Is Your SEO Agency Lying to You? 7 Red Flags You Can’t Ignore
You’re investing in SEO… but is it actually working — or are you just being sweet-talked while your rankings sink?
Let’s cut the fluff. There are thousands of so-called “SEO experts” out there. But here’s the raw truth: Many are selling you illusions, not results.
So ask yourself…
👇 Are you being scammed? Here are 7 red flags that scream “Run!”
🚨 Red Flag #1: “We Guarantee #1 Rankings on Google!”
Sounds tempting, right?
But Google itself has said — no one can guarantee rankings. If your SEO agency is making bold promises in week one, they’re either lying or using shady tactics. Either way, you lose.
👉 Ask Them: “Can you walk me through how you’ll get results—without guarantees?”
🚨 Red Flag #2: You Have No Idea What They’re Doing
If your monthly reports feel like they were written in another language (or worse — you get none), they’re hiding something.
Transparency isn’t optional.
👉 Ask Yourself: “Do I know what I’m paying for… or just hoping for the best?”
🚨 Red Flag #3: One Strategy for Everyone
Spoiler Alert: Your business isn’t like everyone else’s — so why is your SEO strategy?
The best SEO agency builds a custom roadmap. If they’re copy-pasting tactics, they’re not optimizing — they’re guessing.
👉 Reality Check: “Does my strategy even make sense for my industry?”
🚨 Red Flag #4: Fast Backlinks, Fake Promises
“We got you 500 backlinks last week!”
Cool. But are they from spammy sites? If Google catches on (and it will), you’re toast.
Black-hat tactics = short-term gain, long-term pain.
👉 Ask: “Where are these backlinks coming from?”
🚨 Red Flag #5: They Own Everything
No access to your website, your analytics, or your Google accounts?
Congratulations — you’ve just rented your digital presence from a dictator.
👉 Test This: “Can I get full admin access today?” (If they hesitate, you know why.)
🚨 Red Flag #6: No Technical SEO in Sight
Your site loads slowly, has poor page speed, broken links, and zero schema markup…
Yet your SEO agency keeps talking about “content”?
That’s like trying to build a mansion on sand.
👉 Ask: “Have you audited my site’s backend?”
🚨 Red Flag #7: They Only Talk About Rankings
Sure, it’s nice to be #1 on Google. But are those rankings making you money?
SEO without lead generation, conversions, or ROI is just digital window dressing.
👉 Better Question: “How is this traffic turning into business?”
If you nodded even ONCE while reading this — your SEO agency might be bleeding your budget dry.
✅ The best SEO agencies focus on growth, not gimmicks.
✅ They educate, report, and evolve.
✅ They earn your trust — not demand it blindly.