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Is your SEO agency actually helping, or are they just taking credit for traffic you’d get anyway? Unfortunately, many businesses overpay for SEO services that deliver little value. Let’s explore the common signs of a poor SEO agency and how to assess whether yours is worth the investment.
Branded vs. Non-Branded Search: Who Gets Credit?
Have you ever looked for a specific product in Google, like ‘bluetooth headphones’? Or maybe you have a brand in mind already, so you typed in ‘Sony headphones’. The first search is what’s considered a non-branded search and the second is a branded search since it includes the name of a company, ‘Sony’.
A lot of SEO agencies will claim credit for branded search traffic, even though it’s likely that this traffic would happen without their help. However, the real traffic value comes from non-branded searches as these users who don’t yet know your brand. So, if your agency isn’t bringing in non-branded traffic then it’s likely they’re not doing much for your business.
What Bad SEO Looks Like
There are some major warning signs to look out for which could indicate that your SEO agency isn’t delivering the results that they should. Here are just a few red flags:
1. Vague Reporting
If your agency is delivering reports that are unclear or full of nonsense then they could be hiding poor performance.
2. Low-Quality Backlinks
Badly managed SEO agencies will often hurt your rankings by building links from irrelevant or spammy websites.
3. No Organic Traffic Growth
Your agency’s strategy could be ineffective if your non-branded traffic isn’t seeing any expected increases.
4. Keyword Stuffing
Poor SEO agencies will often fill a web page unnaturally with keywords or numbers to manipulate rankings in Google Search results.
How to Assess Your SEO Agency's Performance
If you’re unsure whether your SEO agency is delivering real value, it’s time to take a closer look at their work. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to evaluate their performance:
1. Set Up Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool that allows you to monitor your website’s performance in search results. Check for increases in non-branded search traffic, keyword rankings, and click-through rates. It’s a huge red flag If your agency isn’t actively tracking these metrics.
2. Track Key Metrics
The key metrics you should be focusing on should be organic traffic growth (especially non-branded traffic), keyword rankings for relevant terms, and backlink quality. If your agency isn’t showing improvements in any of these areas, then you’re probably overpaying for the value they’re providing.
3. Review Link-Building Strategies
A healthy link-building strategy involves earning high-quality links from authoritative sites. If your SEO agency is focusing on quantity over quality or using irrelevant links then they’re definitely doing more harm than good to your site’s rankings.
Conclusion: Is Your SEO Agency Destroying Your Site?
Terrible SEO agencies will always hide behind technical terms and good-looking metrics, making it hard to see the real impact of their efforts (or lack of). If you think your agency might be overcharging or under-delivering, we can help. Book a free SEO audit today, and let us help you get back on track with a strategy that delivers real, measurable results!
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