[spaceman_2020]

> If this is what it takes to rank on a search engine, then there's something wrong with the search engine itself.

This is precisely the problem, not likely the SEO agency itself.

I used to run a content marketing agency (not a SEO agency). Early on, I quickly learned that there were two kinds of agencies that dealt with content: SEO agencies that focused on rankings and traffic, and content agencies that focused on creating content and capturing quality leads.

I was deeply uncomfortable with the SEO aspect of content. Most of it was churning out trash and loading up the domain with paid-for backlinks. But it did show results - at least in traffic and rankings.

For most businesses, however, this traffic would never really convert into paying customers. The kind of customer who searches for "website development" wouldn't be able to afford an agency like Tinloof.

You'll get much better results if you just focus on content that solves highly targeted user problems.

Forget keywords. Focus on credibility.

[Cthulhu_]

That's the gist of it. SEO is quantity over quality, you may get plenty of visits but it'll be low value; bots, people idly or accidentally clicking links, etc. Not potential customers, unless your website's primary revenue stream is ad impressions, in which case it doesn't matter much as long as they're views that the advertisers will pay for.

[spaceman_2020]

It does work pretty well for consumer brands and B2Bs focused on cheap, low-value, high volume plays.

The problem I see is SaaS and B2B businesses using the same playbook as a skincare brand for their content. That just doesn't work.

In OP's case, their content should have skipped written content altogether and focused more on podcasts and videos where they discuss specific problems they solve, even interviewing clients. Written content should have focused more on case studies and should have been used only to prop up the sales pitch.

The rest of the marketing budget should have been spent on sponsored listings on all these agency search websites and placements on relevant startup/small business podcasts.