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Are We Being Overcharged by Our SEO Company? Should We Consider Switching?
As the marketing manager for a roofing company, I’ve recently delved into our website traffic analytics and discovered some discrepancies that have raised red flags about our current SEO agency, which has been with us since before my tenure began. Here are my concerns:
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Unexplained Traffic Spikes
We’ve noticed significant spikes in both organic and direct traffic, but these surges haven’t translated into more calls or lead forms, and they’re not reflected in Google Search Console (GSC). While I’m aware that organic traffic in Google Analytics can come from sources beyond Google, the numbers seem off. Over the last three months, we recorded 13,000 users from organic traffic in GA, but only 403 clicks in GSC. This suggests a mere 0.03% of our organic traffic is from Google, which doesn’t add up. -
Discrepancy in Indexed Pages
According to GSC, we have 43 pages indexed. However, the agency’s report claims over 400 pages indexed with traffic and clicks. Some of these pages don’t seem relevant to us as a roofing company, like pages related to legal topics such as /divorce-law. -
Cost vs. Deliverables
We’re paying $5,000 monthly, and in return, they produce just one blog post per quarter. They claim to use a custom AI to scan our site and our competitors’ sites, adjusting our existing pages to enhance our rankings. I questioned how we’re supposed to rank for new keywords and index new pages without fresh content creation. Their response was that their AI handles this and that content production is an “old school” method.
Given these issues, should we consider finding a new SEO partner? Your insights would be appreciated.
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2 responses to “Are We Being Overcharged by Our SEO Agency? Should We Consider Changing Providers?”
When evaluating whether your SEO company is effectively supporting your marketing goals or potentially engaging in questionable practices, consider the following points outlined below. It seems there are some red flags based on your description.
1. Organic Traffic Discrepancies
Problem: You observed significant spikes in both organic and direct traffic that do not align with an increase in conversions (calls or lead forms). There’s also a massive discrepancy between organic traffic numbers in Google Analytics (GA) and clicks from Google Search Console (GSC). Only 0.03% of your GA organic traffic is accounted for in GSC clicks, which is highly unusual. This discrepancy suggests that the traffic might not be truly organic or might come from questionable sources.
Insight: Having such a large difference between GA and GSC makes it likely that there’s inappropriate traffic manipulation, like referral spam, bots, or mislabeled traffic sources. GA can misattribute traffic due to parameters and redirects.
2. Indexed Pages Discrepancy
Problem: Your SEO company claims over 400 pages are indexed, including irrelevant topics like divorce law, while GSC shows only 43 pages indexed. The inconsistency in the pages indexed and the unrelated topics are serious concerns.
Insight: If pages irrelevant to your industry are indexed and potentially receiving traffic, it’s likely the SEO company is engaging in black-hat practices or misrepresenting their results. This does not align with a sustainable seo strategy and might harm your future performance or lead to penalties.
3. seo Deliverables and Value
Problem: You’re being charged $5k a month for very limited deliverables: only one blog post per quarter. The claim that a custom AI tool can edit existing content and rank for new keywords without fresh content production is questionable.
Insight: A major part of seo involves content generation. Relying solely on existing pages and not creating new, relevant content aligned with your audience’s search intent is concerning. High costs with minimal tangible output and vague descriptions of automated processes are red flags.
Recommendations
Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to check backlinks; see if there’s a pattern of low-quality or spammy links.
Transparency & Accountability:
It’s clear that you’re facing some significant challenges with your current SEO agency, and it’s certainly wise to evaluate the effectiveness of their services given the discrepancies you’ve identified. Here are a few thoughts to consider as you weigh your options:
1. **Verification of Analytics**: Before making a jump, it might be beneficial to conduct a thorough audit of your analytics setup. Comparing Google Analytics with Google Search Console is essential, but also look into other analytics tools to ensure that your data collection is accurate. Sometimes, misconfigured tracking can lead to misleading traffic numbers.
2. **Relevance of Content**: The issue with indexed pages having little relevance to your roofing business is concerning. SEO should not only focus on volume but also on quality and relevance. Pages that don’t resonate with your target audience can negatively impact your overall performance. It would be prudent to ask your agency for clarity on this point and how they plan to optimize for more pertinent keywords.
3. **Content Strategy**: The pause on content creation in favor of an AI-driven approach raises questions. While AI has its merits, SEO is still deeply rooted in quality content that meets user intent. It might be worth seeking a new partner who advocates for a balanced approach that combines both AI optimization and regular, high-quality content creation to boost your site’s authority and engagement.
4. **Cost Considerations**: At $5,000 a month, you should be getting a more robust service in return. Researching competitor pricing and deliverables can give