6 more signs of a bad SEO agency

In an ongoing look at the differences between good and bad SEO agencies, here are a few more warning signals to keep an eye out for when you decide to get outside help optimising your website.

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Inadequate Resources

For effective SEO, you really need an agency that can dedicate enough resources to deal with your particular needs instead of making empty promises on which they then fail to deliver. If deadlines are not being met, it may well be the case that an agency is spreading itself too thin by servicing an untenable number of clients simultaneously, so ask about this before you commit.

Excessive Emphasis on Metadata

While metadata can be relevant in terms of boosting CTRs (click through rates), especially in terms of meta descriptions, this should not be a central pillar of an agency’s SEO strategy. In fact, you can probably handle many of the meta issues in house with a little practice.

Unrealistic Pricing

If the price of an SEO package sounds too good to be true, it may be worth avoiding. It is a question of balancing how much you are willing to pay against the quality of the work you receive in return. Working with reputable, established agencies like http://www.rycomarketing.ie/search-engine-optimisation-seo.html, an SEO company in Dublin, is worthwhile because of this issue.

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Claims of Insider Knowledge

Some agencies seeking to secure new clients will claim, either implicitly or explicitly, that they have behind-the-scenes information on how search algorithms operate. This is patently false. No search engine gives out its secrets because doing so would open up its results to endless exploitation. Such claims are a sign that an agency will deliberately mislead clients.

No References

Even relatively small-scale SEO operators should be able to provide references and case studies from companies they have worked with in the past. If these are not available or are alluded to but ultimately not provided, then think twice before you work with such an organisation.

Unreasonable Terms

Checking the small print of a deal with an agency will let you find out whether they are genuinely going to operate in your best interest or if they are just looking to make a quick buck at your expense. Being tied down to a bad agency is always worth avoiding.