The current global SEO market value is north of $90 billion, which attracts both experts and opportunists eager to make quick money. And even though 74% of business owners check an agency’s reputation before hiring, many still end up hiring low-quality SEO companies just trying to make a quick dollar.

In this guide, we’ll share the most common red flags that signal a dodgy SEO agency. You’ll also learn to recognise unrealistic promises, detect black hat tactics, and identify agencies that put fast profits over your long-term success.

Ready to protect your business from SEO scammers? Keep reading.

Recognising Bad SEO Agency Signs Upfront

When you first talk to SEO agencies, be wary of three warning signs: unrealistic promises about search rankings, standardised packages that ignore your needs, and not asking about your business goals.

If you can spot these warning signs before you sign anything, trust us, you’ll save thousands of dollars.

We’ll now dig deeper into the three warning signs we just talked about.

Vague Promises About the Search Engine

Some agencies will say anything to get your business. They might promise number-one Google rankings, first-page results in 30 days, or massive traffic boosts.

Here’s the problem with claims like those: Google itself tells businesses to run from SEO providers who guarantee rankings. NOBODY can promise guaranteed rankings. SEO is too competitive and Google’s algorithm is changing all of the time. It’s just not possible to say who will rank #1.

On the flip side, good agencies will discuss with you realistic improvements in organic traffic, keyword positions, and conversion rates. They may also tell you SEO takes three to six months to show results (remember, SEO is not instant noodles).

Honest assessments like the one above may excite you less, but they show one thing clearly: these agencies understand how SEO actually works.

Absence of a Customised SEO Strategy

If you encounter providers who throw around confusing jargon or try to give you standard packages, they don’t know SEO. And they use this templated approach because it’s easier than doing the hard work of analysing your business.

However, professional agencies do their homework first. They study your current website, check out your competitors, and realise your technical needs. Then they propose a strategy dedicated to handling your specific problems instead of following some generic checklist.

A Failure to Discuss Your Business Goals

Business goals are the most important factor in creating an SEO campaign. They define what success looks like and guide every decision in your strategy. Good agencies ask detailed questions about your goals: how you make money, who your customers are, and what you want to achieve from a campaign.

When agencies skip this information-gathering conversation, it shows they’re not interested in your success. That’s a huge red flag.

Based on our experience, agencies that focus only on rankings often neglect that revenue and conversions are more important than search position (Surprise! You can’t spend rankings). Stay away from these SEO providers at any cost.

Pro-Tip: Always ask your SEO agency how they will track and measure success using clear metrics connected to your business goals, like leads, sales, or customer engagement. If they can’t explain this, it’s a sign they are not focused on your real growth.

Identifying Black Hat SEO Tactics to Avoid

The worst technique in SEO is to try to trick search engines without helping people find real information and services. We call these tactics Black Hat SEO, which involve using unethical strategies to manipulate search engine rankings.

The problem with black hat SEO is that it often violates search engine guidelines and puts your website in serious danger. Luckily, when you know what these methods look like, you can avoid agencies that take these shortcuts rather than doing proper work.

Let’s go through some detailed information on those black hat strategies.

Dangerous and Forbidden Link Building

Black hat SEO techniques ruin your website’s links. Those dodgy link schemes might promise fast results, but they end up causing long-term damage to your website’s reputation.

Here are the main tactics to watch out for:

• Private Blog Networks (PBNs): Agencies (sometimes individuals) build groups of fake websites only to create artificial links back to your site. This action violates Google’s policies and may result in a penalty or your site getting de-indexed. 
• Low-Quality Directory Submissions: When you submit your website to hundreds of useless directories, it doesn’t help users at all. Rather, it signals to search engines that you’re trying to spam the system.
• Paid Links: If someone buys links to boost their rankings, Google easily tracks these purchases and punishes websites that use those bought links. That’s why you should immediately deny the offer in case your agency’s plan includes using paid links.

Breaking Core Search Engine Rules

Bad links aren’t your only problem. Various agencies also use sneaky on-page tactics that violate the basic search engines’ rules.

Google now catches these tricks easily. So, these tactics can crash your rankings or wipe you entirely from search results (yeah, Google isn’t dumb anymore).

The three main rule-breaking elements you should know about are:

1. Gateway Pages: These fake pages exist only to rank for certain keywords and then immediately send visitors somewhere else. They usually don’t have any useful information.
2. Doorway Pages: Multiple websites or pages that all target the same keywords to take you to the same place are known as doorway pages. Google has specifically banned the use of these pages since 2015.
3. Keyword Stuffing: When you squeeze so many keywords into a webpage that the content becomes impossible to read, it clearly shows you’re trying to manipulate search results. Keyword stuffing leads your website towards one thing: getting banned!

Now that you understand these dangerous and unlawful tactics, we’ll help you build a proper framework for choosing reliable SEO providers in the next section.

A Framework for Choosing Your SEO Provider

So, how do you find the right agency to partner with that will help you improve your rankings and protect your business at the same time? Well, you need to ask the right series of questions while vetting your agencies and check their previous work before making any decisions.

For one, during the evaluation process, you should focus on how open they are and how well they communicate. Besides, can they prove their results?

We’ll now explain what kind of information you’ll get from asking those questions.

Questions That Reveal White Hat SEO Techniques

Experienced SEO agencies that use legitimate methods love it when you ask tough questions. They appreciate knowledgeable clients who understand the process and are ready to get much better results in the long run (don’t be afraid to keep them on their toes).

Now, the questions you’ll ask the agency will show if they truly know SEO or just sound impressive when they talk. That’s why you must prioritise asking questions that’ll reveal how they operate as well as their commitment to doing things the right way.

Here’s how these questions work.

How Do You Report on Progress and Success?

You can request the agency to provide some real examples of reports they send to their current clients. If your agency is professional, its reports should focus on things like how much more traffic the client is getting, how many visitors become customers, and how many leads they generate.

Most importantly, those reports should also explain what all these numbers mean and how they connect to the client’s business goals.

Pro-Tip: Avoid agencies that only show you ranking improvements without proving that those improvements helped the business grow.

Can You Detail Your Communication Process?

Find out how often the agency will update you and who will be your main point of contact. Expert agencies have clear communication systems that keep you in the loop without bombarding you with unnecessary information.

Also, don’t forget to ask them about their meeting schedule, how often they send reports, and how they handle important strategy discussions. Quality SEO companies usually send monthly reports to their clients and have quarterly strategy meetings to review long-term plans.

Last but not least, the agency should further explain how they’ll keep you involved when they need to make major decisions about your campaign.

Evaluating Past Performance and Potential Risks

Let’s be honest… fancy case studies look good but rarely tell the whole story. If you take a few minutes to check out what an agency has done before, you’ll have a much clearer idea of whether they can do their work.

How about we take a look at the way you should evaluate your agency’s earlier work?

Analysing Client Case Studies and Search Results

In our experience, it’s a good idea to ask for case studies from businesses that are similar to yours in size and industry. Then you can look for specific examples of how they improved those websites’ search visibility and helped companies scale.

Remember one thing here. Good case studies will show you distinct before-and-after numbers with realistic timelines. The numbers should prove improvements in website traffic, how many visitors became customers, and actual revenue increases.

Also, don’t be shy about asking for references from current clients who can give you the truth about what it’s like to work with the agency. You must know the environment before getting involved with them.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

You have to follow three steps while choosing your SEO partner: evaluating their initial approach, recognising dangerous tactics, and using a thorough vetting process.

In this article, we’ve shown you how to identify unrealistic promises and generic packages from SEO agencies. We also explained some ways to detect black hat tactics like paid links, as well as keyword stuffing. Plus, you’ve learned how to ask your agency the right questions.

If you want to work with an SEO agency that uses white hat strategies, don’t hesitate to contact us at Accuvant Labs today. Let’s discuss how our team can help your business achieve sustainable growth through transparent, ethical SEO practices.

When someone clicks through to your website, their first impression isn’t your logo or even your headline. It’s how your site feels. Can they read the text easily? Is the page responsive on their phone? Does it load quickly? These moments shape whether they stay or leave. Google pays attention to this, too. UX is no longer just a design layer after SEO. It plays a major role in how search engines rank your site.

Once you improve user satisfaction, you send the right signals to search engines. Visitors stay longer, explore more pages, and engage with your content. That’s why SEO and UX now go hand in hand. A clean layout and smooth experience make your website better for real people. And that’s exactly what Google wants to see.

This post will walk you through how UX decisions affect rankings and what you can do to improve them. Let’s get into it.

How UX Design Influences Search Rankings

The way your website is designed plays a big role in how people use it and how search engines evaluate it. If visitors can easily find what they need and move around without frustration, they’re more likely to stay longer. That kind of behaviour tells search engines your site is helpful. This is why UX design is now part of how rankings are decided.

Here are the 5 most practical design areas to work on:

1. Page speed: People expect pages to load quickly. If yours takes too long, they’ll often leave without reading anything. Google notices this and may lower your position in search results. Aiming for load times under three seconds, especially on mobile, can make a big difference. You can check your speed using PageSpeed Insights.
2. Mobile responsiveness: More than half of your visitors are likely using mobile devices. If your site isn’t designed for smaller screens, it creates a poor experience. Buttons should be easy to tap, text should scale properly, and everything should feel comfortable to scroll. A mobile-friendly layout helps both users and your rankings.
3. Visual stability: If parts of your page jump or shift while it loads, it’s hard for users to interact. This usually happens when images or ads shift layout mid-load. Keeping elements in place helps users feel more in control and improves your Core Web Vitals score, which affects rankings.
4. Content clarity: When content is easy to read and follow, people tend to stay longer. Use subheadings, shorter paragraphs, and plenty of white space. This makes your information easier to absorb, especially for people skimming on their phones.
5. Navigation and layout: A clear layout helps people move around your site without confusion. Menus should be predictable, internal links should guide users logically, and the structure should help them find what they need without effort. When users visit more pages, it often leads to stronger engagement metrics.

Each of these areas supports a smoother experience for users and makes your site more accessible to search engines. That’s how UX design contributes directly to SEO results.

Bounce Rate and Dwell Time: Do They Matter?

A friend of mine recently launched a sleek new website. It looked great, loaded fast, and had a sharp copy. But after a few weeks, the traffic stats didn’t make sense. Visitors were clicking through, then leaving almost straight away. His bounce rate was high, and his dwell time was barely a few seconds.

This isn’t uncommon. If a web page doesn’t match what a person is hoping to find, they won’t stick around. A high bounce rate often means the page wasn’t helpful or easy to use. A short dwell time tells us users didn’t see enough value in staying.

Search engines pay attention to this kind of user behaviour. They want to promote pages that feel useful. So, when people stay longer, click through more, or interact naturally, it signals relevant content and a better user experience.

To reduce bounce and improve dwell time, focus on how each page feels. Is it easy to skim? Are headings clear? Does it load well on mobile? You’re designing for real people, which means many users who move quickly and make fast decisions. Their clicks leave patterns. Read those patterns as data, and use them to spot what needs improving.

According to a survey focused on online behaviour, 99% of Australians were online in 2020 and doing more online than ever before. You can see that insight in this ACMA consumer behaviour survey. The takeaway? Your visitors are already out there. All you need to do is make each page work harder to keep them engaged.

Improving Site Navigation for Better UX

Good navigation helps users find what they need without getting lost. It’s one of the most important elements of UX design, yet it’s often overlooked. When visitors can move through your site easily, they stay longer and explore more. That behaviour can lead to stronger SEO results.

Clear Menu Items

A messy or confusing menu can frustrate users straight away. Stick to simple, descriptive labels. Avoid jargon or clever wording. People scan quickly, so the clearer your menu items, the more likely they are to click in the right spot.

Logical Structure

Group related content under one heading. Don’t overwhelm people with too many choices. A well-organised layout helps users navigate naturally. It also makes it easier for search engines to understand how your site is built.

Use of Internal Links

Internal links help users move between pages and discover more content. Place them where they add value, like at the end of a blog post or inside helpful anchor text. This encourages deeper exploration and supports indexing.

Allowing Users to Move Freely

Design your site so that users don’t feel stuck. Include “back to top” buttons, search bars, and links to related pages. Allowing users to move freely shows that your content is connected and easy to explore.

Key Takeaway: Navigation seems simple, but it shapes how people experience your site. Make it smooth, and you’ll likely see the benefits in your rankings.

The Impact of Visual Design on User Engagement

A visually calm and well-organised site helps people feel confident while they browse. When a layout is clean, colours are consistent, and elements are spaced out clearly, users interact more naturally. They know where to look, what to click, and what to expect next. These small moments build trust, and they also affect how long someone stays on your page.

Good visual design supports user satisfaction by removing distractions. If a page is too cluttered or if the fonts are hard to read, visitors may not stick around. On the other hand, when a layout feels user-friendly, people are more motivated to scroll, click, and explore. That behaviour is exactly what search engines want to see.

Design also helps users find relevant content faster. It can highlight links, draw attention to headings, and guide visitors to the most important sections. These aspects are part of what makes your site not just attractive, but usable.

This is why visual choices are a core part of UX design. They decide how users feel, how they interact with your content, and how effective your site becomes. If your design feels calm and intentional, more people will engage, and that can improve your rankings without changing a single word of text.

Connect Your Pages to Climb the Rankings

One of the easiest ways to improve your site’s SEO is through internal links. These are the links that connect one page on your site to another. They help search engines understand your content better and guide users toward relevant content, keeping them on your site longer.

Here’s how to make them work:

• Link to related content: If you’re talking about a topic you’ve written about elsewhere, link to it. This keeps readers engaged and sends positive signals about page depth and authority.
• Use clear anchor text: Instead of writing “click here,” use text that tells people what they’ll find when they click. For example, “learn how to improve product pages” is more helpful for both users and search engines.
• Guide visitors logically: Think about how users move through your site. Link to individual pages that naturally expand on the topic they’re already reading. This creates a smooth path through your content.
• Add links naturally: Don’t force it. Add links where they help the reader and feel like a natural next step in the conversation.

Internal links increase the number of user clicks, help more of your content get indexed, and improve your chances of appearing in search results. When done right, they make your site more useful for visitors and more visible in search.

Enhancing Mobile UX for Better Rankings

Most people who visit your site are using mobile devices. If your pages aren’t built for smaller screens, those visitors often won’t stay long. A strong mobile user experience helps users stick around, and it tells search engines that your content is worth ranking higher. But, how?

Don’t worry, Accuvant Labs Blog is here to answer your question.

Responsive Design

Your layout should adjust smoothly to fit any screen size. That means no pinching, zooming or sideways scrolling. A responsive design makes your site easier to use on phones and tablets. In addition, it ensures users can access your content without extra effort.

Touch-Friendly Layout

On mobile, buttons and menus need to be simple to tap. Small or overlapping items lead to frustration. Make sure there’s enough space between elements, and place key actions where they’re easy to spot. This approach keeps the layout user-friendly and helps users interact more naturally.

Prioritise Load Time

Mobile networks aren’t always reliable. Slow pages lead to quick exits. Compress images, reduce scripts, and test your site on different devices. Even a short delay can cause people to leave. Faster load times also support better rankings in mobile search results.

Identify Areas for Improvement

Look closely at where users are dropping off. Are important features buried? Are mobile users giving up halfway? Tools like Google Search Console can show you what’s going wrong. From there, you can focus your fixes where they’ll have the most impact.

UX and SEO Checklist for Success

Every improvement you make to the user experience helps your site perform better in search. To make those improvements more manageable, here’s a checklist you can work through, step by step.

• Audit your site speed and load times regularly
• Make sure your layout is built with responsive design in mind
• Check how your content looks on different screen sizes
• Add internal links between related pages for better navigation
• Use clear calls to action to improve conversion rates
• Keep menus and buttons easy to tap on mobile
• Simplify your design to reduce bounce and support access
• Review your most important individual pages on both desktop and mobile
• Focus on linking all the content your visitors care about
• Use analytics to identify pages with a high bounce rate
• Keep improving based on real user behaviour and search data
• Apply consistent layout practices across your whole site
• Make sure users can switch easily between blogs, product pages, and apps

This list is a solid foundation for SEO-focused UX work. You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with one or two areas, see what changes, and keep going from there.

Final Thoughts: UX is an SEO Strategy Now

Most people think SEO is about keywords, backlinks, or technical tricks. But the truth is, search engines are paying more attention to how real users experience your site. That includes everything from how fast it loads to how easy it is to use on mobile, and how it feels to scroll through a well-designed home page.

If a site offers a great user experience, people stay longer, explore more, and often come back. That’s the kind of data Google values most. On the flip side, a bad user experience, like slow pages, confusing layouts, or broken links, can hurt your rankings without you even realising it.

You don’t need to be perfect. Just keep working on it. Use feedback, try new practices, and test small changes. Whether you’re fixing your navigation, tweaking your visual design, or learning how search operators affect your search results, each small improvement matters.

Want more valuable insights on how UX and SEO work together? Contact with Accuvant Labs Blog for more fruitful insights.