There are many scams in SEO industry, that take advantage of businesses wanting to improve their online visibility. The promise is quick fixes, guaranteed results, and the easy solution, when in reality they deliver very little, or sometimes nothing at all.

It’s important to understand these common SEO scams if you’re considering investing in SEO services. In this article, we’ll delve into the five most popular SEO scams and how to avoid them based on what we learned in the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast.

Source: Pexel.com

1. The “Doing Nothing” Scam

The most frustrating SEO scam is where an agency takes your money and does literally nothing to improve your website’s rank. These agencies often take advantage of natural fluctuations in rankings and then take credit for (very) small improvements that would have occurred anyway.

Red Flags to Watch For:

  • Few changes in your website’s rankings
  • There’s no tangible work being done in the realm of SEO (i.e. no content is being created, no technical improvements are being made, you’re not building backlinks)
  • There was no great progress toward higher positions in the search engine results.

Another major red flag is if an SEO agency is not actively working to improve your websites SEO or actively giving feedback of what they are doing. Always ask for transparency and for proof of work done.

2. The “Guaranteed Rankings” Scam

The other most common scam is the guaranteed rankings. It’s easy to believe an agency that says they’ll get you to the top of Google, but there’s no such thing as a reputable SEO agency that can guarantee specific rankings. The process of SEO is pretty complicated depending on the competition, search algorithms and market trends.

How Scammers Work:

  • It’s easy to rank for because they often target keywords with zero search volume.
  • They get credit for irrelevant or low traffic keywords that don’t actually lead to business impact.
  • But they create the illusion of improvement while actually delivering no real results.

If an agency can’t explain how they plan to get you at the top, be wary of them, as there are always agencies promising top rankings. Legitimate SEO professionals care about rankings of obscure keywords, only to some extent, the goal is to increase overall visibility, traffic and business goals.

Companies need to note cases of scams and Negative SEOs, situations that competitors exploit to damage business websites.

3. The “False Client Claims” Scam

There are some SEO agencies trying to enhance their credibility by falsely stating to have worked with some big name clients. While most agencies will feature past clients, it becomes problematic when they feature big name companies, but can’t show results.

Key Considerations:

  • Reputable clients don’t like to talk about their SEO work.
  • Delivering successful results with an SEO campaign is not the same as having a well known client.
  • Testimonials and case studies without third party proof are worthless.

Demanding real proof of success is only done by asking for measurable results or specific case studies. If a legitimate agency can’t provide verifiable references or data to indicate how they’ve made an impact, then it should question why its work is needed in the first place.

4. The “Misleading Backlink Messaging” Scam

Agencies and individuals selling courses on link building will also tell you that link building is a manipulative tactic. What this does is it confuses businesses and leads them down the wrong path.

Dishonest Messaging Includes:

  • Agencies or individuals who scream that backlink building is unethical, but offer paid backlinks or link building courses.
  • If you don’t understand how backlinks contribute to SEO rankings in the first place.

Backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors for SEO, and while they absolutely must be done ethically, that doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. Don’t take it from anyone who bashes link building and doesn’t give you a clear, ethical alternative.

5. The “False Certification” Scam

There’s no such thing as a ‘Google SEO Certification’, yet SEO professionals that claim to be ‘Google Certified’ in SEO are literally misleading clients. While Google has certifications in products like AdWords and Google Analytics, these aren’t directly related to SEO.

What to Know:

  • SEO isn’t a certification that Google offers.
  • Scammers often claim they are certified in SEO or that they are Google certified.
  • Google AdWords and Analytics certifications are real, though not SEO specific.

If someone says they are ‘Google Certified SEO’, watch out. Instead, focus on the agency’s experience, the results they have and their transparent practices.

How to Choose a Trustworthy SEO Agency

The agencies you’re looking at working with should be carefully vetted to avoid falling prey to SEO scams. Here are some tips to ensure you choose a reliable SEO partner:

  • Ask Specific Questions: Discover how the agency’s SEO practices are getting results, methodologies, and previous results.
  • Demand Transparency: A good agency should be ready to tell you what they do and give you regular updates about their work.
  • Look for Proven Results: Be sure to select agencies that have a history of helping companies improve their rankings, traffic and overall business objectives, not agencies that only have impressive claims to make.
  • Be Skeptical of Unrealistic Promises: If an agency promises to get you number one rankings or other impossible results, then it is a scam.

As you calculate the SEO agencies, it is essential to know how they are charged. Some may contain hidden costs or structures, and that makes it necessary for people to know how they work. SEO pricing models described in our article will assist you in making the right choice.

Key SEO Truths to Keep in Mind

While it’s important to avoid scams, it’s also essential to understand what truly matters in SEO:

  1. Backlinks are Crucial: Backlinks make up approximately 98% of SEO success. To make your site more authoritative and rank better, you really need to acquire quality backlinks.
  2. Content and Technical Optimization Matter Too: Backlinks are the most important, but high quality content and technical site optimization are important as well.
  3. Ethical SEO Practices: Stay away from black hats SEO which can make you pay a penalty. You have to always focus on creating high quality content and earning backlinks in ethical ways.

There are real SEO scams, but you can protect yourself from them by being an informed consumer. Choose an SEO agency that always practices transparency, results and ethics. Once you know the common scams, you are better positioned to pick a reliable partner that will assist in increasing your website’s SEO performance.

Don’t forget that the best SEO practices are based on honesty, long term strategies and measurable results. If you want more insight into SEO and some of the common scams out there, feel free to email Grumpy SEO Guy or listen to their podcast for ongoing advice.

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