G
S
O
Paying for SEO is like servicing a vehicle…
When you know nothing about cars. Remember last time you serviced your car and you:
- trusted them to do a good job and,
- felt helpless when presented with an expensive list of things that needed fixing and,
- had no idea if what you paid for was even necessary,
- or what the car needed was actually idenfied!
Or maybe, you went ahead and paid for SEO(!) then:
-
- didn’t understand what was being purchased
- received a 70 page report full of “stuff”
- didn’t notice results
- are now more hesitant than ever to engage someone again.
Is it really this difficult?!?
Welcome to Good Search Only
Dedicated to helping solve SEO problems, minus the shenanigans.
I’m Marcus, SEO specialist, self-styled educator and advocate for navigating the fucking minefield, that is finding a decent SEO provider.
My mission? To create breathing-space for you, the business owner. I know your frustrations, I see them time and time again:
- How do I know a legitimate SEO provider from a scam?
- Can I trust these random SEO offers people keep emailing me?
- What should I be paying for, and how much?
- How do I know if I’m getting results?
- How do I find someone to do my SEO when every man, woman and child is trying to sell it to me?
- And so, many more.
My assumption is you:
a) know you need SEO and are probably neglecting it,
b) but don’t have the time (nor inclination) to learn SEO yourself,
c) but also don’t know where to even start because…
d) It’s
e) a
f) Fucking
g) Jungle
h) Out
i) There
Good Search Only combines my love of education, my passion for SEO and a healthy distaste for scammers, bullshit artists and people who know full well their would-be customers have NFI what they’re purchasing.
If you’re a small to medium business owner, start-up or individual who doesnt have the budget to gamble on Shit SEO, stick around.
THE STORY
Paying for SEO can feel like servicing a vehicle.
When you know nothing about cars. Remember last time you serviced your car and you:
- trusted them to do a good job and,
- felt helpless when presented with an expensive list of things that needed fixing and,
- had no idea if what you paid for was even necessary,
- or what the car needed was actually identified!
SEO red flags worth running from
If an SEO provider makes any of this sound normal, it probably isn’t. These are usually the signs you’re being sold confidence instead of capability.
“We guarantee rankings.”
Nobody credible can guarantee exact rankings in a live search environment. They can explain process, priorities and likely outcomes, not make fantasy promises.
Everything sounds vague
If deliverables are fuzzy, reporting is confusing, and answers feel slippery, you’re probably paying for theatre.
They jump straight to a retainer
A decent provider should first understand your business, goals, constraints, and whether SEO is even the right priority.
No one can explain the “why”
You shouldn’t need to know SEO deeply, but you should be able to understand what is being done and why it matters.
Questions to ask before you hire an SEO provider
You don’t need to interrogate anyone like a detective. You just need a few decent questions that make it harder for bad providers to hide behind jargon.
- What exactly will you be doing in the first 90 days?
- How do you decide what should be prioritised first?
- How will you measure whether the work is actually helping?
- What do you need from me to make SEO work properly?
- What would make you say SEO is not the best next investment right now?
You do not need more SEO jargon.
You need clarity, a bullshit filter, and someone who can help you work out whether an SEO provider actually knows what they’re doing before you waste more money.
Ask better questions
Learn what to ask before signing anything, so you can spot fluff, vagueness, and recycled sales talk fast.
Understand the basics
No need to become an SEO expert. Just know enough to tell the difference between a real strategy and someone winging it.
Avoid expensive mistakes
The goal isn’t to make SEO feel magical. It’s to help you avoid paying for work that was never going to move the needle.
Good SEO is rarely the cheapest option.
But bad SEO is almost always the most expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few quick answers about what Good Search Only is, who it’s for, and how it works.
A few quick answers about what Good Search Only is, who it’s for, and how it works.
GSO is for individuals, small businesses or people with limited time and budget who know they need SEO but don’t know what to do about it.
You’ve likely been bombarded with emails from providers wanting to sell you their services and 99% of them look scammy, spammy or both.
You’re not prepared to take a risk with these providers because you’re not sure if they are in fact a scam, or will do more harm than good.
You’re tired of the BS and rather than pursuing it, put it in the permanant too-hard basket.
Honestly – I cant blame you.
As someone working in the industry, anytime I post or comment on LinkedIn, I’ll recieve 5-10 connection requests from one particular country, all trying to sell me guest-posting/backlink services.
My inbox is full of the same and even as someone who knows what they are, it gets old.
If you have a larger business with higher marketing budget such as e-commerce, you likely need a performance digital marketing agency.
This website isnt specifically for you, but we can certainly guide you in the right direction, particularly when it comes to asking the right questions when trying to find a provider.
It’s important for you to be aware however, that performance SEO tackles much higher competition keywords and will require more by way of investment to achieve the results you desire.
SEO is a highly technical skill and can make an incredible difference for business, but it’s also not cheap.
But knowing what you’re paying for is key.
If you’re wondering what Good Search Only actually does and whether it’s for you, start here.
GSO isn’t an SEO provider curerntly, nor an agency.
GSO is here to guide and educate and advocate for good service.
GSO is your friend 😉
We’ll provide information which can help you get to a point where you have either the confidence to engage someone to do your SEO – or have a crack at it yourself.
If you have questions? We’ll answer those where possible too.
Is Good Search Only affiliated with any SEO providers?
GSO remains inpartial when it comes to SEO providers but may incorporate affiliate links in recommended software from time to time. These links may provide a small commision which helps to pay the web hosting bills and running costs. All affiliated links are disclosed with the link 🙂
But we are not directly affiliated with any existing SEO providers – that advice is impartial.
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Keep up to date with the latest in Online Search and how your small business can benefit. You’ll recieve an email from me on a semi-regular basis, spam-free and the option to leave at any time 🙂