Guaranteed SEO services: Scam or not?
Here at Growth Friday we understand that choosing an SEO agency to work with can be challenging to say the least, with each agency typically claiming to offer distinct advantages and why “they are the best” at what they do. We also understand that small businesses are often bombarded with cold-calls from agencies hunting for their business, with “sales-call fatigue” being a very real thing.
In addition, some SEO agencies even go as far as offering guarantees to new customers, such as our own 90-day performance promise that we have offered since starting Growth Friday back in 2017. Other agencies openly publish the opposite viewpoint, claiming that an SEO guarantee is simply a trap - like a mirage in the desert, promising water but ultimately leading you astray. So which agency is right? And what agency should you work with? Read on as we explore the world of guaranteed SEO services and help you choose the best agency for your needs and goals.
So what exactly are "guaranteed SEO services"?
Guaranteed SEO services are a type of SEO service that offers a specific outcome, often including first-page rankings for a designated amount of keywords, to a client. Agencies that provide such an SEO guarantee typically offer a refund, free SEO services for a specific duration (like our 90-day performance promise), or an alternative solution if the desired outcomes are not achieved. In addition, some SEO agencies also include a timeframe for achieving first-page rankings for a set of keywords defined by the agency.
So this all sounds pretty good right? Where is the catch?
Not all guarantees are created equal
Businesses may be tempted to work with SEO agencies that offer guarantees. However, the benefits of such assurances may be debatable and not all guarantees will bring the desired results. Selecting an SEO agency that promises guaranteed SEO services can pose considerable risks and may result in unsatisfactory outcomes or even detrimental effects on your rankings and business.
In this section, we will explore the reasons behind this, as well as ask, "Are all guarantees something to avoid?".
SEO guarantees and search engines
Search engines like Google advise businesses against working with SEOs who offer guarantees, making it a compelling reason to avoid such offers. According to Google's Beginner SEO documentation in Google Search Central, it states:
"Your prospective SEO should be able to give you realistic estimates of improvement and an estimate of the work involved. If they guarantee their changes will give you first place in search results, find someone else."
Google advises caution when dealing with agencies claiming to guarantee a #1 ranking on their search engine, as they cannot guarantee it themselves.
A guarantee for something you cannot control?
Don't be fooled by any SEO agency that promises to control search engine rankings - it's like trying to control the weather. Instead, let's focus on strategies that work and produce outstanding results.
Various factors contribute to search engine rankings, and Google provides some clues about its ranking algorithms. At the same time, SEO experts have gained useful knowledge through their practice and studies. Nevertheless, the exact details of Google's ranking algorithms remain unknown to outsiders.
Due to constant algorithm changes, even Google employees need help to accurately predict how websites will be ranked in the future.
Rankings are influenced by factors beyond the control of SEO agencies, including the SEO activity of other websites targeting the exact keywords and the company's overall reputation. If a company's reputation is damaged, its rankings may be negatively impacted.
SEO agencies have the ability to impact rankings, but the effectiveness varies among professionals. It is important to note that even the most skilled SEOs cannot wholly control search engine results, particularly within the limited timeframe that some SEO guarantees offer.
Some guarantees may involve black hat tactics
When it comes to guaranteed SEO services, there are a few different types of guarantees to consider. Some agencies may offer guarantees in the form of rankings or traffic increases. In contrast, others may make more vague statements regarding performance. Unfortunately, some of these guarantees can be misleading and involve black hat tactics that are not only unethical but could also put your website at risk of being penalized by search engines.
Guaranteed first-page results may not be of value
When it comes to SEO services, agencies often promise guaranteed local SEO first-page results for a fee. While this may sound like a good deal, there are a few important factors to consider before signing up for such a service.
When selecting an SEO company that offers a guarantee, it's important to consider their approach to keyword selection. While some agencies may choose keywords that result in easy rankings, these may not attract qualified traffic to your website. To benefit from SEO, it's crucial to focus on relevant keywords that align with your target audience and have a higher likelihood of conversion.
Cookie-cutter strategies don't work
The effectiveness of an SEO strategy depends on various factors, such as industry and keyword competitiveness. A cookie-cutter approach may not work for every business, and it's important to find an SEO agency that offers customized strategies. An SEO strategy that relies on a standardized approach and doesn't consider specific business requirements may not yield desired results.
Not all guarantees are, however, the same
It would be a mistake, however, to rule out all claims of guarantees when it comes to guaranteed SEO services. Not all claims and offers are scams, just like our own performance promise that we offer to all of our managed local and national SEO clients.
Our guaranteed local SEO service
Our guarantee is somewhat different from the majority of agencies offering performance-based promises. What we don’t do is make unethical claims of guaranteeing first-page rankings. However, what we do guarantee is that we will work hard on your campaign and deliver ranking improvements within the first 90 days of working with us. How can we do this? Put simply, we have been working with small businesses and SEO since 2017, and are confident in our experience and understanding of digital marketing. We know what works, and what doesn't, and hence can offer a 90-day Performance Promise to all our SEO clients.
What is a 90-Day Performance Promise?
Our 90-Day Performance Promise to our clients is that if we are unable to improve the rankings of your campaign keywords within the first 90 days of service, our team will continue working on your campaign at no additional cost until we are able to achieve ranking improvements.
Importantly, what we don't guarantee
What we don't guarantee is first-page rankings in a certain time-period. As we have discussed above, being able to guarantee something you are ultimately not in control of is foolish at best and misleading at worst, in addition to setting unrealistic expectations. What we do however expect to deliver, based on our own real-world results working with countless clients, is achieving first-page results for some of you campaign keywords within the first 3-6 months of working on your campaign.
Why Growth Friday
There are a bunch of great reasons to work with us! Here are just a few:
Small business experts
We are a small business ourselves and have extensive experience in running a small business. We understand the specific limitations and difficulties associated with building a small business and attracting local clientele and deeply appreciate that every dollar counts when allocating funds to marketing your business. Our marketing approach differs from traditional agencies, as we utilize a simplified process tailored to small businesses, which you will appreciate from the initial interaction with us and throughout our partnership.
Results-proven approach
We are proud of the work we have completed since 2017, helping small businesses grow via SEO and other marketing services designed exclusively for small businesses. Head over to our case study pages for examples of the level of performance that we have achieved for our small business clients.
A broad range of marketing services
We specialize in digital marketing services tailored specifically for small businesses. Our services include local SEO, national SEO, PR, Google Ads, Social Ads, website design, and website maintenance. We are dedicated to supporting small businesses, as we are one ourselves.
US-based core team
With our core team in sunny Los Angeles, California, getting hold of us is as easy as picking up the phone, texting, or emailing the team. No overseas teams to deal with!
Technology-driven
Our approach to local SEO strategy is data-driven. We utilize the latest industry SEO tools to gather comprehensive metrics beyond search volume and position ranking, ensuring reliable data back our decisions.
Perfect 5-star Google Reviews
The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and our independent Google 5-star reviews are proof of our hard work and dedication to bringing great results for our clients.
Interested in working with us?
Book your free small business strategy call today, and chat with our Founder, Daniel Harman, about your business and marketing goals. Our strategy calls are free-of-charge and promise to be "non-salesy"!
