A white label agency is a company that delivers marketing work which another agency sells under its own name. The term is also used, more loosely, for the agency doing the selling. Both meanings describe one arrangement seen from two sides, and this guide explains each one, from the point of view of a provider that offers white label SEO for agencies. If you want the SEO-specific version of the model, read what white label SEO is; here the focus is the agency model itself.
Key takeaways
- White label means a product made by one company and sold by another under its own name.
- A white label agency usually means the provider that works unbranded for other agencies.
- The reselling agency keeps the client, the brand, the price and the responsibility.
- The model works when roles, ownership and confidentiality are written down.
What does white label agency mean?
A white label agency is a provider that produces marketing services, such as SEO, ads, web design or content, which other agencies sell to their clients under their own brand. The provider stays invisible, while the selling agency owns the client relationship and sets the price. Some people also use the term for the selling agency.
The idea comes from retail. The Oxford Learner's Dictionaries defines white label as a product that is made by one company but sold by another company using their own name. Supermarket own-brand goods work that way, and so do many marketing services.
The two sides of a white label agency deal
| The provider (white label agency) | The selling agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sees the brand | Nobody outside the deal | The client, on every report and call |
| Main job | Doing the specialist work to a brief | Selling, account management and strategy with the client |
| Price | Charges a wholesale fee | Sets the retail price and keeps the margin |
| Client contact | None, unless invited as part of the agency's team | Owns all communication |
| Responsibility to the client | To the selling agency, under their agreement | Full, under the client contract |
Many businesses play both roles at once: a web design agency might buy white label SEO while selling white label development to other studios. What matters is that every party knows which side it is on for each service.
Which services do white label agencies offer?
The most common white labeled services are SEO, paid search and social ads, web design and development, content writing, social media management and reporting dashboards. They suit white labeling because the work can be delivered in the selling agency's templates and tools, while the specialist skills behind it are expensive to hire full time.
On my side, the white label menu covers technical SEO, local SEO, content writing and web development, among others. The full list is on the services page.
How does a white label agency relationship work?
The selling agency signs a client, then briefs the white label agency on scope, brand rules and deadlines. Both sign an NDA and an agreement covering ownership and non-solicitation. The provider works through access the agency controls, delivers in the agency's templates, and the agency reviews, presents and bills the client at its own retail price.
Access deserves attention. Tools such as Search Console let property owners add and remove users with different permission levels, as described in Google's help page on managing owners, users and permissions. Keep ownership with the client or your agency and give the provider only the access each task needs. The step-by-step version for SEO is on how white label SEO works.
Is a white label agency the same as a reseller or a subcontractor?
Close, but not the same. A subcontractor is any outside firm doing part of a contract, branded or not. A reseller usually passes on standard packages, sometimes with the provider's dashboard visible. A white label agency delivers custom or semi-custom work entirely under your brand. Ask each provider exactly what is branded and what is not.
The difference matters most for SEO, where packaged and custom work look alike on a sales page. It is compared in detail in white label SEO vs SEO reseller, and if you want to see a concrete program, the SEO reseller program page shows the terms I offer.
When should your agency work with one?
Work with a white label agency when clients ask for a service you cannot deliver well yet, when demand is too uneven to justify a hire, or when a specialist skill is missing for a specific account. Skip it when the service is your core identity and your own team already delivers it well.
The signals usually look like this:
- Clients ask for a service you do not deliver yet, and you would rather sell it now than hire first.
- Demand is uneven, so a full-time hire would be idle part of the year.
- A specialist skill is missing, such as technical SEO for a migration or schema for a large catalog.
- Your team should spend its time on sales and relationships, not on production.
It fits less well when the service is your core identity and you already have a team that does it well, or when a client contract forbids subcontracting. Read your client contracts for subcontracting clauses before you sign a provider.
What to look for in a white label agency
Judge a white label agency on evidence you can check: who does the work, sample deliverables with client names removed, published prices or a clear written quote, the methods it uses, and the terms it is willing to sign. Communication matters as much as skill, because every delay on the provider's side becomes a delay your client sees. Start with one client and expand only when the work is something you would proudly send under your own name. A full set of vetting questions is in how to choose a white label SEO provider, and a method for comparing several candidates is in how to compare the best white label SEO companies.
Keeping the arrangement honest
White labeling is ordinary subcontracting, and it stays clean when promises to the client are honest. Never resell guarantees the provider cannot keep; Google's Do you need an SEO? page warns that no one can guarantee a number one ranking. Put ownership, confidentiality, non-solicitation and notice periods in writing, using the white label SEO agreement checklist. When you are ready to add SEO under your brand, see how my white label SEO services for agencies work.
Frequently asked questions
Is white labeling legal?
Yes. It is a common form of subcontracting. Check your client contracts for subcontracting clauses and never make claims about results you cannot back up.
Do clients need to know I use a white label agency?
Usually not, unless the client contract requires disclosure of subcontractors. Your agency stays responsible for the work either way.
Can a small agency or a freelancer use a white label agency?
Yes. Many start with one client and add more once the quality and communication are proven.
Who owns the work a white label agency delivers?
That depends on the agreement. A fair agreement transfers ownership to your agency once the related invoice is paid.
How do white label agencies charge?
Most charge a wholesale fee per client per month, per project or per hour. You add your margin on top when you bill the client.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is a senior SEO specialist with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships and supervises the SEO of 18 US e-commerce stores. He runs White Label SEO LATAM from Medellín, Colombia, and delivers white label SEO for agencies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Read more · LinkedIn.