’s words first, then the law
Each clause answers its question in its opening lines. Google Search Central’s pages are published under an open licence, so they are quoted where the exact wording matters; Google’s help-centre pages are put in plain words. Australian law and the regulators’ guidance follow, with each threshold and fee given as its source stated it on 8 October 2026.