5 Reasons to Avoid Guaranteed SEO Services Agency

Agencies that offer guarantees like the number one positions on Google within thirty days are scams. That’s not how reputable SEO agencies work. That’s not even how SEO as a concept works. It takes time, dedication, and constant updates to improve an SEO ranking. Stay away from guaranteed SEO services because they simply don’t work. Here’s why.

What is an SEO services agency?

An SEO agency is the master of all things SEO. As specialized agencies, they offer services specifically to help businesses get found online. This is done using multiple strategies.

• PPC marketing: paid search engine ads to promote a business.
• Search engine optimization (SEO): informing content with relevant keywords.
• Website optimization and migration: the creation of a website that attracts users.
• Enterprise search solutions: efficient ways to collect and understand large amounts of data.

An SEO services agency is prepared to work with innovative strategies and new technologies to help any business perform keyword research and build content that targets the right audiences.

5 reasons to avoid guaranteed SEO agencies

A guaranteed SEO services agency essentially makes promises for certain results. Maybe the promise is the business will make it to the first stop in search engine result pages (SERPs) or they’ll increase the company’s website traffic by 25 percent within two months.   But the SEO world isn’t full of guarantees. Quite the opposite. Google’s algorithms are always changing with the user in mind and those users aren’t always going to have the same search habits. Because of the ever-changing nature of SEO, guaranteed SEO agencies are to be avoided.

1. Lack of control

Because SEO isn’t a constant, it’s impossible to control the outcome or guarantee results. Even if an SEO agency works hard to do everything it can in its control, there are still other factors, such as what the competitor is doing, that affect how well an SEO campaign will perform.

2. Ranking #1 isn’t everything

Ultimately, the higher the search result ranks, the better. But this is only helpful if the result is relevant to the search. It’s possible to use any random keyword to rank higher if that’s what users are searching for. but once someone clicks on the link, they’ll realize the content isn’t valuable and the brand isn’t credible. Ranking high is also just one step in the SEO journey. To make conversion happen, there’s more to do, such as ensuring the landing page is optimized, following up with relevant content to keep the user engaged, and providing value at every touch point. So even if the number one spot is guaranteed, that doesn’t mean higher revenue or more conversion.

3. SEO is ongoing

Google’s algorithms change multiple times a year. People’s needs and habits change online. To find success within SEO, we must constantly learn and adapt because that’s what the algorithms are doing to provide users with exactly what they need. Guarantees aren’t possible with something that changes so frequently. What’s more important is developing the skills and acquiring the tools that make adaptability easy as SEO trends change.

4. Keywords matter more than ranking #1

This might be harder to swallow. Ideally, the best keywords and sitting in the first spot would be best but, sometimes, sitting in the third or fifth spot on Google might be better if the keywords make more sense to the user. Since SEO is a long game, focusing on keywords also has a better chance of raising the ranking. But what matters most is when Google analyzes a page on a website, they see it as related to the searched keyword.

5. Black hat tactics

These tactics are ways guaranteed SEO agencies try to cheat the system. It could include keyword stuffing, buying unrelated links, and hiding more keywords in invisible text. At first, this might have helped, but then Google adapted. Now, if a website does this, Google will take down the website or mark it as spam because it isn’t helpful to the consumer. Black hat tactics might work initially, but not for long, and they usually bring with them long-term problems. Search engines are focused so much on the user experience now that any irrelevant or dishonest keywords will lower the overall rank of that business.

How to choose the right SEO agency

There are certain things a reputable SEO services agency will have experience with that proves their diligence in the industry and their capacity to remain aware of changing trends. When choosing an SEO agency to work with, consider the following.

Targeted keywords

SEO agencies will understand the importance of targeted keywords and will be able to teach those skills so their clients. They will also have the necessary tools to conduct keyword research. This means only the best, most relevant, keywords will be used to promote a business and improve its ranking. They should also provide insight into finding more keywords by discovering the target audience. 

Keyword research

One of the main reasons businesses outsource to SEO agencies is they either don’t have the time or resources to do it themselves. That means an SEO agency must take on a decent chunk of the SEO journey and do keyword research with the client so the best keywords are selected from the results.

Educational

An SEO services agency should also help educate businesses. Instead of steamrolling ahead with the projects, they should also explain the why behind certain decisions so the business is aware of SEO trends and can be part of improving their ranking.

Customer-centric

While the SEO agency has developed a partnership with your business, they should also be focused on how the customer is behaving. It’s the customer that searches and interacts with links depending on what they see and read, so an SEO agency should understand the importance of the customer and not just appease the client to keep them happy.

Algorithms awareness

Lastly, look for an SEO services agency that remains aware of algorithms as they change. This is important to avoid accidental black hat tactics, remain relevant to user searches, and stay ahead of competitors before they leverage a change you’re unaware of yet. Pedestal bridges the gap between businesses and their customers. Our experts develop and execute search marketing strategies that help you drive profitable growth and build trust. Ready to get started? Contact us today.