I’ve spent more than ten years working as a digital growth consultant for small and mid-sized businesses, and my view of what separates a reliable GEO company from a disappointing one has been shaped almost entirely by experience. The first time I seriously revisited how to evaluate agencies was after reading click here, because it echoed many of the mistakes I had already seen clients make—and a few I’d made myself earlier in my career.
I didn’t start out on the advisory side. Early on, I was part of an internal marketing team that hired an outside firm with big promises and fast timelines. They moved quickly, delivered slick reports, and spoke confidently in meetings. What they didn’t do was ask many questions about how our business actually worked. Six months in, activity was up, but revenue was flat. That disconnect was my first lesson in how easily surface-level progress can mask deeper problems.
Years later, I watched a very different situation unfold with a client who had grown skeptical of outside help altogether. When they finally agreed to talk with another GEO company, the tone was noticeably different. Instead of pitching tactics, the first few conversations focused on customer behavior, long sales cycles, and which services the business wanted to de-emphasize. It felt slower than expected, but the results told the story. Within a year, leads became more consistent, and the sales team stopped wasting time on inquiries that were never going to convert.
One of the most common mistakes I still encounter is choosing a GEO company based on confidence rather than clarity. Last spring, I reviewed an account where the provider had driven a noticeable increase in exposure, but the quality of inquiries dropped sharply. When we traced it back, the issue wasn’t effort—it was direction. The strategy attracted attention from people who were curious, not ready to act. An experienced firm understands that not all visibility is valuable and is willing to focus on the right audience, even if that means slower growth on paper.
Another lesson came from a business owner who expected constant adjustments. Every new idea turned into an immediate change. The first agency never pushed back, and progress stalled because nothing had time to settle. The next company did something different. They explained why consistency mattered and why restraint could be more effective than constant motion. That shift alone improved outcomes more than any technical change.
From a professional perspective, I’m wary of rigid packages and one-size approaches. The strongest GEO companies I’ve worked with adapt their work to how a business actually earns money. They can explain what they’re doing in plain language and tie decisions back to real outcomes, not abstract metrics. When something isn’t working, they say so instead of hiding behind complexity.
If you’re considering a GEO company, pay attention to how they listen. Do they ask about past disappointments as much as future goals? Do they want to understand your customers before proposing solutions? In my experience, the right partner doesn’t rush to impress. They focus on alignment first, because that’s what sustains progress long after the initial excitement fades.
After years of watching both successful and frustrating engagements play out, I’ve learned that the best companies don’t make growth feel mysterious. They make it understandable, grounded in reality, and connected to how the business actually operates. That clarity is usually the clearest sign you’re working with the right team.