Panda, launched in 2011, affected 11.8% of queries, causing havoc among prominent search engine players who earned their rankings by publishing low-quality content frequently. Similarly, the Penguin update, launched in 2012, which targeted spammy link-building techniques, affected 3% of search results.
Consequently, black hat techniques like creating spammy links, keyword stuffing, overusing anchor text, article duplication, etc., may have been effective at some point, but they're now considered a perfect recipe for slipping down the search engine rankings.
Thus, the main takeaway from this blog is never to sit back and wait for your SEO company to work their magic. Instead, to determine whether they are a good fit, you should be equally involved in the process, at least in the initial few months of the contract.
Here are some red flags to determine if your SEO consultant is doing you more harm than good.
- They've got nothing to present
Having paid for the deliverables to the SEO company, you are entitled to them. However, SEO is not a get-rich-quick game, so don’t expect dramatic results over a short period. According to many SEO consultants, it takes about four to six months to begin seeing results.
Ask your SEO company to highlight its strategies to increase organic visibility and ranking. Regardless of whether the contract is only a few weeks old, here are some things that an SEO company should be able to present to you.
- A website with optimised content
- Publications on other sites with links to your site
- An SEO audit of your website
- Link Analysis
- No help is required of you
Here are some things that an ethical SEO consultant will need from any site owner:
- Google Analytics view or admin access
- CMS editor or admin access
- access to Google Search Console
- Keyword list
- Past audits and penalties, if any
If they don't request anything, they are probably adding linkbacks from their long list of spammy sites. Spammy links might temporarily spike your traffic or rank, but an algorithmic penalty will eventually hurt your site's authority.
- They deny revealing their techniques
Run if your SEO company gives any of the following comebacks when asked what they are up to.
- “At the moment, we're trying to figure it out. We hope to get back to you with a response soon."
- “The technicalities will take us too long to explain since so much is going on.”
- “Due to the competitive nature of the industry, we choose to keep our tactics confidential.”
An SEO company that implements white hat practices should not only be able to deliver proven results but also explain them. If not, report the scam and move on.
- A manual penalty is imposed on you
Manual penalties are announced via email or GWT (Google Webmaster Tools) notifications.
Getting a manual penalty shortly after working with an SEO company is a red flag.
Be sure to ask the right questions and figure out how to resolve the penalty.
- You start showing up for unrelated keywords
It is essential to know what keywords drive traffic to your website. Google Analytics can help you with this.
Consider it a wake-up call if you suddenly start getting traffic from irrelevant keywords or your ranks drop from past high-performing keywords without rhyme or reason.
Sometimes, random or suspicious searches can indicate incompetent SEO efforts.
Tips while collaborating with an SEO company:
- Think of it as a partnership: SEO is a team effort, so if your SEO consultant requests help, please oblige.
- Do your homework: Familiarise yourself with the basics and keep up-to-date on industry news so they don't bluff you with outdated techniques.
- Refrain from over-expecting: Talk to your SEO consultant upfront about your expectations, such as if you want them to generate backlinks, optimise your content, track your link profile, etc.
- Follow up on their activities: Request reports on what they are doing and how they are doing it.
Final Thoughts
Several startups have invested their money and trust in unethical SEO companies, only to discover later that they have been scammed and their site authority has been ruined.
If your SEO company has messed up things for you, you can climb your way back up the rankings once you've gained Google's trust that you are acting responsibly. Start by disassociating yourself from spammy links using Google's Disavow Tool and creating relevant, valuable content.
With fully accountable SEO strategies and a commitment to keeping you informed at every step, TechShu specialises in white-hat SEO and is committed to building and protecting your brand’s digital presence. So get in touch if you need help skyrocketing your organic rankings.