What are signs of a bad SEO agency?

Watch out – not all SEO agencies are created equal. Some make empty promises or use sketchy tactics that can actually hurt your site. Here are the biggest warning signs of a bad SEO agency that you should look out for:

Unrealistic Promises and “Guaranteed” Results

If someone is telling you they can guarantee #1 rankings in weeks, alarm bells should ring. No agency can control Google’s algorithm or promise instant top positions. Be suspicious of any pitch that sounds like a magic fix: “We’ll get you to #1 fast!” or “Special connection inside Google!” 

These are red flags. At best, it means the agency is overpromising (and likely won’t deliver). At worst, it means they might resort to black-hat tricks (like spammy link schemes) which can lead to penalties or bans from search engines. 

A reputable SEO professional will be honest about timelines and say things like “it usually takes months to see real results, and we can’t promise specific rankings.”

No Proven Track Record or Case Studies

Results matter. A shady agency often can’t (or won’t) show you real examples of success. 

They may have no client references, or only share broad statistics without context. If all they offer is vague graphs (“your traffic will explode!”) but no concrete case studies, that’s a big warning.

 Always ask for specific examples: “Have you helped a business like mine? Show me the traffic and conversion numbers.” Genuine experts will happily share success stories. 

For instance, we at Embarque share how one client went from virtually no traffic to thousands of visitors. If the agency can’t back up their claims with actual data or past results, it means they likely don’t have any real wins to brag about.

Lack of Transparency

Good SEO is about collaboration. 

A bad agency tends to be secretive or confusing. They might disappear after you sign, only sending a generic report with charts and no explanation. 

Beware if they dodge your questions about strategy or say they have a “secret sauce” they can’t reveal. For example, if they talk about a proprietary tool or Google insider tips but won’t explain them, that’s a red flag.

At Embarque, we believe in full transparency – our clients know exactly what content we’re publishing, what fixes we’re making, and why. If an agency won’t even tell you what keywords they’re targeting or how they’re building links, you’re essentially in the dark.

Outdated or Unethical Tactics

Some agencies haven’t kept up with modern SEO. If their approach is “all about meta keywords and directory submissions,” that’s outdated. Other bad practices include:

• Mass link schemes: Promising to “boost your rank” by buying lots of low-quality backlinks. (Any agency selling you “500 links” is usually selling spam, which Google will penalize.)
• Thin or spun content: Producing tons of low-value articles stuffed with keywords. This might tick the “SEO” checkbox, but it won’t engage real readers or help SEO long-term. Today’s SEO demands unique, helpful content – if an agency seems to ignore content quality, beware.
• Keyword stuffing or cloaking: Tactics like hiding extra keywords in white text on a page, or bait-and-switch content for crawlers vs users. Legitimate SEOs don’t do this, and it can lead to severe ranking drops.
• No technical optimization: If the agency doesn’t mention things like site speed, mobile-friendliness, or security (HTTPS), they’re doing only half the job. Proper SEO today includes technical health checks, not just marketing tricks.

If you spot any mention of these old-school or “black hat” strategies, step away. They can get you penalized and kill your organic traffic.

One-Size-Fits-All Approaches

Your business is unique, so your SEO strategy should be too. Be wary of agencies that treat every client the same. Red flags include:

• No discovery call or questionnaire: If they jump straight to a sales pitch without asking about your industry, goals, or target audience, they’re not tailoring the plan to you.
• Cookie-cutter service packages: Everyone gets the same “Package A: 4 blogs + 5 links” regardless of need. SEO for a local dentist is very different from SEO for an e-commerce store; if it looks identical on paper, they’re not listening.
  Pushy upsells: Some agencies lure you in cheap and then keep hitting you for more expensive services. A good agency discusses scope upfront. If they dodge questions about exactly what’s included, be skeptical.

Poor Communication and Unprofessionalism

Consider this a hiring decision. If an agency rep is hard to reach, misses calls, or takes weeks to respond, it shows how they might work as your vendor. Other red flags:

• Dodgy proposals: If the proposal or contract is full of spelling errors, vague promises, or no clear deliverables, that’s unprofessional.
• Secretive about team: If you never meet the actual people doing the work (just a “lead generator” salesperson), you might be paying more than you should.
• High-pressure sales tactics: Beware of agencies pushing you to sign immediately (“Sign up now or miss this deal!”). SEO is a long-term investment, and a good agency should give you time to decide.

Good SEO demands close collaboration and trust. We make it a point to be reachable and explain everything clearly. If an agency can’t answer your basic questions in plain language (e.g. “What exactly will you do this month?”), that’s a problem. You deserve weekly or monthly updates that make sense, not silence or jargon.

Obsession with Vanity Metrics

Some agencies chase meaningless numbers. They’ll brag about “getting you 3,456 new Facebook likes” or “moving 10 keywords into Google’s top 50” – but if those metrics don’t translate to actual sales or leads, they aren’t helpful. Real SEO success is measured by how it grows your business. Important signs of this problem are:

• Focusing only on traffic or rankings: Page 1 rankings for irrelevant keywords or big jumps in traffic means nothing if those visitors never convert.
• No focus on leads or ROI: If the agency never asks, “How many demo requests did that landing page generate?” or “Did your revenue grow?” then they’re missing the point.
• Fluff reports: Charts of “impressions over time” without context, or metrics like Alexa rank and PageRank (obsolete), are distractions.

At Embarque, we always tie SEO to your bottom line. We ask for sales data when we onboard, and show how many leads came from organic search. If an agency can’t explain how SEO is impacting your real goals (customers, sign-ups, revenue), it’s a sign they’re out of touch with business needs.

Conclusion

In short, if it feels too good to be true, it probably is. 

A trustworthy SEO agency will be honest about what’s achievable, demonstrate past successes, and tailor their work to your business. If you see any of the warning signs above – outlandish promises, secretive tactics, cookie-cutter solutions, or shady shortcuts – consider it a huge red flag. Demand transparency and results. Ask the tough questions up front.

 A good agency (like us at Embarque) focuses on clear communication, data-driven strategies, and delivers measurable results, not “miracle” one-size-fits-all solutions. In the end, choose a partner who treats your success as their success, and you’ll avoid the headaches of a bad SEO experience.