Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a string of techniques that are used to increase your rank in search results. The ultimate goal of this is to drive more traffic to your website. It’s a process that requires content planning, keyword research, and patience. That is why if an SEO service is offering a first page SEO guarantee, they are not being truthful. This article will give you some basic knowledge about SEO techniques, as well as how to determine if an SEO service is legitimate.
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What Are Guaranteed SEO Services?
As alluded to prior, SEO guaranteed services are agencies that claim that they can provide specific SEO results. Often, these are guarantees that they will get on the first page of Google or a specific percentage in something like website traffic or conversions. These services might offer you money back, free SEO work for a limited time, or some other kind of offer in the event that they cannot achieve the results they first proposed. In addition to offering first page SEO results, these sorts of agencies will often attach some sort of time frame to their offer like a 30-day first page SEO guarantee.
The purpose of SEO agencies is to do the best that they possibly can to keep up with the algorithm of search engines such as Google. Then, they will implement strategies to help boost the website’s standing and increase its reach. That’s why it’s important to stay away from SEO guaranteed services. Their claims go against the way algorithms work. There is no “beating the system” or “quick fix” when it comes to increasing your page rank. These sorts of agencies have the sole mission of deceiving people and racking up as many customers as they possibly can by using false advertising schemes. They shouldn’t be trusted to help run your website and will end up wasting your time.
Why Can’t You Trust SEO Guaranteed Services?
So why exactly are SEO guaranteed services dangerous? The first reason is that search engines like Google actually advise against them and warn people about their schemes. Why would you trust an SEO agency that search engines themselves warn against? Exactly. Stay away!
Impossible to Guarantee
Another reason a first page SEO guarantee is untrustworthy is that it is absolutely impossible for an agency to guarantee Google first page results. Yes, implementing SEO techniques is a way to help your ranking. But, there is no way to know for sure by how much a certain technique will boost your rank or any other result for that matter. Although SEO agencies have made considerable success in finding concrete ways to help increase ranking, they do not know the full story. Besides the search engine themselves, nobody knows with 100% certainty how the algorithm works or if there are techniques that will always work. In addition, these algorithms are ever-changing and what works one year might not work the next. Even some members of Google’s team most likely do not have definitive answers unless they work specifically in this area.
There are many factors that are simply outside of an SEO agency’s control and so it is not reasonable to conclude that they can guarantee Google first page results in short amounts of time. These uncontrollable factors can include the reputation of your company or a sudden rise in competition by the success of a competitor or a new force in the industry. However, it’s important to note that SEO agencies can help a great deal in those situations if they know what they are doing. The thing to be cautious of is that even the best of the best agencies will not be able to guarantee prestigious or specific results in an absurdly fast amount of time.
Black Hat Techniques
Third, guaranteed SEO services may include the usage of black hat tactics. What are black hat tactics? Well, they are basically a set of practices that are not permissible by Google’s standards. They are usually strategies that give a website an unfair advantage to get on the first page of Google. Black hat tactics can include buying links and hiding keywords through invisible text.
Historically, these tactics have been successful at cheating the algorithm. In fact, some websites found that using black hat tactics has gotten them to the top of the search results in no time. However, Google and its algorithms are much smarter and harder to crack in the present day. If you use black hat tactics, you’re likely to get caught. The penalties for doing so can hurt your website in the long run. For example, you might suffer a considerable drop in website ranking or Google might decide to remove you from the search result index altogether. That’s why you must keep away from first page SEO guarantees at all costs.
Limited Services
Another thing to consider about such agencies is that their services are often very limited. Their agreements often have loopholes in which they can remain completely unaccountable if they do not provide results or if there is a dip in search result ranking instead of an increase. They often choose easy ways out like choosing keywords that are easy to rank for but do not provide your site with any sustainable traffic. These agencies are often too focused on ranking and not on other facets of the SEO process. It requires sustainable industry and target market research to know what other components and what other optimization techniques will bring about success.
One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Also, guaranteed SEO services tend to have a one-size-fits-all approach. When it comes to SEO, this type of strategy simply doesn’t work. Every industry is different and has its own specific tactics. They each have differentiating keyword competitiveness and optimization efforts that work better for their website content and target market. Location and popularity are also factors that need to be considered. If you want legitimate and substantial results, you need to make sure that you are working with an SEO agency that specializes in your field.
Finally, a guaranteed SEO agency might implement strategies that could hurt you rather than help you. Unfortunately, if this happens to your website, it might make it harder for you to recover. Finding a new agency to help will be difficult because of the damage that the other one has done. You never want to work with an agency that causes you irreplaceable damage. So be sure to avoid agencies that lock you into contracts that might lead you to have some of these problems. Instead, make sure to work with an agency that clearly displays its deliverables.
How to Choose a Good Agency
Now that we know some of the reasons why guaranteed SEO services cannot be trusted, it’s time to discuss what a trustworthy agency looks like.
Do They Offer to Teach You?
If an agency is willing to extend its knowledge and help you learn about SEO techniques yourself, it’s a good sign that they are a reputable source. Being open, honest, and eager to answer questions about their process shows that they are knowledgeable and well-intentioned. When you are in talks about working with them, make sure you ask them questions about SEO as a whole and what their approach to it is. If they seem closed off or unwilling to provide you with information, it is likely a scam.
Is Their Approach Unique to Your Business?
Another thing that reputable agencies provide is a custom strategy. It will be unique to your industry, business goals, and target market. An agency that is attentive to your needs and wants to know exactly what you’re struggling with is a good sign. Be sure to avoid agencies that are cookie-cutter and do not provide any sort of unique or specific guidance on your site’s issues.
Are They Transparent?
You also want an SEO agency that is transparent about its dealings with past clients, their successes, and their data. Agencies that back up their claims with data and specific client experiences are ones to trust. You need to make sure that they can back up their claims about their expertise with evidence that they can share. If they can’t do this, steer clear of the agency.
A good agency is also able to provide regular updates on their progress and provide metrics of their campaign’s results. You should be sure to choose an agency that keeps you in the loop and explains the data that they send over. Additionally, you should aim to work with an SEO agency that has worked with companies that are similar to yours. SEO agencies that have experience working with companies in your field are more likely to understand the industry. They will also be able to better help you improve your site and its optimization techniques.
FAQ:
- What is a first page SEO guarantee?
- Are SEO techniques fast?
- What are black hat tactics?
- How do I know if I’ve found a reputable SEO agency?
- How do I choose a good SEO agency?
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