It is hard for business owners to stand out in the local searches, attract traffic, and boost sales. The online landscape is too crowded, and everyone wants to be on the first page.
Turning to local SEO experts for help is one solution. The problem is that SEO scammers are also everywhere.
A bad local SEO agency often gives unrealistic promises. They can make devious SEO solutions look convincing to desperate business owners.
Everything they say is impressive until you realise it was a scam. The bad agency gave you even more problems, and recovery will take time.
Screening the right SEO partner from the wrong one is challenging for the untrained ear and eye. New businesses with little SEO background also find the process intimidating.
Counter these problems by educating yourself and knowing the SEO red flags to watch out for.
To help, here is a list of 5 telltale signs of a bad local SEO agency. We’ll also cite some extra steps you can do to scam-proof your business.
1. Promises of Instant Success
Promising a guaranteed number 1 spot on Google pages is a popular SEO scam. After all, business owners don’t like to hear things like “getting high rankings takes time”.
Some fraudulent specialists would even add a timeframe to their false promises. For example, they may say they can get your site to the first page in 4 months. Others will go so far as to say they know someone from Google.
These are huge red flags because, first, no one can guarantee #1 rankings. Second, a “priority submit” to Google does not exist.
If potential SEO partners promise you anything, they are likely using sinister tactics. Here are some examples of questionable SEO promises:
- If they promise you a specific level of traffic growth, they will likely generate inauthentic web visits. They may give you a report of a traffic spike, but the majority is irrelevant to your business.
- If they promise you faster improvements in rankings, they could be lying or using dodgy shortcuts. Even the best SEO agencies need time to deliver results. Also, the rate of success depends on several factors.
How to protect yourself from unrealistic promises
Focus on the details. Ask the SEO specialist to explain their plan and strategies in depth.
They should communicate how they will improve rankings or address issues. Means to monitor progress should also be present.
Also, manage your expectations. SEO is a long-term and continuous process. So, no agency, not even a fortune-teller, can predict its exact outcomes.
2. Ghostly Reputation: No Customer Reviews
One way to spot a bad local SEO agency is to look for their customer testimonials or reviews.
If you don’t find any, their services probably failed to impress clients. Another interpretation could be the SEO agency is a scam and has not worked with any customer.
An agency bombarded with bad reviews or customer complaints is also worrying.
Remember that you’ll be allocating time and money for your local SEO efforts. Hiring someone without a proven track record is a waste of business resources.
As a business owner, you should not leave the SEO hiring process up to chance. Before inviting potential candidates to pitch their services, research their companies in advance.
Seek out agencies with a robust online reputation and positive client reviews.
Also, look for case studies, testimonials, and credible references that could vouch for an agency’s character and skills.
How to check and verify customer reviews
Today, anyone can make up a believable review or success story. So, be sure you’re reading comments or feedback from verified accounts.
You may contact customers or business owners who also partnered with the same SEO agency.
Ask them about their experiences with the firm. Details of tangible results or achievements and even problems encountered are also helpful.
Also, ask for the year of the case studies or results presented by the agency. Make sure they are not outdated.
SEO changes fast, while Google also introduces hundreds of algorithm updates yearly. So, SEO strategies that worked several years ago may no longer deliver results today.
3. Reporting in the Shadows: No Monthly Reports
Transparency is essential in SEO. Specialists should always collaborate with and keep their clients in the loop. On the other hand, business owners should not have a problem getting updates.
So, when hiring a reputable SEO agency, look for an honest and accessible team.
Solid schedules, communication channels, and reporting strategies should be part of their SEO plan. When you ask them about something, their answers are clear and correct.
It’s a red flag if you always ask your partner agency for progress reports. Another problem is when they downplay your concerns or answer questions with jargon.
A bad SEO agency is secretive about its approach and hesitant to disclose details. If you feel the team is hiding something, consider finding someone else.
How to ensure open SEO communication
Ask questions often. As a client, you have the right to know what the SEO agency is doing and how your website is progressing.
Be sure you have the contact details of the person or SEO team working directly on your business site. A direct communication line ensures you can contact the specialists at any time.
4. Social Media? Never Heard of Her
Social media may not have a direct impact on your SEO performance. However, high engagement nowadays is crucial to businesses, especially local ones.
You can boost your online visibility and traffic with a high social media presence. These contribute to higher rankings.
So, check how the agency manages social media channels. Poor performance implies they cannot help you with customer engagement.
How to find the best social media expert
Assessing an expert’s skills and portfolio is vital to finding your social media partner. Prioritise their general expertise in content creation, analytics, and community management.
Then, if needed, consider industry-specific experience as well.
Your local business operates in a specific environment. So, it helps if the specialist knows your locale, target audience, and products or services.
Make sure your social media objectives are also well-defined. That way, you can connect your business goals with the right specialist.
5. Price Isn’t Everything: Dangerously Low Quotes
Aside from unrealistic promises, a bad SEO agency also gives unrealistically low prices. When you hear or see these rates, think you get what you pay for.
Like any service, absurdly low-cost SEO likely translates to poor results. It may even harm your business and ruin your reputation.
Worse, Google might ban or penalise you if your partner agency uses seedy SEO strategies.
Recovering a banned website is hard. SEO agencies often hesitate to work in such cases. Some even do not like to be part of problematic websites at all.
Low-priced SEO services may save you some money. However, there is also the risk of spending more to get your business back on its feet.
Avoid headaches by choosing SEO agencies with service fees that make sense.
How to spot an untrustworthy SEO company
Some SEO agencies may tell you this: our team can do everything your current agency does for less. It sounds enticing, but consider it a bad sign.
The claim is deceiving since they are clueless about your SEO problems. Moreover, they have no idea what your current agency did to address them.
SEO generates residual effects as well. You can still get improvements months after changing or stopping your optimisation efforts.
So, if you hire a new agency now, they can do little to no work and still give you “progress” reports. You are likely paying them for work done by your original SEO partner.
Protect your business by focusing on value rather than just price. Work with an agency that invests in proven strategies and delivers long-term results.
Choosing the Right Local SEO Partner
Your business can lose a lot if you ignore the tell-tale signs of a bad SEO agency.
You waste money on ineffective strategies. Then, search engines can penalise your website for using black-hat tactics. Finally, you spend time recovering everything instead of enjoying SEO benefits.
No one would like to be in this position. So, be a well-informed business owner. Ask a lot of questions to verify information given by potential SEO partners.
Also, follow this guide on finding the best SEO company.
Conclusion
As a business owner, you have absolute control of where your SEO campaign should go. However, you also need a local SEO partner to help you navigate it and succeed.
Hiring a bad SEO agency will only take your business in the wrong direction, though. So, choose wisely.
Know the signs of a reputable agency and be wary of red flags to make informed decisions. Do not choose based on service fees alone. Instead, balance the cost with skills and work ethics.
Remember that local SEO is a constantly changing process. Moreover, this concept will likely remain relevant in the future.
Finding a partner now who values honest strategies and partnerships is your key to continuous success.
