We Reviewed 50+ SEO Contracts — These Clauses Are Major Red Flags

Some SEO firms get called out because of their BS policies and contract terms, which are in no way justified. Some SEO agencies are straightaway doing scams with businesses, which have severe consequences on the overall growth and visibility of the client firms. However, some businesses still don’t realise or understand how to differentiate between a good SEO company from a bad one. One sign of understanding whether you have employed a good SEO company or not is to understand their contract terms. 

What clauses and terms go in the contract can help you determine whether the SEO firm is true to its values or not. After carefully reviewing over 50 contract terms, we have gathered details on how some clauses scream “Red Flag” about an SEO firm. In this blog, we will discuss the top red flags that tell you to keep your business away from specific SEO firms. 

Top 3 Red Flags to Watch Out For in SEO Firms

Sign 1: Look for terms like “Guaranteed Results”

No SEO firm can promise you guaranteed results. SEO keeps changing. Google keeps updating its ranking guidelines, based on which a good SEO firm adapts its strategy in a real-time manner. They work according to the changing Google guidelines and create custom plans for the firms they are working with. Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, good SEO firms have a tailored strategy for every client they work with. 

Even then, with all that strategic approach towards SEO, they cannot guarantee you results and write it formally in service level agreements. However, they do promise you consistent results, which you can track using key performance indicators like conversion rate, click-through rate, etc. Hence, the SEO firms promising you guaranteed results in their SLA are most likely looking to get easy money from clients like yours.

Sign 2: Hidden Prices for SEO Services 

If you are not aware of who is handling your SEO work operations, it is a major lack of clarity. The SEO agencies must work in collaboration with the client so that they can notify them about the crucial updates and progress in the SEO strategy. If the SEO agency does not provide you with transparent terms and conditions in the service level agreement document and adds new kinds of expenses and services when working on your business website, it is a big red flag.

Sign 3: Vague Service Details

If the SEO agency promises you one thing, but delivers something else, it is a big red flag. For example, if the SEO agency promised you approximately 1000 to 1500 words per blog post daily, but the service level agreement highlights a 500-word blog post, it is a big lack on their part. The unclear service details can lead to confusion and miscommunication. This also leads to conflict between the client and the SEO service agency. Hence, finding unclear requirements and service details in the SLA document is a big red flag, as their promises shouldn’t fall flat on paper.

To Sum Up

Transparency and honesty go a long way when it comes to dealing with businesses in need of SEO services. SEO investment is important for the organic growth of your business. Many top SEO agencies help businesses by providing them with real-time updates consistently. The best SEO companies inform you all about the key performance indicators, such as click-through rate, keyword ranking, conversion rate, etc. 

By reviewing these metrics, you can learn about the user engagement, visibility of the website and in the end, you will know how the SEO efforts are playing out and contributing to the overall business goals. Without a clear, transparent and tailored SEO strategy, many SEO firms make false promises of growth. It is a huge red flag when they don’t deliver on their promises. Hence, choosing the right SEO firm for your business is important, which you can do by reviewing top SEO firms in USA on the 10Seos website, a leading SEO firm listing platform.