White label SEO is when one business does the SEO work and another business sells it to its own clients under its own brand. The client deals with the agency. The specialist doing the work stays in the background. It is how many web design, development and marketing agencies offer SEO without hiring an in-house team. If you are still deciding whether to offer SEO at all, start with should your web design agency offer SEO.
This guide explains what white label SEO means, how it works day to day, how it differs from reselling, referral and outsourcing, and what to watch for when choosing a provider.
White label SEO meaning
The term comes from manufacturing. A white label product is made by one company and sold under another company’s brand. Supermarket own-brand products work this way.
White label SEO follows the same idea. The provider does the work. The agency puts its name on it, sets the price and manages the client. Audits, reports and other deliverables carry the agency’s branding or no branding at all.
In this arrangement, the agency is often called the reseller and the provider is often called the fulfilment partner.
How white label SEO works
Most white label arrangements follow the same pattern.
- The agency sells SEO to its client and sets the price.
- The agency briefs the provider with the site, the client’s goals and access to the accounts.
- The provider does the work. This usually includes audits, keyword research, technical fixes, content and reporting.
- The agency reviews the work and presents it to the client under its own brand.
- The client pays the agency, and the agency pays the provider.
The agency normally handles all client contact. Some partnerships let the provider join client calls as part of the agency’s team. That depends on what both sides agree.
White label SEO vs reselling, referral and outsourcing
These terms overlap, and people use them in different ways. The table below shows the usual differences.
| Arrangement | Who the client pays | Whose name is on the work | Who manages the client |
|---|---|---|---|
| White label | The agency | The agency | The agency |
| Reselling | The agency | Usually the agency | The agency |
| Referral | The provider | The provider | The provider |
| Outsourcing | Depends on the setup | Depends on the setup | Depends on the setup |
Reselling is often used to mean the same thing as white label. Some people use it more narrowly for fixed packages bought at a wholesale price and sold on with a markup.
Referral means the agency passes the client to the provider. The client signs with the provider directly. The agency sometimes receives a referral fee, but it no longer manages that part of the work.
Outsourcing is the broadest term. It covers any work handed to an outside party. White label SEO is one type of outsourcing, where the provider’s name stays hidden. How to outsource SEO covers the wider options.
What white label SEO services usually include
The scope varies by provider, but these are the common services.
| Usually handled by the provider | Usually kept by the agency |
|---|---|
| SEO audits and technical checks | The client relationship |
| Keyword research and content planning | Sales and client pricing |
| On-page optimisation | Approval of changes before they go live |
| Technical fixes or fix instructions | Brand voice and client communication |
| Content briefs or written content | Ownership of the client contract |
| Monthly reporting in the agency’s branding | Account access, which stays with the client |
Some providers also handle link building. Ask exactly how they do it before agreeing to it.
Benefits of white label SEO services
Offer SEO without hiring. A senior SEO hire is a fixed cost whether you have two SEO clients or twenty. A white label partner lets the cost follow client demand.
Keep the client and the revenue. Referring SEO work away means another business now has a direct relationship with your client. White label keeps that relationship with you.
Get specialist depth. Technical, ecommerce and international SEO take years to learn well. A specialist partner brings that experience from day one.
Start faster. There is no recruitment or training period. Work starts once the scope is agreed.
Give clients fewer reasons to leave. A client who gets design, development and SEO from one agency has less reason to look elsewhere.
The downsides
White label SEO is not right for every agency. These are the trade-offs.
Your name is on work you did not do. If the quality is poor, the client blames your agency, not the provider.
There is an extra layer of communication. Questions from the client go through you to the provider and back. Answers take longer unless the process is clear.
Margins need planning. You pay the provider and add your own margin on top. If the client price is set too low, the arrangement stops making sense.
Your team still needs to understand the work. Account managers have to explain SEO results to clients. That needs some knowledge or good reporting from the provider.
You rely on one partner. If the provider becomes unavailable, you need a plan for continuing the work.
What is a white label SEO partnership?
A white label SEO partnership is an ongoing arrangement between an agency and a provider, rather than a one-off project. The agency sends work as clients need it, and the provider delivers under agreed terms.
A good partnership puts these points in writing:
- Scope for each client, so both sides know what is and is not included
- Turnaround times for audits, fixes and reports
- Communication rules, including who speaks to the client and when
- Reporting format and branding
- Confidentiality, usually through a non-disclosure agreement
- Non-solicitation, so the provider does not approach your clients directly
- Account ownership, with the client keeping ownership of every account
- Pricing model, such as per project, monthly or hourly
- Exit terms, including handover of work and documents if the partnership ends
Red flags when choosing a white label SEO provider
- Guaranteed rankings. No provider controls how Google ranks a site. A guarantee is a sales line, not a plan.
- Links sold by quantity. Packages such as “50 backlinks a month” usually rely on low-quality links that put the client’s site at risk.
- The same package for every site. A 20-page service site and a 5,000-product store do not need the same work.
- Reports with no detail. Reports should say what was done, why, and what changed as a result.
- Holding the client’s accounts. Search Console, analytics and the website should belong to the client. The provider should only have shared access.
- No confidentiality or non-solicitation agreement. A provider who refuses to sign one is a risk to your client base.
- No verifiable results. Ask for examples of past work you are able to check.
- Unclear about who does the work. Some providers pass work to further subcontractors. Ask who will work on your clients’ sites.
Is white label SEO right for your agency?
White label SEO suits agencies whose clients regularly ask for SEO, but not often enough to justify a full-time hire. It suits agencies that want to keep the client relationship and add a service without building a department.
It suits agencies less well when they want SEO to become a core in-house skill, or when they are not ready to review and explain the work to clients.
If you run an agency and want to see how this works in practice, here is how my white label SEO services are set up.
Frequently asked questions
What does white label SEO mean?
White label SEO means one business does the SEO work and another business sells it to its clients under its own brand. The client deals only with the agency, while the provider works in the background.
What is the difference between white label SEO and SEO reselling?
The terms are often used to mean the same thing. Where people separate them, reselling usually refers to fixed packages bought at a wholesale price and resold with a markup, while white label covers any SEO work delivered under the agency’s brand.
What do white label SEO services include?
They usually include audits, keyword research, on-page optimisation, technical fixes, content planning or writing, and reporting in the agency’s branding. The exact scope depends on the provider and the agreement.
Is white label SEO ethical?
Yes, when the client receives the work they paid for. White label arrangements are common across marketing, design and software. Some agencies tell clients they work with specialist partners, while others keep this private.
Who owns the client’s accounts in a white label arrangement?
The client should own every account, including Search Console, analytics and the website. The agency and the provider should only have shared access.
What are the benefits of white label SEO for agencies?
Agencies offer SEO without hiring, keep the client relationship and revenue, gain specialist experience and start work faster. The main trade-offs are less direct control over quality and an extra layer of communication.
Aashish Maharjan is an SEO specialist focused on ecommerce and international organic growth across global markets. Learn more about my work or request an SEO audit.