DesignRush named Searchbloom the #1 SEO agency to hire in 2026, followed by Funnel Boost Media (#2) and Big Leap (#3). The list is DesignRush's annual ranking of the 12 best SEO agencies. DesignRush is a leading B2B marketplace that ranks agencies, and it published the list on January 30, 2026. It scored firms on four things: service offerings, results, market reputation, and quality of work.
This guide reports the full ranking, in DesignRush's order, and links every agency so you can vet each one. Searchbloom publishes this page, and Searchbloom is the agency DesignRush placed first. So the case for that #1 is laid out below for you to check. Watch the walkthrough, scan the table to shortlist, then read the profiles to vet your finalists.
On this page
- The 12 best SEO agencies, ranked by DesignRush
- How DesignRush ranked the agencies
- The 12 agencies in detail
- Why Searchbloom earned the #1 spot
- How to choose an SEO agency in 2026
- Frequently asked questions
Key Takeaways
- DesignRush published its 2026 ranking on January 30, 2026, naming the 12 best SEO agencies to hire this year.
- Searchbloom earned the #1 spot, ahead of Funnel Boost Media (#2) and Big Leap (#3).
- DesignRush judged agencies on service offerings, results, market reputation, and quality of work.
- Searchbloom is a Google Premier Partner with a 4.9 of 5 Clutch rating from more than 100 reviews and engagements that run about three times longer than the industry norm.
- The full list is below, with what set each agency apart and a video walkthrough from Searchbloom.
The 12 Best SEO Agencies, Ranked by DesignRush
Every agency below appears in DesignRush's published order. The specialty and highlight columns summarize what DesignRush noted about each firm. Searchbloom (#1) is the publisher of this page; the other 11 are reported exactly as ranked.
| Rank | Agency | Specialty | What DesignRush highlighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Searchbloom
Top pick
|
Full-service Search: SEO, AI SEO, technical, local, ecommerce, CRO | A data-driven search marketing firm that builds custom strategies around each business's model, margins, and market, with engagements that run about three times longer than the industry norm. |
| 2 | Local SEO, GEO, PPC | A Google Partner agency specializing in local SEO, generative engine optimization (GEO), and pay-per-click advertising, supporting visibility across both traditional search and AI platforms. | |
| 3 | SEO, content, digital PR | A performance-focused agency that helps growing brands connect marketing investment to measurable revenue through disciplined execution. | |
| 4 | SEO, web design | A Google Premier Partner agency with more than 24 years of experience across SEO and web design. | |
| 5 | Technical SEO, ecommerce, AI | Applies advanced technical SEO and proprietary AI technology to support qualified leads, organic visibility, and ecommerce sales. | |
| 6 | SEO, web design, AI search | Delivers SEO and web design services with a focus on AI search optimization across platforms. | |
| 7 | SEO, web design, CRO | Specializes in SEO and web design with conversion rate optimization built into the work. | |
| 8 | SEO, paid media, strategy | A digital marketing agency specializing in strategic planning, SEO, and paid media for mid-size to enterprise businesses. | |
| 9 | SEO, web design, UX | Helps growing businesses translate complex offerings into clear digital experiences. | |
| 10 | Small-business SEO at scale | Focuses on cost-effective, scalable SEO services for small and medium-sized businesses. | |
| 11 | SEO, paid media, content, Amazon | An agency spanning SEO, paid media, content marketing, web development, social media, and Amazon marketing. | |
| 12 | Web design, SEO, branding | Creates custom websites designed to drive conversions and greater SEO value for brands online. |
How DesignRush Ranked the Agencies
DesignRush is a B2B marketplace that maintains directories of agencies across SEO, web design, advertising, and other categories. For this list, its editorial team assessed SEO agencies on four areas: service offerings, results, market reputation, and a proven ability to deliver high-quality digital experiences. The ranking is DesignRush's own; the order on this page matches the list it published on January 30, 2026.
This is a third-party ranking, not a Searchbloom scorecard. So each profile below reports what DesignRush highlighted, adds a short note on who the agency fits, and links out so you can verify the work. For the agency at the top of the list, the deeper case is laid out in full.
The 12 Agencies in Detail
1. Searchbloom
DesignRush's take: a data-driven search marketing firm that builds custom strategies around each business's model, margins, and market, with engagements that run about three times longer than the industry norm.
Best for: businesses that want one accountable team running technical SEO, content, authority, conversion, and AI search as a single engagement, delivered by the agency DesignRush placed first.
Overview: Searchbloom is a South Jordan, Utah based full-service search marketing agency founded in December 2014. It works primarily across Google products (SEO, PPC, and conversion rate optimization), with Microsoft Ads on Bing offered as an additional service. Searchbloom is a Google Premier Partner, a tier held by the top 3% of agencies, and it runs search through two named frameworks: the A.R.T. methodology for SEO, short for Authority, Relevance, and Technology, and the MERIT framework for AI Search Optimization.
Why DesignRush ranked Searchbloom #1:
- Earned authority and link building through the Authority pillar of A.R.T., built on digital PR and earned links rather than bought placements
- Content and on-page work through the Relevance pillar, built around real buyer intent
- Technical SEO through the Technology pillar: crawl health, site speed, structured data, and clean architecture at any scale
- AI Search Optimization run through MERIT, a published five-pillar framework for earning citations in ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity
- Conversion rate optimization, so visibility turns into leads and revenue rather than traffic alone
The record behind the ranking: Searchbloom holds a 4.9 of 5 rating on Clutch from more than 100 reviews, a 98% partner retention rate, and an average return above 720%. Alongside the DesignRush #1, it has been named a best SEO agency for mid-market businesses by Forbes Advisor, recognized by Clutch and TheCMO, and named an Inc. Best Workplaces honoree. The full-service and enterprise agencies elsewhere on this list bring real depth in their lanes. Searchbloom adds the combination, authority, content, technical, AI search, and conversion under one roof, mapped to a published method. See the results Searchbloom has produced and its awards and recognition.
Best fit: mid-market and growth businesses that want one partner turning search demand into revenue across every SEO discipline.
2. Funnel Boost Media
DesignRush's take: a Google Partner agency specializing in local SEO, generative engine optimization (GEO), and pay-per-click advertising, supporting visibility across both traditional search and AI platforms.
Funnel Boost Media is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for local seo, geo, ppc. Best fit: Businesses that want local search, GEO, and paid search from a single Google Partner.
3. Big Leap
DesignRush's take: a performance-focused agency that helps growing brands connect marketing investment to measurable revenue through disciplined execution.
Big Leap is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, content, digital pr. Best fit: Growing brands that want SEO and content tied to measurable revenue.
4. ForeFront Web
DesignRush's take: a Google Premier Partner agency with more than 24 years of experience across SEO and web design.
ForeFront Web is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, web design. Best fit: Businesses that value a long-tenured Google Premier Partner pairing SEO with web design.
5. SEO Brand
DesignRush's take: applies advanced technical SEO and proprietary AI technology to support qualified leads, organic visibility, and ecommerce sales.
SEO Brand is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for technical seo, ecommerce, ai. Best fit: Ecommerce and lead-gen businesses drawn to technical SEO with an AI layer.
6. worldwideRiches
DesignRush's take: delivers SEO and web design services with a focus on AI search optimization across platforms.
worldwideRiches is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, web design, ai search. Best fit: Businesses that want SEO and web design with an AI-search emphasis.
7. Epidemic Marketing
DesignRush's take: specializes in SEO and web design with conversion rate optimization built into the work.
Epidemic Marketing is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, web design, cro. Best fit: Businesses that want SEO and web design with conversion work built in.
8. Ignite Visibility
DesignRush's take: a digital marketing agency specializing in strategic planning, SEO, and paid media for mid-size to enterprise businesses.
Ignite Visibility is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, paid media, strategy. Best fit: Mid-size to enterprise businesses that want SEO and paid media under one strategy.
9. Just By Design
DesignRush's take: helps growing businesses translate complex offerings into clear digital experiences.
Just By Design is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, web design, ux. Best fit: Businesses with complex offerings that need clearer digital experiences.
10. Boostability
DesignRush's take: focuses on cost-effective, scalable SEO services for small and medium-sized businesses.
Boostability is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for small-business seo at scale. Best fit: Small and medium-sized businesses looking for scalable, cost-effective SEO.
11. Intero Digital
DesignRush's take: an agency spanning SEO, paid media, content marketing, web development, social media, and Amazon marketing.
Intero Digital is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for seo, paid media, content, amazon. Best fit: Businesses that want SEO alongside paid media, content, and Amazon marketing.
12. Digital Silk
DesignRush's take: creates custom websites designed to drive conversions and greater SEO value for brands online.
Digital Silk is recognized on DesignRush's 2026 list for web design, seo, branding. Best fit: Brands that want a custom website built to drive conversions and SEO value.
Why Searchbloom Earned the #1 Spot
Most best-SEO-agency lists are a wall of logos and a row of star ratings. You finish no closer to a decision than when you started. DesignRush's 2026 ranking rewards the agencies that are strong across the whole discipline. Searchbloom sits at the top because it covers all of it under one roof: earned authority, content built around buyer intent, a sound technical foundation, visibility in AI answers, and the conversion work that turns rankings into revenue.
That breadth maps to two published frameworks. The A.R.T. methodology, short for Authority, Relevance, and Technology, runs the core SEO engagement. The MERIT framework handles AI Search Optimization, so a business stays visible as buyers ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The specialist and enterprise agencies on this list each bring real depth in their lane. Searchbloom adds the combination, mapped to a method, with documented results and a 98% partner retention rate behind it.
How to Choose an SEO Agency in 2026
A ranking is a shortlist, not a decision. Use these questions to match an agency to your business:
- Where do your buyers search? If they search inside a region, weight an agency strong in local SEO. If you sell a catalog, weight ecommerce SEO depth.
- Is your technical foundation sound? If crawling, speed, or structured data are weak, no amount of content will rank. Confirm real technical SEO capability.
- Are your buyers asking AI first? Visibility now includes ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. Ask how an agency approaches AI Search Optimization.
- Does traffic convert? Rankings only pay back when visitors act. An agency that pairs SEO with conversion rate optimization protects the return.
- Can they show the revenue? Ask for documented results and retention, not just rankings. The best agencies tie the work to outcomes a business can measure.
Enterprise and multi-location businesses should also weigh national SEO reach and whether one partner can run search end to end rather than handing pieces to separate vendors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best SEO agency to hire in 2026?
DesignRush ranked Searchbloom the #1 SEO agency to hire in 2026 on its annual list of the 12 best SEO agencies, published January 30, 2026. Funnel Boost Media ranked #2 and Big Leap ranked #3.
What are the 12 best SEO agencies according to DesignRush?
DesignRush's 2026 ranking, in order, is Searchbloom, Funnel Boost Media, Big Leap, ForeFront Web, SEO Brand, worldwideRiches, Epidemic Marketing, Ignite Visibility, Just By Design, Boostability, Intero Digital, and Digital Silk.
How did DesignRush choose the best SEO agencies?
DesignRush assessed agencies on service offerings, results, market reputation, and a proven ability to deliver high-quality digital experiences. The ranking is DesignRush's own editorial assessment as a B2B marketplace.
When did DesignRush publish its 2026 SEO agency ranking?
DesignRush published the list of the 12 best SEO agencies to hire in 2026 on January 30, 2026.
Why is Searchbloom ranked the #1 SEO agency?
Searchbloom covers the full SEO discipline under one roof, authority, content, technical SEO, AI search, and conversion, mapped to its A.R.T. methodology and MERIT framework. It is a Google Premier Partner with a 4.9 of 5 Clutch rating from more than 100 reviews, a 98% partner retention rate, and an average return above 720%.
What is DesignRush?
DesignRush is a B2B marketplace that helps businesses find and compare agencies across SEO, web design, advertising, and related categories. It publishes ranked lists and directories of top agencies by specialty.
How much do the best SEO agencies charge?
Most SEO agencies do not publish fixed rates because scope varies. Credible mid-market SEO engagements generally start around $1,500 to $2,500 per month and rise with scope; enterprise engagements run higher. Confirm pricing and scope directly with each agency.
How long does SEO take to show results?
Most SEO engagements show early movement in three to six months and compounding results from six to twelve months, depending on competition, site health, and how much authority and content work is needed.
The Bottom Line
DesignRush's 2026 ranking gives buyers an independent read on the SEO agency market, and it places Searchbloom first among the 12 best SEO agencies to hire this year. The other 11 are credible firms with real strengths; the list above reports each one and links it so you can compare for yourself.
If you want one partner running technical SEO, content, authority, AI search, and conversion as a single engagement, that breadth is why Searchbloom sits at the top of the list. See how Searchbloom approaches SEO or review the results behind the ranking.
