Many companies believe that SEO automatically leads to more customers and higher revenue. In reality, it’s a long-term effort that requires strategy, patience, and an understanding of your target audience. SEO is a tool, not a miracle.
The market is full of providers offering SEO services. Some deliver real value, while others use methods that can harm your website in the long run. It’s important to understand what you’re actually paying for before committing to a contract.
Before hiring someone, you should find out what methods they use, how they measure results, what risks are associated with their techniques, and whether they have experience in your industry. These answers often say more than the sales pitch itself.
Without relevant and well-written content, SEO efforts won’t bear fruit. Search engines prioritize content that answers the user’s questions and provides real value. If you don’t have a clear content strategy, that should be your first step—not buying links or focusing on technical optimization.
If a provider promises fast results at an unusually low price, that’s a red flag. Unethical tactics like link farms, hidden text, and duplicate content might create short-term effects, but they risk getting your site penalized by Google. Recovering from an algorithmic downgrade often takes a long time.
Search engine optimization works best as part of a broader digital strategy. If your website is hard to use, your social media is inactive, or you lack a clear brand identity, it doesn’t matter how high you rank. SEO is just one piece of the puzzle.
Magnus Bråth
CEO
Magnus is one of the world's most prominent search marketing specialists and primarily works with management and strategy at his agency Brath AB.