At IMPACT, we talk with business leaders every day who are frustrated.
They’ve been paying SEO agencies for months—sometimes years—without seeing the results they were promised. They’re tired of unfulfilled guarantees, confused by jargon, and tired of spending money that never turns into revenue.
Here’s a conversation we’ve had more times than we can count:
Potential client: We haven’t had great experiences with marketing agencies in the past.
IMPACT: We hear that a lot. Are you working with one now?
Potential client: Yeah, we have an SEO agency we pay each month.
IMPACT: And what do they do for you?
Potential client: Honestly, I have no idea.
Sound familiar?
According to Vin Gaeta, Head of Web Strategy at IMPACT, this isn’t surprising. “Many businesses turn to SEO agencies without a clear understanding of what SEO actually entails,” he explains.
Businesses know they need to get found online, so they hire an agency with big promises and impressive-sounding expertise. But after the honeymoon phase, they’re often left paying a retainer month after month without knowing whether it’s doing any good.
Agencies promise results but rarely explain their process.
Many put clients on the “back burner,” collecting checks without delivering meaningful improvements.
Business leaders don’t always know what to ask or how to measure SEO ROI.
Retainers can feel like sunk costs when modest gains don’t translate to real revenue.
The result? Frustration and mistrust.
To be clear: not all SEO agencies are bad. In fact, there are thousands of great ones. For highly technical SEO needs like schema markup, site migrations, or fixing crawl errors, an agency can be a vital partner.
But the traditional agency-client model is broken for most businesses. It’s expensive, inefficient, and often leaves leaders wondering if they’re getting their money’s worth.
Vin suggests starting with three key questions:
What exactly are you doing for us each month? (Ask for a detailed breakdown.)
How does this work connect directly to revenue, not just rankings?
Could our in-house team be trained to do some of this instead?
If your agency can’t answer these clearly, it’s time to rethink the relationship.
For most businesses, the answer is yes. With the right tools and a bit of training, your team can handle:
Keyword research and content strategy
On-page optimization (titles, headers, alt text)
Internal linking and site structure improvements
Publishing content that addresses buyer questions (like The Big 5)
Basic analytics and reporting
This doesn’t mean agencies have no place, but you shouldn’t feel handcuffed to one. The more SEO expertise you build internally, the more control you’ll have over your marketing outcomes.
If you’re asking, “How do I know whether to keep paying my SEO agency or bring it in-house?”, you’re asking the right question. If you want clarity on your next step, talk to our team at IMPACT.
Vin Gaeta is IMPACT’s head of web strategy. He leads a team of designers, developers and strategists to provide full-scale website redesigns for our clients.
Learn more about our web services
Read: Website Redesign Agency: 15 Must-Ask Questions Before You Hire for Your Next Project
Read: 6 Signs You're Being Neglected by Your Marketing Agency
Assessment: Website Performance Assessment
How do I know if my SEO agency is actually helping?
Look for metrics that connect to revenue: organic traffic growth, lead generation, and conversions. Rankings alone aren’t enough.
What red flags should I watch out for with SEO agencies?
Beware of agencies that:
Guarantee first-page rankings
Avoid transparency about their methods
Don’t provide regular, clear reporting
Discourage you from learning SEO basics yourself
When does it make sense to hire an SEO agency?
For technical SEO (like site migrations, advanced schema markup, or large-scale audits), an experienced agency can be worth the investment. But day-to-day SEO work should often live in-house.
How can my team learn to handle SEO on our own?
Start with training on keyword research, content strategy, and reporting. Many teams see faster ROI by building SEO muscle internally rather than outsourcing everything.