How to Spot an SEO Company That's Hurting Your Business

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For most business owners, digital marketing is a mystery. You hire a company, they send you reports every month, and you hope your phone starts ringing more.

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The problem is there are a lot of companies selling digital marketing that either don’t know what they’re doing or make promises they can’t keep. There are also many good companies out there. The trick is knowing the difference.

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Over the last 30 years, I’ve reviewed thousands of websites and digital marketing campaigns. Here are some of the biggest red flags I see.

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• ​Red Flag #1 – They Can’t Explain or Show You The SEO​​​​​

• Red Flag #2 – Guarantee #1 SEO/GEO  Positions​

• Red Flag #3 – They Only Show Website Traffic​​​

• Red Flag #4 - No Competitive Reporting​​

• Red Flag #5 – PPC Ads With No Strategy​

• Red Flag #6 – They Never Test Your Website​​​

• Red Flag #7 – They Never Talk About Content​​

• Red Flag #8 – They Never Measure Local Visibility​​

• Red Flag #9 – They Never Mention AI​

• Red Flag #10 – They Never Show You Where You Are Winning or Losing

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Overview

 

I've been involved in digital marketing for over 30 years. During that time I've watched the Internet evolve from simple web pages to search engines, mobile devices, social media, and now AI-powered search.

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The technology has changed dramatically, but one thing has remained the same.

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The companies that test, measure, analyze, and improve consistently outperform the companies that guess.

Don't hire a marketing company because they promise you #1 rankings, unlimited traffic, or overnight success. Hire one because they can explain their strategy, show you the work they've completed, measure the results, and clearly demonstrate your return on investment.

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Your marketing budget should be treated like any other business investment. Every dollar you spend should have a purpose, and every campaign should be measured to determine whether it's producing results.

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Don't be afraid to ask questions.

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• Ask how your success will be measured.

• Ask what reports you will receive.

• Ask what changes they made last month.

• Ask what they plan to do next month.

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If they can't answer those questions in plain English, keep looking.

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The goal of SEO, GEO, and PPC isn't to impress you with technical terms or colorful reports.

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The goal is simple: Generate more qualified leads, convert more customers, and grow your business.

Remember...

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If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.

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That simple philosophy has guided me for more than 30 years, and I believe it will continue to be the key to successful digital marketing for many years to come.

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