How to Tell If Your SEO Company Is Ripping You Off
Not all SEO companies are created equal—and some do more harm than good. If you’re a small business owner investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars each month into SEO and not seeing real results, it’s time to take a closer look.
SEO can feel like a black box if your provider isn’t transparent. That’s why it’s so important to understand what good SEO looks like—and how to spot when you’re getting scammed or overcharged.
1. You’re Not Getting Monthly Reports or Progress Updates
One of the biggest red flags is silence. If your SEO company isn’t providing monthly reports, you have no way of knowing what work is being done or what progress (if any) is being made.
What to expect instead:
If they can’t show you results, they probably aren’t getting any.
2. Everything They Offer Is “Guaranteed” Rankings
No ethical SEO company guarantees #1 rankings—especially not quickly. Google’s algorithm is complex and constantly changing. Legitimate SEO takes time and involves strategy, not shortcuts.
Watch out for:
These are signs of shady link schemes or black-hat methods that could get your site penalized.
3. You Don’t Own Your Website or Content
Some agencies will build your site, run your SEO—and then hold it hostage. If you decide to leave, they either take your content down or keep the website entirely.
What to clarify upfront:
You should always have full access to—and ownership of—your site and SEO assets.
4. They Won’t Tell You What They’re Actually Doing
Transparency matters. If your SEO provider is vague or evasive when you ask questions, they might be covering for a lack of actual work.
Ask them directly:
A good SEO partner explains their process in plain English.
5. You’re Paying for Services You Don’t Need
Many small businesses get sold bloated SEO packages filled with fluff. These might include outdated directory submissions, keyword stuffing, or irrelevant blog posts that don’t match your market.
How to spot unnecessary add-ons:
Effective SEO is strategic—not one-size-fits-all.
What Good, Affordable SEO Actually Looks Like
A good SEO company focuses on results, not reports. You should see real improvements in:
They’ll also educate you along the way, not keep you in the dark. You deserve to know what’s happening with your investment—and how it’s helping your business grow.
Affordable Doesn’t Mean Cheap—It Means Efficient
At Orbital Marketing Agency, we build SEO strategies designed for small business budgets. That means:
We believe in partnership, not lock-in contracts or empty promises.
Think You Might Be Overpaying or Underperforming?
Let us give you a no-obligation SEO audit. Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration and we’ll walk you through how to fix what’s broken—and finally get real ROI from your SEO spend.
SEO can feel like a black box if your provider isn’t transparent. That’s why it’s so important to understand what good SEO looks like—and how to spot when you’re getting scammed or overcharged.
1. You’re Not Getting Monthly Reports or Progress Updates
One of the biggest red flags is silence. If your SEO company isn’t providing monthly reports, you have no way of knowing what work is being done or what progress (if any) is being made.
What to expect instead:
- A clear monthly summary showing keyword rankings, traffic increases, and completed tasks
- Access to tools like Google Analytics and Search Console
- A plan for the next 30–60 days
If they can’t show you results, they probably aren’t getting any.
2. Everything They Offer Is “Guaranteed” Rankings
No ethical SEO company guarantees #1 rankings—especially not quickly. Google’s algorithm is complex and constantly changing. Legitimate SEO takes time and involves strategy, not shortcuts.
Watch out for:
- Promises of overnight results
- “Guaranteed first page” within a week
- Secret tactics they won’t explain
These are signs of shady link schemes or black-hat methods that could get your site penalized.
3. You Don’t Own Your Website or Content
Some agencies will build your site, run your SEO—and then hold it hostage. If you decide to leave, they either take your content down or keep the website entirely.
What to clarify upfront:
- Who owns your website and domain name?
- Do you keep the content they create for you?
- What happens if you cancel the service?
You should always have full access to—and ownership of—your site and SEO assets.
4. They Won’t Tell You What They’re Actually Doing
Transparency matters. If your SEO provider is vague or evasive when you ask questions, they might be covering for a lack of actual work.
Ask them directly:
- What are you optimizing this month?
- Are you building backlinks, updating content, or improving technical SEO?
- Can you show me a list of completed tasks?
A good SEO partner explains their process in plain English.
5. You’re Paying for Services You Don’t Need
Many small businesses get sold bloated SEO packages filled with fluff. These might include outdated directory submissions, keyword stuffing, or irrelevant blog posts that don’t match your market.
How to spot unnecessary add-ons:
- Are they charging for 30 keywords when only 5 are relevant?
- Are you getting traffic from the wrong cities or countries?
- Are they suggesting SEO when the real issue is your website speed or structure?
Effective SEO is strategic—not one-size-fits-all.
What Good, Affordable SEO Actually Looks Like
A good SEO company focuses on results, not reports. You should see real improvements in:
- Search rankings for relevant terms
- Website traffic from your target location
- Qualified leads or calls generated from organic search
They’ll also educate you along the way, not keep you in the dark. You deserve to know what’s happening with your investment—and how it’s helping your business grow.
Affordable Doesn’t Mean Cheap—It Means Efficient
At Orbital Marketing Agency, we build SEO strategies designed for small business budgets. That means:
- Transparent reporting every month
- Local SEO targeting your ideal customer base
- High-impact content and backlinks—not spam or fluff
- Full ownership of your site and everything we create
We believe in partnership, not lock-in contracts or empty promises.
Think You Might Be Overpaying or Underperforming?
Let us give you a no-obligation SEO audit. Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration and we’ll walk you through how to fix what’s broken—and finally get real ROI from your SEO spend.