If you are the owner of a business or company that is looking to reach customers over the internet, then it is essential to have a reliable SEO agency or digital marketing company that you can rely on. Having professionals in this field can provide a competitive edge over others. However, picking the right agency might not be so easy. Marketing and SEO agencies are everywhere, and many of them are not as straightforward and honest as they seem.
Due to a market that has a high demand for such services, many would-be agencies are trying to take advantage of the situation. They go into business in an attempt to make money without any regard for their clients’ well-being. Can businesses protect themselves from such charlatans? The good news is that there are red flags to look out for when looking for the right SEO or Digital marketing services.
Promising You the Number One Spot
While this does sound like the answer to all your problems, it is a ridiculous claim. The issue here is that it is impossible to make such a guarantee. As much as any SEO expert would love to deliver on such a promise, the fact is that rankings are highly competitive and continually fluctuating.
Any changes that a site makes to their content or layout can affect their ranking, which means that locking yourself into that coveted number one spot is impossible. Even if the top-ranked pages are pretty stable, lower positions tend to shift frequently, and knocking off the number one spot is difficult. If an agency downright promises this, then consider it a red flag.
They Request Your Logins or Data
A telltale sign that a company is looking to take advantage of you is that they try to get full access and control of your login, data, and reporting. The problem with this is that most companies want to get it handled as soon as possible, and they hand over vital information without thinking twice.
If the agreement with the agency gets to the point where you want to terminate the partnership, then it can be problematic. Many dubious companies take advantage of a business’s trust and hold the data and logins hostage. This can result in legal battles that can take years to resolve, and frequently ends in getting new logins and tracking credentials. Save yourself the headache by doing a background check and asking for references.
They Make It All About Them
If an agency is constantly talking about their achievements instead of focusing on you, consider it a red flag. Any good marketing agency knows that SEO and marketing is not a one size fits all, and it needs to be tailored to the field. If they are only focusing on past accolades, and not getting into the roots of your problem, then the chances are that they are not very professional.
These are some of the huge warning signs of a bad SEO or internet marketing service. Make sure to do your research before giving valuable time, energy, and money to a company. You could end up with no results and hefty losses. If you wish to start enjoying good results for your business faster, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to discuss your marketing strategy and help in any way I can.
Rob Dunford is a Marketing Consultant in the Great Toronto Area with over 20 years of experience in implementing marketing plans for small businesses.