Discover the real challenges behind SEO, client expectations, and digital marketing growth in this candid episode of Run Lead Gen Radio.
In this episode, Quinn and Brian unpack the most common reasons businesses lose trust in SEO and digital marketing agencies. They discuss scenarios where clients are locked into contracts with little to no measurable progress, the risks of spammy backlink strategies, and the misleading nature of reporting that focuses on impressions instead of revenue impact.
They also explore real-world examples from industries like real estate, where competition is intense and rankings are dominated by large platforms. The hosts emphasize that SEO is not a short-term tactic but a long-term investment that requires consistency, infrastructure, and realistic expectations.
Finally, they dive into the evolving impact of AI in search—highlighting how AI overviews and zero-click searches are already changing traffic behavior and forcing marketers to adapt their strategies beyond traditional SEO.
Usually due to unclear reporting, lack of measurable progress, or expectations of fast results from a long-term strategy like SEO. In some cases, agencies also deliver low-quality work that doesn’t improve rankings or traffic.
Bad service means little to no real optimization or even harmful tactics (like spam backlinks). Bad expectations happen when businesses expect quick wins, ignore timelines, or don’t track conversions properly.
Because impressions don’t guarantee clicks, leads, or sales. In many cases—especially with AI-driven search—impressions can rise while actual traffic and conversions stay flat or even drop.
SEO typically requires several months of consistent work before meaningful traction appears, especially in competitive industries. It’s not a short-term switch like paid ads, but a compounding long-term investment.
Our in-house team works directly with US-based marketers. Tell us what you are trying to grow and we will tell you what we would do first.
Drop in your website and we will record a short teardown: where you are losing traffic, who is outranking you, and the three things we would fix first.
A real person records it. No obligation, and we will only use your email to send the video and talk about it.