False promises about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) are unfortunately common in the digital marketing industry.
Approach SEO with a realistic mindset…
It’s important to approach SEO with a realistic mindset and work with reputable SEO professionals that provide transparent and ethical services. Instead of false promises, reputable SEO providers will focus on creating a solid strategy, implementing best practices, monitoring performance, and providing regular reports and insights to help you achieve long-term organic search success.
Here are a few misleading claims or false promises that are sometimes made about SEO:
- Guaranteed Top Rankings: No legitimate SEO professional or agency can guarantee top rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO is a complex and ever-changing field influenced by numerous factors, including search algorithms, competition, user behaviour, and website quality. While SEO efforts can improve a website’s visibility and rankings, achieving and maintaining top positions is not within anyone’s control.
- Overnight Results: SEO is a long-term strategy that requires time, patience, and consistent effort. It is unrealistic to expect instant or overnight results from SEO activities. Building organic search visibility involves optimising website structure, creating quality content, earning backlinks, and improving user experience—all of which take time to yield results. Beware of claims that promise immediate and significant ranking improvements.
- Secret Techniques or Shortcuts: Some SEO providers may claim to have access to secret techniques or shortcuts that can guarantee success. In reality, there are no hidden or magical techniques that can manipulate search engines to achieve better rankings. Ethical and effective SEO practices involve following search engine guidelines, focusing on user experience, producing high-quality content, and implementing optimisation strategies based on industry best practices.
- Exact Number of Backlinks: Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) play a significant role in SEO, but the quality and relevance of those links matter more than the sheer quantity. Beware of promises to deliver a specific number of backlinks within a short period. Acquiring a large number of low-quality or spammy backlinks can actually harm your website’s reputation and rankings. Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from reputable sources instead.
- Guaranteed Traffic Increase: While SEO aims to improve organic search visibility and drive more traffic to a website, it does not guarantee a specific increase in traffic. The volume and quality of traffic depend on various factors, including the competitiveness of keywords, target audience, industry trends, and user behaviour. Genuine SEO professionals focus on optimising for relevant keywords and improving the overall user experience to attract targeted traffic, but the exact results can vary.
If it sounds too good to be true…
Reward Design only work with a select couple of Australian SEO firms that have proven themselves to us and align with our values and customer ROI.