If your SEO agency doesn't educate you in the process, drop your agency right now.

I was recently chatting with an SEO at an agency about consulting, now that I am doing SEO audits and in-house SEO training, and he asked an odd question: "How do you talk to your clients about what they need, but not pass on too much SEO knowledge in the process?"

Gobsmacked, I choked… that is what a client is paying you for!

My response was to the tune of "I don't worry about it as a consultant because I offer so much great advice, I know they'll come back for more. And when I'm working as an in-house SEO, and sense this is happening, I drop the agency immediately. When I work with a good consultant to pick up work that I didn't have time for, they are very forthcoming with knowledge and insight for the project."

What amazes me is that this isn't an uncommon question/concern for some agencies. I am floored that an SEO agency fears that in one day of training or a few conversations with IT would give away too much knowledge – perhaps they don't have too much to offer in the first place!

If you sense your SEO agency is dodging your questions about SEO, drop them flat and find an SEO consultant who will pass along all the SEO knowledge you desire.

 

Get an SEO Audit - part education & completely thorough, identifying exactly what you're doing right, what you need to fix, and why.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Wil Reynolds]

I agree 100%!! If your value to your client is that you don't show them what you do, they will eventually read the same blogs you do and learn all the free tools you use. It is in how you use those tools and tactics that makes an SEO good. In the same way that I could drive a NASCAR doesn't mean I have a shot in hell of winning a race.

[Andrew Johns]

You make an invaluable point. A consultant or agency shouldn't limit the scope of information provided to a client for fear of becoming obsolete themselves. Besides, SEO and search in general is an industry loaded with innovation so there's always more to learn. If anything, the agency or consultant should bridge the gap between innovation and education between the industry and the client :)

Great stuff!