When looking for an SEO agency to invest your precious time and money in, there are a few key factors that you should add to your non-negotiable list. They are: social proof and case studies.
In doing so, you are significantly reducing the risk of throwing your lot in with the wrong company. Why? Because:
- Social proof (positive, 5* reviews from previous and existing clients) proves their authenticity.
- Case studies (real-life success stories from recognised brands) demonstrate their capabilities.
In this article, we’re going to highlight the typical reasons why an SEO agency won’t share case studies with you (according to them) – and then the reality of the matter.
Why is my prospective SEO agency refusing to share case studies?
There are 3 main reasons an SEO agency tends to use when refusing to share case studies:
- It goes against our client confidentiality policies.
- We prefer to keep our world-class methodology secret.
- Our clients have asked us not to use them as case studies.
These are fair enough reasons to provide. However, aside from the 3rd option which is entirely possible, there’s (typically) very little truth to the first 2 excuses.
The fact is, using a client as a case study doesn’t breach any client confidentiality policy unless they expressly asked not to be used. However, unless the SEO is giving away detailed information about their business, their website details, or anything else of a sensitive nature, there really is no problem.
A typical case study only includes the methods used to take a client from X-amount of revenue each year to 155%+ within 2 years, as an example.
And then there’s the “we prefer to keep our world-class methodology secret”. Again, there may be some truth to that, however, the best SEO agencies are not afraid of sharing their industry secrets. In reality, when you are consistently delivering superior results and you have no trouble getting clients, there’s never any risk in letting people know how you operate.
What are the real reasons why many SEO agencies don’t share case studies?
Now onto the likely reality of the situation:
- They have never achieved any results worth talking about: This is the most likely scenario – and to be fair, just because they don’t yet have any case studies to share, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are incapable of delivering decent results. New SEO agencies are set up every day by experienced individuals who want to branch out on their own. However, unless a prospective agency is honest about that fact, you’re under no obligation to sign up with them.
- They are trying to scam you out of your money: And finally, another common reason why a prospective “SEO expert” may refuse to share case studies is because they are simply trying to take your money.
Should I work with an SEO agency if they don’t have case studies?
Again, there are some instances in which working with an SEO agency that doesn’t have any case studies is viable. For example:
- They’re a young agency with highly experienced and capable experts (in which case you should ask about their individual experiences and merits).
- They have lots of social proof and 5* reviews but haven’t gotten around to writing any case studies yet.
In these cases, as long as they tick all of the right boxes and you have a good gut feeling, it could be worth hiring them. However, for the most part, our advice would be to work with an agency that will happily provide you with all of the information you need to feel confident making such an investment – especially if they are based overseas.
The fact is, there are thousands of reputable and well-established SEO companies out there who can prove that they are the real deal.
Take this SEO company as an example: 500+ 5* reviews and 100+ real life case studies; you can’t argue with those credentials!
So, in conclusion, while it is unfair to say that all SEO agencies who don’t offer case studies should be avoided; when there are so many out there who understand the value in offering case studies, you just as well reduce your risk and invest in the latter.
