If you own a business, you’ve probably heard about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and how essential it is for driving traffic to your website. But how do you know if your website is actually optimized? In the world of digital marketing, not all SEO is created equal—and unfortunately, some companies will claim to be working on your SEO without actually doing the heavy lifting.

So, how can you tell if your website has SEO? And how do you know if you’re getting what you paid for? Let’s break it down.

1. Check Your Website’s Search Engine Ranking

One of the simplest ways to tell if your website has some level of SEO is by checking how well it ranks on search engines like Google. Here’s how you can do it:

• Search for Relevant Keywords: Type a few keywords into Google that are directly related to your business. For example, if you’re a local bakery, try “best bakery in [your city].”

• See Where You Rank: If your website shows up on the first page, especially within the top 5 results, you likely have some SEO in place. If it’s buried deep in the results, you might not have enough—or any—SEO working for you.

Keep in mind, SEO takes time, so if you’re not ranking well yet, it doesn’t necessarily mean your SEO efforts are a failure. But if you’re not ranking at all, it could be a sign that SEO hasn’t been properly implemented.

2. Look at Your Website Traffic

One of the key indicators of successful SEO is organic traffic. Organic traffic refers to visitors who find your site through search engines (as opposed to direct traffic, social media, or paid ads).

• Use Google Analytics: Check your website’s traffic in Google Analytics. Are you getting a steady flow of traffic from search engines? If the majority of your traffic is coming from search engines, that’s a clear sign that SEO is working.

• Look at Landing Pages: Check which pages are getting the most traffic. Are they your key service pages or product listings? This is an important signal that your SEO strategy is bringing the right audience to the right content.

If you’re seeing low or no organic traffic, your SEO might not be effective—or it might be completely nonexistent.

3. Analyze Your On-Page SEO Elements

Good SEO involves making sure your website content is optimized to be found by search engines. Some key areas to check include:

• Meta Tags (Title and Description): Every page of your website should have a unique title tag and meta description. These help search engines understand the content of the page and are often displayed in search results. If these are missing or poorly written, it’s a sign your SEO might be lacking.

• Headings and Content Structure: Proper use of headings (like H1, H2, etc.) signals to search engines what content is most important on a page. If your headings are not structured well or if the content doesn’t make use of relevant keywords, your website is likely not optimized for search engines.

• Image Alt Text: Every image on your site should have descriptive alt text. This helps search engines understand what the image is about. If your images are missing alt text, it’s another SEO oversight.

You can easily check these elements using a tool like Yoast SEO (for WordPress users) or Screaming Frog (a website crawler). If these elements are missing or poorly executed, it’s a sign that SEO work may not have been properly done.

4. Use SEO Tools to Get an Overview

There are several free and paid SEO tools that can give you an overview of your website’s SEO performance. Some popular ones include:

• Google Search Console: This free tool gives you insights into how Google views your website. It will show you which keywords are driving traffic, whether your site is mobile-friendly, and if there are any technical issues that might be affecting your SEO.

• Moz or SEMrush: These tools offer detailed audits of your website’s SEO. They’ll tell you what’s working, what needs improvement, and whether you have backlinks that are helping (or hurting) your rankings.

By running your site through these tools, you can identify areas where your SEO needs improvement. If these tools flag issues, but your SEO company hasn’t mentioned them, it could be a red flag.

5. Watch for Empty SEO Promises

Unfortunately, not all SEO companies are created equal. Some might promise quick fixes and rapid results, while others may claim they’re working on your SEO without actually doing anything at all. Here are a few warning signs that your SEO company might not be doing the work:

• Vague Reporting: If your SEO provider gives you reports that lack specifics (e.g., they tell you they’re working on “improving rankings” but don’t provide actual data or results), it could be a sign they’re not being transparent or effective.

• Promises of Instant Results: SEO takes time. If your SEO provider promises that you’ll see results overnight, they’re likely over-promising. Legitimate SEO improvements take months, not days.

• No Clear Strategy: If the company can’t explain what they’re doing in a clear, understandable way, or if they’re using outdated or questionable tactics (like keyword stuffing), it’s a major red flag.

• Lack of Regular Updates: If you’re not getting regular updates about your progress or their work, it’s hard to tell whether they’re actually doing anything.

6. Compare Your Results to Industry Standards

SEO is an evolving field, and what worked last year might not be enough today. If your SEO provider hasn’t kept up with the latest trends (like mobile optimization, voice search, or local SEO), your site may be falling behind.