As SEO professionals, we agree to:
- Never guarantee my client first page rankings as I understand that the Search engines’ algorithms fluctuate continuously, and I am unable to control these algorithms, nor do I have control over what my competitors will be doing in the market to compete and/or outrank my client’s website.
- Never set unreasonable expectations or make unreasonable promises to clients, including the implication that specific results can be obtained in a guaranteed and/or unreasonable amount of time, given the current known position of the client’s website or competitor’s websites on search engines.
- Always apply ethical (white-hat) tactics to attempt to get my client’s website to outrank major competitors in search engine results pages as quickly as possible for targeted search terms.
- Never apply any unethical (black-hat) tactics as identified (but not limited to) by the SEO Association to attempt to get my client’s website to outrank major competitors in search engine results pages as quickly as possible for targeted search terms.
- Never intentionally practice in any way that may harm my client, my client’s website, or my client’s brand. This includes the use of technology, tactics or procedures that may knowingly cause my client’s website to be penalised or removed from the search engine indexes or directories.
- Ensure that I am always aware of the latest updates to any rules, codes of conduct and/or best practice guidelines published by search engines, directories and SEO Association, and will wherever possible, take reasonable action to apply any relevant changes to my client’s websites or SEO tactics used to enhance the ranking of my client’s web pages. Where rules are not clear, I agree to seek clarification from the respective search engines before applying any practices that may be potentially harmful to my client.
- Not intentionally violate any laws that could cause harm to myself, my company or my client. This includes any violation of copyright and trademark violations as well as any legislation that might be considered as spam.
- Never deceive, mislead or misrepresent myself or my client to any human beings or search engines that may be searching for information via the search engine or directly on the website. This includes the practice of presenting different versions web pages to different users except where that information is altered solely to meet browser specifications and needs, sensitivity to regional factors such as language, or product specific needs.
- Not misrepresent my skills, education, certification, training, affiliations and experience to anyone. This includes claiming to be certified in the practice of SEO without having completed any successfully passed an assessment by an independent body.
- Never willingly participate in any conflict of interest without prior consent of all parties potentially involved in such conflict. This includes the practice of representing a particular client’s interest over another – where such clients are competing for the same target search terms – for personal gain.
- Treat all clients equally, even when I have accepted more than one client competing for the same target search terms.
- Provide my clients with adequate dispute resolution procedures.
- Protect my client’s confidentiality at all times in regards any information that I become privileged to, and agree not to publish any testimonials, case studies or media announcements without the prior consent of the client.
- Never act in violation of any rules, codes of conduct and/or best practice guidelines published by search engines and directories.
FAQs
Q: Why don’t you guarantee first-page rankings?
A: Because no SEO professional can control search engine algorithms or predict competitor activity. Rankings fluctuate constantly, so we focus on building lasting visibility through ethical, data-driven methods rather than risky shortcuts or empty promises.
Q: How do you set realistic expectations for SEO performance?
A: We’re transparent from day one. We provide forecasts based on your site’s current position, competition, and search trends - not unrealistic guarantees. SEO is a long-term investment, and we commit to steady, measurable progress over time.
Q: What SEO methods do you use?
A: We use only ethical (white-hat) tactics that comply with search engine guidelines. This includes quality content creation, technical optimisation, and authority building through safe, relevant backlinks.
Q: What are “black-hat” SEO tactics, and why don’t you use them?
A: Black-hat tactics manipulate search engines through spammy or deceptive practices like keyword stuffing, cloaking, or buying links. These can lead to penalties or removal from search results. We never use them — they put your brand and visibility at risk.
Q: How do you stay up to date with search engine changes?
A: We continuously monitor algorithm updates, best practice guidelines, and SEO Association standards. When search engines release changes, we review their impact and adjust strategies quickly to protect and enhance performance.
Q: How do you protect clients from risk?
A: We never use technology or tactics that could harm your website or brand. Every decision we make is transparent, documented, and aligned with Google’s and industry guidelines to keep your site safe and compliant.
Q: Do you work with multiple clients in the same sector?
A: Yes, but fairly and transparently. When we work with clients competing for similar search terms, we apply clear boundaries to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure every client receives equal attention and effort.
Q: How do you handle disputes or concerns?
A: We provide clear, fair dispute resolution procedures. Our goal is always to resolve issues collaboratively and maintain long-term, trusted partnerships with our clients.
Q: How do you protect client confidentiality?
A: Client data and strategy details are always confidential. We never share sensitive information, publish testimonials, or use case studies without prior written consent.