Conference Speaking At DMWF 2025: Is Your SEO Agency Bullshitting You

I was recently invited as a speaker at the Digital Marketing World Forum (DMWF) Asia, where I discussed how to assess if your SEO agency is actually delivering results or just taking your money.

If you’re questioning the value of your SEO agency or suspect you’re not getting what you paid for, you’re not alone. According to a seo services client satisfaction survey done by Backlinko, only 30% would recommend their current SEO provider to a friend or colleague. This is a telltale sign that many business owners and in-house marketers are feeing burned by bad SEO providers.

During my talk, I broke it down into three key areas: why assessing an SEO agency is harder than it looks, the red flags to watch for, and what you can do if you’re suspicious about a potentially bad SEO agency.

Why Assessing An SEO Agency Is Harder Than It Seems

Assessing an SEO agency isn’t as straightforward as it seems. With so many agencies claiming to drive results, it can be tough to know whether you’re truly seeing value. SEO is a complex field, and with constant algorithm updates, it’s hard to figure out if your agency is really working for you or just offering empty promises.

Why Relying Solely on Leads and Sales To Assess SEO Doesn’t Work

A lot of companies (particularly SMEs) assess their SEO agency’s performance based purely on the leads and sales generated during a given period. While it makes sense to use this as a core metric, relying on it as the sole indicator of success often leads to poor outcomes.

When leads and sales become the only focus, the agency-client relationship quickly becomes transactional. The agency ends up just “doing SEO” — optimizing for rankings, generating traffic, and increasing conversions. However, this approach limits the depth of the partnership. The agency is not given the opportunity to educate or involve the client in the process, and as a result, the entire operation becomes a “black box.”

This shallow working relationship leaves clients with no understanding of how the SEO strategy works or why certain tactics are used. In the long term, it fails to build a sustainable, results-driven partnership that adapts to new challenges and opportunities.

What The Brand Expects Vs What Might Realistically Happen

There are three common scenarios that businesses and agencies face when it comes to SEO performance.

1. The Linear Expectation: Some brands expect a straight-line correlation between SEO efforts and revenue. They think that if they put in more work, they should see immediate and consistent results. While this sounds logical, it rarely works out that way. SEO is dynamic, and results aren’t always predictable or linear.

2. The Agency’s Hope: On the other hand, agencies often hope for a more predictable, linear correlation with some variance. They expect that while there will be some fluctuations—maybe dips in performance here and there—the overall trend will show progress. This is closer to reality but still not without its challenges.

3. The Realistic Scenario: The third scenario is the most common and, frankly, the most realistic. This is where algorithm updates, website issues, or increased competition cause significant drops in traffic mid-campaign. While this can be frustrating, it’s not the end of the world. A good agency will focus on recovery, making adjustments, and navigating these dips to eventually see traffic rebound over time.

Understanding these scenarios helps set the right expectations and allows both clients and agencies to better navigate the ups and downs of SEO campaigns.

SEO: Less of a Mystery, But Still Not Fully Figured Out

SEO has been extensively studied by some of the top leaders in the industry—Ahrefs, Semrush, Search Engine Journal, and Search Engine Land. These organizations have contributed invaluable insights and data to help businesses and agencies understand how SEO works and how to improve their online presence.

In 2024, a significant leak from Google further shed light on the inner workings of their SEO algorithm. The leak revealed several details that had previously only been speculated, including the importance of distinguishing between good and bad clicks. This was never officially listed as a ranking factor before, but it now stands as one of the many elements that impact SEO.

With this information, SEO has become much less of a mystery than it once was. However, it’s important to understand that it hasn’t been completely figured out. Despite all the studies, leaks, and data available, SEO is still evolving. There are nuances that continue to challenge even the most experienced professionals, and the algorithm’s complexity means there is always room for discovery and adaptation.

The Pendulum Effect: How Google Updates Keep SEO Agencies on Their Toes

Google’s algorithm is like a pendulum, constantly swinging back and forth. With every update, Google tweaks its ranking factors—sometimes introducing new ones, removing outdated ones, or changing the weightage of existing factors. This constant change ensures that no one can ever completely figure out the algorithm.

For brands working with SEO agencies, this dynamic environment adds another layer of complexity. The rules of the game are always shifting, and what worked yesterday might not work today. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to assess the performance of an SEO agency. What was considered effective at one point may no longer hold the same value, making it harder for brands to measure the true impact of their SEO efforts.

Breaking Down SEO Agency Performance: SOPs, Playbooks, and Individual Brilliance

The performance of an SEO agency can be attributed to three key components: SOPs, Playbooks, and Individual Brilliance.

1. SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures): Every credible agency has SOPs in place. These are the processes that deliver the minimal viable product and make up the bulk of the promised deliverables. SOPs typically contribute about 30% to the agency’s overall performance. While essential, SOPs alone are not enough to guarantee high-level SEO results.

2. Playbooks: Playbooks consist of a collection of strategies, scenarios, and experiences that the agency team has accumulated over time. These aren’t standardized solutions applied across all campaigns but are instead tailored to fit specific scenarios that arise. It requires experienced individuals to identify which plays to use at the right time, applying the right strategy to the right situation. This component accounts for roughly 40% of the performance. However, it requires experience and a deep understanding of the different “plays” to be effective.

3. Individual Brilliance: Finally, individual expertise is a critical factor. Clients pay agencies for the time and expertise of their team members, and this is where things can vary significantly. Every individual has different capabilities, and their ability to think on their feet, analyze patterns, and innovate is what can drive results. This accounts for the remaining 30% of performance.

This breakdown shows why assessing an SEO agency can be so difficult. If the SOPs are poor, the playbook is underused, or the individuals lack problem-solving skills, it can lead to poor performance. Conversely, when all three components are strong, the results are far more impressive. So, evaluating an agency’s effectiveness isn’t always straightforward—it’s about understanding how these elements work together.

The Timing Dilemma: How Long Should You Assess Your SEO Agency’s Performance?

One of the key factors in evaluating an SEO agency’s performance is picking the right duration for assessment. If rankings drop and a brand sets a relatively short timeline for performance evaluation, the agency may not have enough time to fully implement their strategy before the campaign is terminated. SEO is a long-term game, and results often take time to materialize.

However, time is also money. The longer a brand takes to assess performance, the more revenue they may potentially lose out on, while still incurring the ongoing cost of the SEO services. This creates a balancing act between wanting results quickly and needing enough time for the agency to execute their strategy properly.

The key here is to ask for a clear strategy with actionable steps and a defined timeline. Once you have this information, you can assess whether the time required to achieve the expected results and the associated costs are reasonable and acceptable for your business. Clear communication and well-set expectations upfront are crucial to navigating this dilemma.

Is Your SEO Agency Overcharging or Undercharging? Here’s How to Tell

A common issue brands face is determining whether their SEO agency is overcharging for services or undercharging to the point where they can’t deliver quality results. If the agency charges too little, they may lack the resources to provide effective strategies and drive real revenue returns. On the other hand, overcharging could mean you’re paying more than what’s actually necessary for the services provided.

One simple way to assess this is by looking at the average salary of SEOs or digital marketers in your country. From there, you can estimate how many campaigns each individual would need to manage at any given time (assuming all clients are paying the same rate). This gives you a rough idea of whether the agency is overworked and possibly unable to give your campaign the attention it needs.

If an agency is managing too many clients or undercharging, it’s a clear indication that they may not have the resources to deliver high-quality work, which could affect your campaign’s performance.

Red Flags To Watch Out For In SEO Agencies

Let’s talk about some red flags I’ve seen pop up time and time again in the SEO world. These are the warning signs that agencies love to show off, but which might not actually help you achieve your conversion goals. Sure, they might sound great at first, but if you scratch the surface, you’ll see they aren’t the magic solutions they promise to be.

It’s easy to get caught up in all the promises of instant results and magical strategies. But here’s the deal: if an agency is making huge promises without showing you a clear, strategic plan backed by data, that’s a red flag. We’ll get into these details, but just remember—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The “Free Keywords” Trick

Ah, the classic “we’ll throw in some free keywords” offer when performance isn’t going well. It sounds like a nice value-add, right? But let’s be real for a second: if the agency couldn’t meet your revenue, leads, or sales goals with the existing keywords, adding a few more probably won’t change much. They’ll just end up in the same situation—struggling to rank and drive real results.

Here’s the catch: instead of accepting this “solution,” it’s time to ask some tough questions. What’s the strategy behind these new keywords? Why are these particular keywords needed? If the agency didn’t hit the mark with the original set, adding more random keywords won’t magically fix the problem. It’s time to get clarity on the strategy, not just an extra handful of keywords that likely won’t get you anywhere.

The “We’ve Got The Most Deliverables” Approach

Agencies love to sell their services by listing a long, impressive list of deliverables. More reports, more content, more audits—it’s like they’re trying to win an award for “Most Deliverables in a Sales Pitch.” And sure, deliverables are nice to have, especially when comparing agencies on surface value. But here’s the thing: they can be misleading.

At the end of the day, no one does SEO just for the sake of doing SEO. We do it to drive conversions and revenue. So, when an agency throws a ton of deliverables your way, you need to ask the right questions: Why are these specific deliverables being proposed? And more importantly, How is each of them actually going to help improve SEO rankings and drive meaningful results?

If they can’t clearly explain how their deliverables tie into your actual business goals, it’s time to reconsider whether they’re actually focusing on what matters—results, not just busy work.

Your Agency Might Be Using Churn & Burn

Here’s a myth that gets busted quite often: “All SEO agencies give their best for every campaign.” If only that were true! The reality is, the level of effort an agency puts into a campaign often depends on their business model—and not every agency is going to go all-in on every client.

Some agencies use a “churn and burn” strategy, which, believe it or not, is a viable business approach in the SEO world. In this model, agencies put significant resources into acquiring new clients, but once they’re onboard, they put minimal effort into servicing and retaining them. The focus shifts to constantly bringing in fresh clients, while the existing ones get just enough attention to keep them on the books.

If you’re working with an agency, it’s worth doing your homework. Look at their manpower count and compare it to their market share or the number of clients they claim to service. If they’ve got hundreds of clients but only a small team, that’s a red flag. It’s likely they won’t be able to give your campaign the attention it needs to succeed.

SEO for New and Novel Products, Does It Work?

Here’s a pitch some agencies love to make: “You need SEO to start getting found.” Sounds convincing, right? But if you’re selling a new, novel product that no one’s searching for yet, this is where things get tricky.

SEO is a pull marketing strategy. It’s meant to help people find you when they’re already searching for something related to your product or service. If your product is completely new and doesn’t yet have a common set of search terms or concepts tied to it, SEO isn’t going to be your best friend right away. You can’t pull people in with SEO if they don’t even know what to look for.

That said, SEO still has its place here. It can be used effectively for informational queries—think blog content that educates and provides value to your target audience before promoting the product. This is a valid approach, but it’s important to remember: SEO for novel products is a long-term game. It won’t yield strong ROI quickly.

In most cases, when dealing with new products and concepts, push marketing (like social media campaigns) is a more effective way to generate awareness and ROI in the short term. Push marketing gets your product in front of people before they even think to search for it.

Backlinks: More Isn’t Always Better

Backlinks—let’s talk about them. It’s no secret that you can technically buy backlinks for ridiculously cheap prices. You can find 1,000 links for just $1 if you look hard enough. So when an agency offers you a huge number of backlinks, it’s time to start asking some serious questions.

Here’s the thing: quantity does not equal quality. Sure, having more backlinks might look impressive on paper, but if those links aren’t coming from reputable, high-quality sources, they’re essentially useless. In fact, they could even harm your SEO.

At the end of the day, SEO isn’t about building a huge link portfolio just for the sake of it. We’re in this game to drive conversions and results, not to collect cheap links that do nothing for your rankings or ROI. So if an agency offers you a large number of backlinks without explaining the quality behind them, you might want to think twice.

The Challenge with Domain Rating/Authority as an SEO KPI

Let’s talk about Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA) as a KPI. Some agencies love to pitch this as the ultimate indicator of SEO success, but here’s why it’s problematic.

First off, DA/DR is a vanity metric. It might look nice in a report, but it’s only a secondary indicator of SEO success. Just because your website has a high DA/DR doesn’t mean you’re getting more traffic or conversions. It’s a hollow metric that doesn’t translate directly to real business results.

Second, DA/DR scores are proxy metrics—they’re calculated by platforms like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz, trying to replicate parts of Google’s actual algorithm for domain authority. But here’s the catch: these aren’t Google’s calculations. So, what these platforms consider high authority might not align with what Google actually deems as high-quality, authoritative sites. This creates a disparity between what looks good in your reports and what’s truly impacting your SEO.

Finally, DA/DR is easy to manipulate. This is how some Private Blog Network (PBN) sites can have high DA/DR scores despite having little to no real traffic. Just because the number is high, doesn’t mean it’s a sign of real, sustainable authority.

So, should DA/DR be used as a KPI? If you have an in-house SEO who is overseeing the big picture strategy for your brand, then having an agency report DA/DR can be fine. It can show progress in terms of authority building. However, if you’re completely hands-off with your SEO and not directly involved, then DA/DR as a KPI is a poor choice. It’s an easy metric to focus on, but it might mean the agency is working on activities that don’t actually move the needle on your SEO results—like traffic and conversions.

Keyword Density: The Overused Excuse

When performance isn’t going well, some SEO agencies love to point the finger at content limitations—specifically, the keyword density. They’ll often suggest that the page isn’t ranking because there aren’t enough mentions of the target keyword. The solution? “Just throw in more keywords, in every paragraph!”

While yes, it’s true that you need keywords on the page to signal to Google what your content is about, the importance of keyword density as a ranking factor has been greatly diminished over time. The days of stuffing a keyword in every other sentence are long gone. This used to be the go-to tactic, but Google’s algorithm has evolved to prioritize relevance and quality content over keyword stuffing.

Instead, what works best now is a balanced use of keywords within compelling, organic content. Focus on creating content that flows naturally and provides value to the reader, while using keywords strategically—without overdoing it. Relying on keyword density alone is an outdated approach, and if an agency is still pushing that as the reason for poor performance, it’s a big red flag.

What to Do If You Suspect Your SEO Agency Is Playing Games

So, you’ve started to get that nagging feeling that your SEO agency might not be as honest or effective as they promised. What do you do?

Well, the first step is to trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. But before jumping to conclusions, there are practical steps you can take to get to the bottom of things. In this next section, I’m going to break down exactly what you can do if you suspect your agency is pulling some shady moves or simply underperforming. Let’s dig into how you can protect your investment and ensure you’re getting the results you deserve.

Why You Need Owner Access to Your Digital Assets

Here’s a crucial point: you need to have owner access to all your digital assets—Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Tag Manager, website backend, and hosting. No exceptions.

Some agencies might have helped set these up, and while that’s fine, there’s a darker side to it. Some of them retain owner access to these accounts and use it to hold you hostage once you want to part ways. Suddenly, they’re refusing to pass the access over, leaving you in a position where you could potentially lose all your historical data and have to start from scratch.

This is a huge risk. If you ever decide to move on from an agency, not having access to your accounts means you’ll need to recreate everything, which can be time-consuming and costly. Get owner access from the start, and make sure it’s transferred to you before any agreements end. It’s your data, your website, and your business—it’s crucial you maintain control over it all.

The Importance of an Activity Log for Transparency

One of the most effective ways to ensure transparency and accountability with your SEO agency is by having an Activity Log function on your website backend. This tool tracks user activity and changes made to your site, allowing you to see exactly what the agency is doing. If they’re making updates, adding content, or tweaking elements, you’ll have a clear record of it all.

This log creates an essential layer of accountability. If something goes wrong, you can trace back the actions to see what was done and when.

It’s also crucial to set up separate logins for the agency, rather than sharing your main login credentials. This ensures that their actions are recorded and separate from your own, making it easier to track their work and protect your own access. This simple step can help keep the relationship clear, structured, and free from any unwanted surprises.

The Importance of Regular Website Backups

Regular website backups are a must. Why? Because they give you the ability to roll back any changes or wrongful implementations made by the agency. SEO agencies might make updates, but sometimes those changes can have unintended consequences, or maybe they weren’t implemented properly.

Having a backup ensures that you’re not stuck in a situation where you’re scrambling to fix something that’s gone wrong. It allows you to revert your site to a previous, stable version quickly—protecting your business from disruptions and minimizing any potential damage.

Make sure these backups are done on a regular basis, ideally before any major changes are made, so you’re always prepared if something goes awry. It’s a simple yet powerful safeguard to maintain control over your site’s health.

Navigating the world of SEO can be challenging, especially when you’re unsure if your agency is truly delivering value. From mismatched expectations to outright dubious practices, many business owners and marketers find themselves frustrated and wondering if they’re getting what they paid for.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. By understanding the common red flags, securing control over your digital assets, and seeking reliable expertise, you can take back control of your SEO investment and ensure your business is set up for long-term success.

If you’re still in doubt about your current SEO agency or provider, don’t hesitate to take the next step. First Page is a SEO agency who specialises in transparent, results-driven SEO strategies tailored to your business goals. We’re here to help you uncover the truth, audit your existing efforts, and create a plan that works. All at a fair and transparent price for SEO services. Moreover, we have a proven track record of helping websites recover from drops in their SEO rankings.

Contact First Page today to get the clarity you need and the results you deserve. Let’s work together to make your SEO investment count.