Top SEO agencies know the small details that make your website more visible to search engines. From meta descriptions to using schema markup, these secrets are key to your site’s success.
A recent leak gave digital marketers a rare glimpse into Google’s ranking algorithm. Understanding the inner workings of this algorithm helps SEOs refine their strategies and improve outcomes.
1. They Don’t Show You The Complete Picture
The goal of any SEO campaign is to increase the website’s search visibility and drive measurable results. This can lead to more sales, leads and overall revenue for your business. But many agencies fall short when it comes to delivering on this promise.
A good agency will be able to show you the results they have achieved for other clients. They will also be able to clearly explain what they are doing for your campaign and provide you with regular progress reports.
If you are getting handballed between different consultants or your account manager seems to change every time you pick up the phone that is a big red flag. This is usually a sign of an underperforming agency who hasn’t set their team up for success and may not be providing the best support for their clients. This is especially true of bigger agencies where the account managers are often under pressure to juggle more than 50 different clients at any given time.
Some agencies will even be willing to do anything to keep a client happy. This includes using black hat tactics to rank sites in the short term, which will ultimately damage your rankings long term. They might use free, spammy backlinks from sketchy websites and forums to boost your rankings in the short term but it will have a negative impact on your ranking once Google discovers these methods.
Another problem is that some agencies will overpromise results that simply cannot be delivered. This can be a huge frustration for a business who has invested their time and money in an SEO campaign. They will have high expectations but an experienced agency will be able to help them set realistic goals and objectives for their campaign.
Many agencies will also neglect to focus on the overall business goals of their clients. This is a huge mistake because it means that they will only be focused on driving traffic to your website and not delivering on the ROI for your company. This can be a major problem because it is important for your SEO campaign to drive traffic that will convert into paying customers.
2. They Don’t Ask For Anything
Most businesses that hire SEO agencies are looking to boost their search engine visibility and ultimately drive more traffic to their website. However, some SEO agencies can be misleading and don’t always deliver on the promises they make to their clients.
The biggest mistake you can make with an SEO agency is letting them convince you that they are the best and only choice for your business. This is usually done by convincing you that they have a unique approach to your needs. In reality, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to search engine optimisation.
A good SEO agency will be willing to work with you to understand your goals and objectives and develop an individualized strategy that is tailored to your business. They will also be able to show you a track record of success for their previous clients.
Another warning sign that an SEO agency might be trying to scam you is if they don’t ask for access to your website and content. They should be interested in learning if there are any issues that need to be addressed, such as penalties and past black hat SEO practices that could cause problems in the future.
SEO is a huge industry and it’s very competitive, so some agencies will do anything to get your business. They might even guarantee page 1 rankings, which is illegal and against Google’s policies. They will also often tell you that you need a year to see results, which is again a complete lie.
If an agency doesn’t ask for access to your site or content, it is likely because they are using black hat tactics to get you ranked. If they do this, your site may be penalized by Google and you will lose all of your current search rankings.
A reputable SEO agency will be transparent and honest with you about what they can achieve and the potential of their efforts. They should never push you to sign a contract that locks you in for a year or promise unrealistic results. They will also be happy to answer any questions that you have about their processes and techniques.
3. They Don’t Use Ethical Strategies
The SEO industry is often populated with unethical practices that may yield short-term results but can ultimately damage your website and online reputation. Choosing an SEO agency that prioritizes ethical strategies and long-term growth will ensure a positive experience.
Among the most common unethical tactics used by SEO agencies are keyword stuffing and hidden links. The former involves overusing keywords within the content, which can be seen as spammy and can have a negative impact on search engine rankings. The latter involves hiding text or links on a page through techniques such as using the same font color as the background, making them difficult for users to find. Search engines penalize websites that use these unethical tactics, and they may also be removed from their search results altogether.
Ethical SEO practices involve creating and optimizing content that genuinely addresses search queries and provides valuable insights to online users. Content that is genuinely informative, engaging, and useful will naturally attract backlinks and social shares, which will help improve rankings. Search engines prioritize websites that provide value to users, and implementing ethical SEO practices can help build user trust and increase the likelihood of high-quality referral traffic.
Another crucial element of ethical SEO is the utilization of natural and genuine link building techniques. Search engines will punish websites that utilize unethical and manipulative methods for acquiring backlinks, including buying low-quality directories or participating in link exchange schemes. Ethical SEO practitioners will focus on outreach, guest posting, and fostering relationships with industry peers to acquire quality links that enhance a site’s credibility and search engine visibility.
In addition, an ethical SEO agency will focus on providing a seamless user experience by ensuring that a website is easy to navigate and loads quickly. This will make it easier for users to find the information they are searching for, which will contribute to a positive user experience and boost search engine rankings.
A good SEO agency will have a clear line of communication with clients and always keep them updated on the status of their campaign. If you are constantly being handballed between different account managers or you never receive any updates on the progress of your campaign, this is a sure sign that you are working with an incompetent agency.
4. They Don’t Give You Any Deliverables
One of the biggest mistakes SEO agencies can make is not setting their clients clear expectations during the pitching process. This is especially true for smaller agencies who may find themselves pitching to businesses that might not be familiar with SEO at all. This is where comprehensive sales decks and in-depth customer case studies come into play, as they can really help align client expectations from the outset.
It’s also important to avoid offering any guarantees or making promises that aren’t realistic. For example, a good agency will be able to show you how they helped other companies rank highly for specific keywords, but it is impossible to guarantee that your site will rank well for every keyword. This is because Google is a fickle little beast that can change on a whim. This can mean that even if you’ve invested thousands of dollars into your website, it could all be in vain with a single algorithm update.
If you have any concerns, ask the agency how they define success in SEO. This will give you an idea of whether or not they are focusing on the results that matter to you (such as rankings, traffic, or leads). If they don’t have a clear answer, it might be best to look elsewhere.
Another thing to look for is an agency that doesn’t keep you updated with their progress or changes. This is a big red flag that they don’t have your best interests at heart. A reputable agency will be transparent about their activities and work with you in a collaborative way to achieve the results you want.
A lot of business owners are nervous about working with an SEO agency because they don’t know what to expect. However, if you take the time to assess an agency’s skills and experience, you should have no problems working with them. Just be sure to stay alert for any warning signs and don’t be afraid to ask questions. With this approach, you can partner with an SEO agency that will deliver on their promise of boosting your website’s visibility.
