Written by: Jeevan, Founder of RankWebsite
Last updated: Oct 2026
A trustworthy SEO agency never guarantees a #1 ranking, never claims a special relationship with Google, never sells thousands of quick backlinks, never promises page-one results in days, never hides what it is doing, never takes ownership of your accounts and never uses fake reviews or doorway pages. Google’s own guidance warns against most of these. If you hear any of them, keep looking.
Hiring the wrong SEO agency can cost you more than money. Spammy tactics can get pages removed from Google or a Business Profile suspended, and it can take months to recover. Google has published its own advice on hiring an SEO, and most of the red flags below come straight from it.
1. “We guarantee a #1 ranking on Google”
Google states plainly: “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.” Rankings depend on Google’s algorithms, your competitors and what each searcher is looking for. An agency can promise a clear process, specific work every month and honest reporting, but never a fixed position.
2. “We have a special relationship with Google”
Google warns against SEOs that claim a special relationship with Google or offer “priority submit” services. No agency can buy or arrange better organic rankings. For local results, Google also says there is no way to request or pay for a better ranking.
3. “We’ll build 1,000 backlinks this month”
Large numbers of cheap links usually come from link schemes, private blog networks or spammy directories. Google’s guidance specifically advises avoiding SEOs who talk about link popularity schemes. Good link building is slower and focused on relevant, real websites.
4. “You’ll be on page one in two weeks”
Some technical fixes show results quickly, but meaningful SEO growth usually takes months. Very fast promises often mean the agency plans to target keywords nobody searches for, or to use tactics that do not last. Ask what results they expect and in what timeframe, and how they will measure them.
5. “Our methods are secret”
Google advises being careful if a company is secretive or will not clearly explain what it intends to do. You should receive a clear list of the changes made to your site and the reasons for them. Good SEO is not magic, and a good agency is happy to explain it.
6. “We’ll set up and own your accounts”
Your Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Business Profile, domain and website should always be in your name, with the agency added as a user. For an audit, Google suggests granting only read access to Search Console. If an agency insists on owning these accounts, leaving them later becomes very difficult.
7. Fake reviews, doorway pages and other shortcuts
Watch for offers to “boost your reviews”, create dozens of near-identical city pages, or stuff keywords into your Business Profile name. Fake reviews break Google’s policies, keyword-stuffed names break the Business Profile guidelines, and pages created only to rank for each city are treated as spam. Google also warns that deceptive content created by an SEO can get a site removed from its index.
Two more warning signs
- Cold emails promising rankings. Google compares unsolicited SEO emails to “burn fat at night” diet pills.
- Being asked to link to the agency. Google says you should never have to link to an SEO.
Questions to ask before you hire an SEO agency
Google suggests asking questions like these:
- Can you show me examples of your previous work?
- What results do you expect, and in what timeframe?
- How do you measure success?
- What experience do you have in my industry?
- How long have you been in business?
- Will you share every change you make to my site, with reasons?
A good agency will also ask you questions: what makes your business unique, who your competitors are and how your customers find you.
What a trustworthy SEO agency does instead
- Starts with an audit and explains what it found
- Agrees clear goals, such as calls, leads or bookings
- Uses only methods that follow Google’s guidelines
- Reports every month in plain language
- Keeps every account and asset in your name
- Does not lock you into long contracts you cannot leave
This is how we work at RankWebsite. Our SEO packages are priced openly, with no lock-in contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a red flag if an SEO agency guarantees results?
Yes, if the guarantee is about rankings. Google says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking. An agency can reasonably commit to specific work, timelines and transparent reporting instead.
How do I check whether an SEO agency is genuine?
Ask for examples of previous work you can verify, check reviews on Google, ask how they measure success, and make sure every account stays in your name. A genuine agency explains its methods clearly.
Are cheap SEO packages always bad?
Not always. Lower-cost plans can work well for small local businesses. The red flag is not the price, but promises of guaranteed rankings, huge link numbers or results in days.
What should be included in a monthly SEO report?
A useful report shows the work completed, changes in traffic, rankings for target keywords, calls, form leads or bookings from organic search, and the plan for next month.
Related guides: Google Maps top 3 checklist, how to get mentioned in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity and on-page SEO services explained.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google
Looking for an SEO partner that explains everything? Request a free SEO audit or meet our founder.