Guarantee in SEO: Explained

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The age-old question in the world of SEO: can you guarantee me a position?

The answer is simple: no.

However, there are definitely more arguments and reasons for why that is the case.

To understand them better, you need to become more familiar with the concept of SEO and its details. That’s what I’ve addressed in this post.

So, this is a guarantee in SEO, explained. Let’s move on.

Does Guarantee Exist in SEO?

The answer you already know.

While working in two SEO/SEM agencies, plenty of clients asked me this question. 

I must admit that it was probably the most challenging objection I encountered in sales at that time. And the most difficult in the SEO industry.

The most common, related-to-guarantee questions:

• What guarantee can you provide for results?
• What kind of guarantee can I expect?
• When will I be in the top positions?
• When will I appear in the TOP10?

And a derivative one:

“If I pay for a year and there are no results, I understand that you’ll refund my money?”

Answering to these questions is truly an intellectual workout 🙂

Unfortunately, if you don’t want to deceive your clients, casting a negative light on your company and yourself (after all, you’re an advisor, right?), you have to say that you cannot provide any guarantees.

Better yet—Google says he can’t give the guarantee itself. Due to the constantly-changing algorithms, Google, the founder of its search engine, can’t guarantee any results. Therefore, you can’t either.

So, what the client pays for?

Ahh, this is a great question.

Offers at SEO agencies most commonly consist of four elements:

Keywords

At this stage, the agency (or a freelancer) focuses on keyword selection. 

Depending on the industry you represent, there will be more or fewer of these words, they’ll be longer or shorter. However, not only the industry matters.

The history and performance of your website also matter. The most.

After all, why optimize keywords for which you already rank highly?

Link building

Link building is the process of creating a network of links around your website. 

Its visibility also depends on the quality of links (backlinks) it is linked to or links to. These can be internal and external links.

Optimization

Page optimization is a process of improving a specific web page for search engines and users. 

It involves keyword optimization, creating high-quality content, and optimizing elements like meta tags and headers. 

The goal is to make the page more visible and user-friendly in search engine results.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is the content that will be placed on a website or e-com, based on the client’s offer and industry.

It’s a part-and-parcel element of a good SEO offer. To skyrocket your website’s positions, content has to be added on your site as often as possible. In ideal scenario—every day (but it depends on your industry, offer/product and audience’ preferences).

Alright, the offer has been sent.

And you, as a client, receive such offer and most of the time, you wonder what’s gonna be next.

Working in SEO agencies for over 5 years, I had the chance to experience tremendously positive results for service-based websites, e-commerce sites (such as pharmacies, dog food products, clothing, etc.).

But I also had to observe many times (unfortunately, more of the bad ones than the good ones) dismal outcomes because the offer was completely inadequate for the client, yet they signed a contract for X amount of time (usually a year).

Therefore, I know that when you get such questions from a client, you always have two options:

a) Lie

Lie, mess things up, earn a commission, but be aware that such deceitful practices will harm the SEO industry.

b) Be honest with your client

Provide an honest answer based on expertise, saying no while seeking a suitable solution for your client. 

If it turns out to be too expensive, the client may walk away for now, but in a few months, they may return, choose that option, and appreciate the quality of collaboration. I know, it sounds like an ideal scenario, but I’ve experienced it, and it really pays off—for both sides.

How to Choose the Right SEO Offer

Do thorough research.

Before you even contact the agency (or a freelancer), think about what you need, check the agency’s expertise in your industry, and then submit the inquiry.

The more precise the inquiry, the better—for both you and the agency.

But let’s dive into the details.

Ask for Case Studies & Portfolio

Getting to know which clients an agency works with and what results they achieve for them, you’ll be aware that you’re one step closer to your success.

The more similar clients to yours, the better. The better the attained results, the higher the likelihood of similar outcomes for yourself.

However, here’s another pitfall. What if Company X is already working with 10 clients in your industry? Not everyone will be in the top position. What now?

Ask openly about the choice of solution, case studies, and NDA agreements. This will protect you and save—at least to a certain extant—your business.

Also, ask about result simulations, the target billing model (right, in SEO, there are many of them), and your website audit. The more information you obtain, the better for you.

The Offer Details

What will your offer consist of? What tools and information will Company X use to prepare a suitable solution for you?

Relevant and searched keywords, an appropriate and verified database of external links, and a guaranteed monthly number of keywords allocated to the content on your website.

Right, each of these individual elements forms a coherent whole.

Nowadays, SEO itself is not enough. Still, for many companies, the concept of SEO has different meanings, so it’s important to specify which products your offer will include.

Contract Duration

This is a lovely topic.

So, for how long are we signing the contract?

3, 6, or perhaps 12 months?

The chosen term determines the business model you opt for.

The most commonly chosen option in Europe, and one that I personally recommend, is a monthly contract with a 3-month notice period.

You collaborate on a monthly basis, but if something goes wrong, there’s a 3-month notice period.

It’s clear for both; you and the agency.

Customer Support

This is a very important element. During the collaboration between the client and the agency, many new-things-to-be-done come into play for implementation and change. But that’s how it is everywhere.

However, how can you be sure that the service is good enough?

You can feel it from the first contact with a salesman.

The quality of the conversation & emails, the time of contact, responsiveness.

Indeed, these are intangible elements, but they play a crucial role in both the sales and service stages.

Note: Usually, agencies whose salespeople operate at a high level (you’ll feel it yourself) also maintain a high level of customer service.

How to Buy SEO? Business Model You Need to Know

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind?

I assume it’s a subscription.

Right, it’s still the most commonly chosen business model by SEO agencies.

In short: you pay a fixed amount monthly regardless of the results. This has its pros and cons.

For example, you pay $1000 per month for 30 keywords. You rank first for all 30 phrases — you still pay the same. Over the course of the year, if there’s no improvement in rankings, you still pay the same.

Due to the industry’s inherent risks, I don’t recommend this solution.

However, I do recommend a hybrid model. What’s that?

Quick example:

• Total budget = X
• Monthly fee = 1/5 X
• In total for achieved results = 5/5 X

Let’s say you agree on a maximum monthly budget of $1500 with the agency, for achieving certain results. You pay (for example) 1/5 of the total budget per month, which is $300, and when the result is achieved, then you pay the maximum number, which stands for $1500.

This approach gives the agency the means and motivation to work, and you don’t pay much upfront. On the other hand, you have the assurance that you’ll only pay the full amount when the desired result is achieved.

I always recommend this solution to my clients because. It’s fair and win-win.

Agency vs. Freelancer

The timeless question, huh?

Let me answer: it depends.

An agency is definitely a good choice if you have a website or e-commerce store that is large and requires the care of many specialists, preferably all at once.

Let’s say, if you have an e-com with over 50,000 products, one freelancer would have a hard time handling anyone else besides you. Unless you’re the only one working with them, that’s okay.

So, choosing an agency is the right decision if you have:

>> A big project to show off: well-ranked & notable results, plenty of added products, a large budget to spend, and massive outcomes.

However, if you have a small online store or website and don’t have a very large budget, choosing a freelancer is definitely a good idea.

Consider a freelancer if:

>> Small, up-and-coming project: you have a small online business, you don’t have a big budget, and you want to have a direct impact and view of the results.

Both solutions are valid, but make sure you know what you’re dealing with from the beginning.

Guarantee Requires Black-Hat SEO Techniques

First things first, what’s the black-hat SEO technique?

Black-hat SEO refers to unethical and prohibited tactics used to manipulate search engine rankings, often resulting in short-term gains but risking penalties and long-term damage to a website’s reputation.

What are the penalties?

1. Ranking Drops: Websites employing black-hat tactics often experience a significant decline in search engine rankings.
2. Deindexing: Search engines may remove websites using these tactics from their search results entirely, making them invisible to users.
3. Loss of Reputation: Black-hat practices can damage a website’s online reputation, making it challenging to regain trust from both search engines and users.

Guarantees in SEO typically require black-hat SEO techniques due to the fundamental nature of search engine optimization. 

Black-hat techniques often involve shortcuts and manipulative tactics that aim to exploit search engine algorithms for quick, but often short-lived, gains in rankings and visibility. 

These techniques can include keyword stuffing, cloaking, link farms, and other tactics that violate search engine guidelines.

If you want your SEO outcome to be a sprint, you must be prepared for the consequences. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t like it when you go against its rules.

Final Word

Unfortunately, no one can offer you guarantees, and if you hear this over the phone, it’s not a good sign.

Choose a wise solution because SEO takes time, and quite a bit of it.

The digital agency market is highly competitive, both in Europe and worldwide, so you have plenty to choose from. However, focus on a suitable offer for your business.

Company selection, a comprehensive audit, keyword choice, and contract execution.

If you need help with your choice, feel free to reach out to me; I’d be happy to advise you.

P.S. If you like my content & the overall work that I do with my blog, I’d be very thankful for a little support. Every cup of coffee is appreciated 😉

Thank you in advance,
Simon

Author Profile

Simon Gorlak

Simon Gorlak is a Digital Marketing Expert with over 8 years of experience. He specializes in 3 areas: SEO, Copywriting, and Email Marketing. Simon's blog gathers knowledge that helps Marketers & C-level to increase profits from their online businesses. Also, his content helps to reach the most difficult customers, make others' content to be read & purchased. Besides digital marketing, Simon speaks 4 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish & works as a Head of Business at an Indian Start-up.

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