Guaranteed SEO Services: A Scam You Must Avoid

The SEO market today is full of agencies that offer Guaranteed SEO services, promising quick first-page results for your website.

Trusted SEO agencies, like Stan Ventures, avoid making such guarantees. They also make sure clients understand that real results can take months or even years, based on the goals set.

Any SEO service that guarantees first-page rankings in 30 days or claims they can secure the #1 spot on Google in just 15 days is simply a scam. Period.

These offers may attract some unsuspecting customers, but they’re a clear warning sign that you’ve found the wrong SEO agency.

Read on to understand why you should steer clear of agencies that promise SEO guarantees and what you should look for instead.

What are guaranteed SEO services? 

Guaranteed SEO services promise specific outcomes, like a set percentage increase in monthly traffic or a particular ranking on Google SERP.

While this may sound appealing when you talk to such agencies, a logical approach reveals that it’s simply not possible.

Here’s why:

You can’t control how Google ranks your site. SEO agencies can only do their best to understand Google’s algorithms and optimize a site in hopes of boosting its SERP position.

A reliable SEO agency should guarantee the quality of its services, which includes keeping clients updated on progress, meeting task deadlines, responding promptly to client questions, and, most importantly, following the latest SEO best practices to achieve results efficiently.

Any agency that relies on false advertising with promises of guaranteed SEO results should be avoided.

Why should you avoid companies that offer SEO guarantees?

Every business aspires to rank on the first page of SERPs. When an SEO agency promises to make this happen in just a few weeks or months, it might sound familiar and tempting.

However, opting for SEO service providers that offer guaranteed SEO results carries serious risks. The blackout strategies they implement can negatively impact both your ranking and reputation.

In this section, we’ll explore the potential risks associated with choosing companies that promise SEO guarantees.

1. Search engines alert against guaranteed SEO services

One major reason to steer clear of agencies offering SEO guarantees is that Google, the search engine giant, advises against partnering with such agencies.

Google’s Beginner’s SEO documentation states that an SEO professional should provide an estimate of potential improvements.

If someone guarantees that their SEO efforts will secure you a first-page ranking on Google, it’s best to look for another SEO provider.

2. You are not in a position to guarantee something that’s beyond your control

SEO agencies don’t have direct control over search engine rankings. So, bold claims about guaranteed results are simply not realistic and should be taken with caution.

No one outside of Google (and even within) knows exactly how the different algorithms work. SEO experts have only managed to understand parts of it through extensive research over the years. Plus, Google’s algorithm continues to change as they aim to enhance user experience.

As Google Search Advocate John Mueller mentions, search results are never guaranteed. Even with tools like the Indexing API, only certain types of content—such as live streams and job postings—are indexed.

Websites need to be valuable to get indexed. John Mueller suggests that site owners can boost the chances of quick indexing by making their site more valuable.

He advises website owners to make meaningful updates so that Google recognizes new content. The easier it is for Google to find and value this content, the faster it may be indexed. For instance, linking new content directly from the home page can help Google discover it more quickly.

There are also many factors outside the control of SEO agencies, such as your company’s reputation and competition—like how many authority sites are targeting the same keywords. Rankings can drop if a company’s reputation suffers due to poor customer service or low-quality products.

This doesn’t mean SEOs can’t improve your website’s rankings. Skilled SEO agencies can sometimes achieve better results than expected. However, even the best agencies cannot manipulate SERP rankings or guarantee a quick leap to the first page or top three positions.

3. Guaranteed SEO services may involve black hat tactics 

Many companies that offer guaranteed SEO placements resort to black-hat strategies – a set of practices that Google condemns. Black hat techniques are tricks to rank higher on search engines through unfair means. If found by Google, it can lead to severe penalties.

Black-hat SEO tactics are outdated. About 15 years ago, it was possible to trick Google’s algorithm and climb to the first page of the SERP. Now, the algorithms are much smarter, and using these tactics will likely get your site penalized, leading to a drop in rankings or even being removed from Google’s index entirely.

Even if a black-hat SEO company manages to deceive Google and temporarily boost your rankings, these gains will vanish as soon as Google detects it. Depending on how serious the violation is, Google could impose penalties, including manual actions that harm your site’s visibility.

4. Guaranteed SEO may provide limited benefits

5. One-size-fits-all strategies don’t work

SEO is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your strategy should be tailored based on your industry, keyword competition, and various other factors.

If an agency promises the same SEO guarantee to every business without considering individual needs, you’re likely falling for a cookie-cutter strategy.

To achieve the best results, partner with an SEO agency that focuses on creating custom strategies tailored to each client’s unique requirements.

6. The wrong SEO tactics can hurt your business

How should you choose an SEO agency?

If you want to avoid SEO agencies offering SEO guarantees, what type of agencies should you choose?

You should look at the following features in an SEO agency to ensure that you get favorable results.

1. Knowledge

If your SEO agency is willing to answer every question about their services, it is a sign that you are working with the right agency.

If they are open to discussing the tactics they’ll use to improve your SEO, it’s evident that they’ll be ideal for your business needs.

When you talk to an SEO agency, discuss SEO in general and try to understand their approach to the subject.

If their response doesn’t give you a positive vibe to partner with them, find another agency to work with.

Another way to gauge the knowledge of an agency is by looking at the blogs they write. Check if they are keeping abreast with the latest SEO updates and techniques, like how we do here at Stan Ventures.

2. Custom strategies and goal alignment

Any good SEO agency will be ready to customize its SEO strategy based on your business’s unique requirements.

Any SEO agency that uses cookie-cutting strategies will reap substandard results or much worse.

A professional agency will learn about your company in detail, understand its requirements, and then suggest a custom strategy that aligns with the company’s goals and objectives.

3. Clear explanation for quick decision-making

In addition to offering custom SEO strategies, an SEO agency should be able to justify them using data-backed explanations.

If the SEO agency cannot justify its course of action with proper data, it can be a cause of concern for you.

This either means that they are unclear about the benefits their strategy can bring for your business or have very limited knowledge about them.

4. Result tracking and reporting

Professional SEO agencies will provide regular reports with result tracking to help you understand the SEO progress.

If an agency denies offering you regular reports, you better avoid it. You also need to ensure that the agencies that do offer timely reports to their clients are very detailed and easy to understand.

5. Experience

Any SEO agency that has been around for a long time will better understand the  SEO industry than any new agency.

Older agencies will also have more experience working with different clients and will be better at client handling than most new agencies.

If an agency doesn’t have the experience of working with a client like you, there’s no need to reconsider, provided they know SEO well and how it can benefit your site.

Stan Ventures has been helping clients achieve SEO success for more than a decade, and we have a diverse client base.

So, if you are counting on experience, there is no better SEO agency we can recommend than Stan Ventures.

6. Reviews and testimonials

Reviews and testimonials are proof of an agency’s hard work and determination. If you are confused about finalizing between multiple agencies, consider their online reviews and testimonials before confirming.

You can also contact past clients and ask them in detail about their experience with the agency.

Any awards or accolades the agency receives for its service are an added feather to the cap.

7. Case studies 

An agency’s case studies clarify its work and demonstrate its experience in accomplishing it. They are proof of an agency’s past performances.

What Can You Expect from A Reputable SEO Agency?

A reputable agency will try to offer you more than it promises regarding service and commitment. They will not promise you any guaranteed seo services but will try to deliver maximum results for their effort.

Here are ten prime qualities of a reputable SEO agency:

• Realistic SEO deadlines (not too early, not too late)
• SEO strategies aligned with your business KPIs
• Clear communication, no fillers
• Long term and sustainable SEO strategy
• Transparent SEO reports
• 24X7 access to keyword reporting and tracking tool
• A collaborative team
• A portfolio of successful projects handled previously
• Experience of working across industries
• High-quality yet affordable SEO services 
• Expect absolute zero SEO guarantee

SEO Services From Stan Ventures

Your search for an experienced and trustworthy SEO agency ends at Stan Ventures.

We’re an Indo-American SEO agency bringing you the best of both worlds: Indian SEO talents and American content expertise.

We aim to provide exceptional SEO services at affordable rates. When you choose us as your SEO agency, we will assign you a dedicated account manager who will be your point of contact for anything related to SEO.

The only SEO guarantee we offer is the quality of the services we provide to help you rank higher on the first page of Google. If you are unhappy with the quality, we are ready to refund your money.

Our agency will create a custom SEO plan for your business and get your approval before implementing it on your website. We’ll consult with you every step of the way before making any changes to your website.

We’ll be more than happy to run you through our entire SEO strategy and send you timely reports and updates to ensure that you are on the same page as us. Strong research data backs all our SEO strategies. We don’t believe in shortcuts when implementing SEO for your business.

Still wondering where to begin? Contact us today to explore endless possibilities for your business with our fully managed SEO services.