Buyer's guide

7 red flags when hiring a web/SEO agency

Protect yourself before you sign. If you see these, keep looking — including if you see them from us.

1. They guarantee #1 on Google

Nobody can guarantee a specific ranking — Google's results aren't for sale. Honest SEO improves your position over months; it never promises a spot.

2. They won't give you a written contract or clear pricing

If they dodge a simple written scope and price, walk away. You should always know what you're getting and what it costs before you pay.

3. They keep your domain or website "for you"

Your domain and site should be in your name. If leaving means losing everything, you're a hostage, not a client.

4. Suspiciously cheap, then endless upsells

A $99 site that needs $99 more every week for basic things is a bait-and-switch. Fair, all-in pricing beats a low headline number.

5. They buy links or promise "1,000 backlinks"

Bought links violate Google's rules and can get your site penalised. Real links are earned, slowly.

6. No portfolio, reviews, or real examples

If they can't show real work or verifiable reviews, you're the experiment.

7. They disappear after launch

A site that's never updated slowly breaks. Ask who fixes things later — and get it in writing.

Hold us to the same list

Everything above is something we don't do. Clear pricing, a written scope, your domain in your name, honest timelines, real reviews, and someone who's still there after launch. If we ever slip, call us on it.

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