Choosing the Right SEO Agency
While you may know your business inside out and be up-to-speed with many basic SEO strategies and methodologies, you may still rely on a professional company to drive organic results. This may be due to time constraints or the fact you simply don’t have the skillset necessary to do the job properly, but whatever the case, it’s essential to choose the right SEO agency.
A ‘black hat’ company – or one that uses many shady SEO methods that are renowned for getting sites blacklisted – could cost you a lot of money in the long-run, so with this in mind here are ten warning signs that your SEO company is not legit.
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Duplicated content of a poor quality
When it comes to SEO, content is king, with high-quality, original and regularly updated copy helping improve Google rankings significantly. Badly written content, or articles that have simply been duplicated, however, are not good for business and are a sure sign of lazy SEO.
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Blogs, blogs and more blogs
Blogging is an important part of SEO as search engines love fresh, unique content but, if your SEO agency only wants to provide blogs, you’ve got a problem on your hands. After all, there’s much more needed to make your website a relevant source.
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Cheap SEO deals
If you come across an agency offering SEO services at a ridiculously cheap price, be aware. Good SEO does not come automatically. It is a costly process that involves real humans doing real work, and you should therefore be prepared to shell out hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds per month (depending on your goals and competition) to get the returns you need.
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Guaranteed rankings in Google
No rankings are guaranteed. SEO takes a lot of graft and it’s not always easy to know how things will work out, so don’t trust such false and misleading statements such as ‘Guaranteed first-page rankings’.
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A menu of different SEO services
Does your SEO provider offer a ‘menu of services?’ If so, it’s time to get suspicious. Essentially they’re asking you to choose what you need when they, themselves, should be the experts providing you with an overall SEO package.
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SEO Set-up fees
If you’re asked to pay a set-up fee for SEO, be sure to ask why and what for. Your first month’s service fee should more than cover the work they need to do during the initial stages of an SEO project, so don’t be conned out of funds.
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Confidential services
If search engine optimisation specialists are not prepared to tell you how they work – walk away. Confidential SEO tactics are likely to be dodgy and could get you blacklisted, so always find out what strategies they intend to use.
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Mention of black hat tactics
Sometimes, agencies aren’t shy to admit they use black hat tactics. These could land you in serious trouble, however, so be aware of the following terms: article directory submissions, microsites, mirror sites, and link farms (to name but a few).
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Withholds access to Google Analytics
Google Analytics helps you know exactly what’s going on with your website, so don’t work with anyone who withholds such information or forbids you access.
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A lack of KPI reporting
Quarterly SEO reports from a digital marketing SEO agency are simply not acceptable. They should be providing detailed reports on a monthly basis to help you understand how things are progressing.
To Find Out More About Professional SEO Services
There are many warning signs to look out for when it comes to SEO, but if you’re in need of a company that can assist with your SEO requirements, be sure to contact Whitefish Marketing today. Our professional team of digital marketing experts can help support your online efforts using best practices and up-to-date SEO principles.
