The digital marketing industry, particularly the search engine optimization (SEO) sector, is inundated with awards. SEO agencies tout these awards on their websites and social media as a sign of credibility and proof of excellence. However, many industry insiders know that these awards are not always what they seem. In many cases, SEO awards are little more than superficial trophies (read: circular reasoning), often given to agencies that have mastered the art of self-promotion rather than the craft of search engine optimization itself. So here’s the extent of why SEO awards are often nonsense and why many agencies don’t actually deserve them.
- The pay-to-play nature of SEO awards
- Subjective assessment and questionable criteria
- The fluff factor: style over substance
- A focus on the size of the customer, not the effectiveness of the campaign
- Lack of transparency and accountability
- Awards are not synonymous with customer success
- Conclusion: focus on results, not awards
- Disclaimer of liability:
The pay-to-play nature of SEO awards
One of the biggest criticisms of SEO awards is the pay-to-play nature of the industry. Many SEO award events are funded by agencies who pay high entry fees to be considered for an award. A typical scenario is that agencies apply for a variety of award categories and often have to pay for each submission. For smaller agencies, or those focused on delivering real value to their clients without splurging on flashy award ceremonies, this creates a very uneven playing field. SEO should be about results and expertise, not about which agency can afford to fund award entries or entertain the judges.Example: many SEO awards charge entry fees that can range from £100 to £500 per category. Some of the better known SEO award organizations even encourage agencies to submit in multiple categories, pocketing thousands of pounds from a single agency. This system inherently favors large, financially strong agencies that can afford to compete in multiple categories, leaving smaller but potentially more competent agencies out in the cold.
Subjective assessment and questionable criteria
Another problem is the subjectivity of the evaluation process. SEO as a discipline is data-driven and results-oriented. The success of an SEO campaign can be measured by tangible metrics such as search rankings, increase in organic traffic and sales growth. However, SEO awards are often given based on vague or oversimplified criteria such as “creativity” or “best campaign”. While creativity is valuable, SEO is primarily about achieving measurable results, not just creating buzz with quirky ideas. The evaluation process can also be prone to favoritism or bias. In some cases, the judges are industry insiders who may have pre-existing relationships with certain agencies. This undermines the credibility of the awards and leads to certain agencies seemingly winning repeatedly, not because their work is truly the best, but because they are part of the ‘in-crowd’.Example: Take the case of an agency that wins the “Best Local SEO Campaign ” award at a major awards ceremony. On closer inspection, the campaign may not have made a real difference to the client’s local search rankings or led to a significant increase in traffic. But because the agency submitted a polished, well-written entry with impressive imagery, they were able to persuade the judges to award them. An agency that achieved massive ranking improvements for a local client, on the other hand, could go unnoticed because their submission wasn’t as polished or eye-catching.
The fluff factor: style over substance
Many SEO awards are given to agencies that focus on aesthetic appeal and flashy campaigns rather than hard SEO results. A campaign that wins an award may have a fantastic video or a clever PR stunt, but when it comes to actual performance – ranking for high-value keywords, increasing conversion rates or improving ROI – it can fall flat. SEO is a long game that requires patience, constant testing and a keen eye on the metrics that matter. Awards that focus too much on how “cool” or “unique” a campaign looks to the outside world tend to undervalue the deep, technical work that true SEO success requires. Many agencies, especially those competing for awards, tend to focus on short-term wins or flashy tactics to impress the judges. But clients hire SEO agencies for the long-term benefits – sustainable ranking improvements, better user experience and real business results. Awards ceremonies that emphasize style over substance completely miss the point of SEO.Example: an agency might win an award for a campaign that includes a viral video or an attention-grabbing infographic that was picked up by a few publications. However, when you look at the actual SEO results, you might find that the campaign had little impact on organic traffic, rankings or sales. It’s easy to win an award by focusing on superficial appeal rather than actual SEO impact.
A focus on the size of the customer, not the effectiveness of the campaign
It’s not uncommon for the same big brands to win SEO awards year after year. These brands often have large budgets that allow their agencies to create extensive campaigns. While these large campaigns may be impressive in scope, they often receive a disproportionate amount of attention simply because of the brand’s influence. Smaller agencies working with mid-sized clients or local businesses may achieve great results, but often go unrecognized because their campaigns don’t have the same “wow factor” as the campaigns associated with larger brands. This results in awards going to agencies that serve high profile clients rather than those that deliver real SEO value to businesses of all sizes.Example: If a large multinational company receives 5% more organic traffic, this can lead to thousands of visitors and millions in revenue, and the agency responsible may be lauded as an SEO genius. But that same 5% increase for a small local business may not even be mentioned, even though the impact on that smaller business is much more significant. Awards tend to favor big brands because they are recognizable and glamorous, but they often ignore the true value delivered by agencies working with smaller clients.
Lack of transparency and accountability
When an SEO agency wins an award, the details of the campaign’s success are often shrouded in vague descriptions or carefully selected metrics that paint the agency in the best possible light. Rarely are these award-winning campaigns scrutinized with the same level of care as real-world case studies would be. In the real world, SEO campaigns are messy, require constant adjustments and don’t always result in immediate success. The transparency that should come with evaluating an SEO campaign – such as looking at monthly data, keyword difficulty, competition and long-term sustainability – is often missing from award submissions. Agencies cherry-pick the best numbers or present only a small snapshot, disregarding whether the campaign truly represents long-term value for the client.Example: an agency may win an award by presenting that it increased a client’s organic traffic by 50%. However, it could conveniently omit the fact that this increase came from targeting low competition, low value keywords that don’t contribute to the client’s bottom line. The lack of transparency in achieving results is a major problem in the world of SEO awards.
Awards are not synonymous with customer success
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, an SEO award is not a reliable indicator of an agency’s ability to achieve success for their clients. Just because an agency has won multiple awards doesn’t mean they are the right choice for your business or that they will achieve the same results for you. SEO is highly contextual. What works for one company may not work for another. An agency that wins an award for a campaign with a large, well-known client may struggle to replicate that success with a smaller, niche business in a highly competitive market. Unfortunately, many companies make the mistake of choosing an agency based on their trophies rather than their actual SEO expertise and track record with similar clients.Example: Agencies with a room full of awards often give the impression that they have something special to offer when it comes to SEO. However, if you look at their client case studies or speak to previous clients, you may hear something very different. They may excel at self-promotion and award submissions, but their day-to-day SEO work may leave something to be desired.
Conclusion: focus on results, not awards
Ultimately, SEO awards can be a shiny red herring that misleads companies into thinking they are choosing the best agency. While some awards are earned through genuine achievement, many are little more than self-congratulatory pats on the back within the industry. Businesses looking for SEO agencies should focus on track records, case studies and the actual results agencies achieve for their clients. Don’t be blinded by the awards on the wall, but ask hard questions about the SEO process, transparency and sustainability of results. In the SEO world, actions speak louder than trophies. Always remember that it’s the results that matter, not the shiny hardware gathering dust on the shelf.
Disclaimer of liability:
This article was created with the help of AI and does not necessarily reflect the author’s personal views in full. However, based on personal experience, the author is inclined to agree with some of the issues raised in the article. The opinions and statements in this article are intended as a general discussion and not as a definitive expression of the author’s position.
