How to React to Unsolicited SEO Advice Emails as a Small Business

If you run a small business and have a website, chances are you’ve had at least one email telling you your SEO is broken. Or that you’re not ranking high enough on Google. Or that some “expert” can fix it for a “low cost” (but only if you act right now). Sound familiar?

Don’t worry – you’re not alone. These emails are as common as rainy Mondays (there’s rarely a day goes by that I don’t get one), and most of the time, they’re not worth your time. This blog is all about what these emails really are, why they pop up in your inbox, and how you should (and shouldn’t) react.

What is unsolicited SEO advice?

Let’s break it down. SEO stands for “search engine optimisation”. It’s all the stuff you do to help your website show up when people search online. Sounds useful, right? And it is – but not when it’s coming from random strangers.

Unsolicited SEO advice is when someone you don’t know emails you out of the blue, claiming they’ve “reviewed” your website and found all sorts of problems. They might say things like:

• “Your site isn’t mobile-friendly.”
• “You’re missing out on traffic because of technical errors.”
• “We can guarantee a top spot on Google.”

Sometimes, they’ll even include a scary-looking report full of graphs and red warnings. The goal? To make you panic, so you’ll pay them to fix something that might not even be broken.

Why am I getting these emails?

Short answer: because you’re a business, and your website is public.

Longer answer: there are bots that crawl the internet looking for contact forms and email addresses on websites. Once your email is found, it gets added to a list. Then you end up in the inbox of someone trying to sell you their SEO “services”. It’s not personal. They probably didn’t even look at your website properly.

How can I tell if an SEO email is dodgy?

Here are some classic signs it’s just spam or a scam:

1. It’s full of scary warnings

Lots of red flags, capital letters, and “URGENT” language. They want to scare you into acting fast.

2. It promises impossible results

Like “We’ll get you to number one on Google in 7 days”. No one can promise that – not even Google.

3. It’s poorly written

Loads of spelling mistakes or weird phrasing. If they can’t write a proper email, do you really want them working on your website?

4. It’s generic

They might say “We looked at your site” but then mention nothing specific. If they really reviewed your site, wouldn’t they give proper examples?

5. They use fake urgency

“Only 3 spots left!” or “Act now to avoid Google penalties!” It’s pressure sales, plain and simple.

6.  Sent from a free email address

Often they come from free email addresses such as a gmail account – although this isn’t always a pointer to a dodgy email.

So… should I reply?

In most cases, no. Don’t reply, and definitely don’t click on any links. If you’re curious, you can do your own checks instead (we’ll cover that next).

But if you’re not sure, it’s okay to ask someone you trust. Maybe your web developer, your mate who knows a bit about SEO, or even just post in a business Facebook group and see what others think.

How to check if your SEO actually needs help

Instead of trusting a stranger, there are a few free and easy ways to check your own site:

1. Use Google Search Console

This is a free tool from Google that shows how your site is doing in search results. You’ll see stuff like what people are searching to find you, if there are errors, and which pages are getting traffic.  Although it must be said that the reports only show a sample of the data available.

2. Try an SEO audit tool

There are free tools online that will audit your website (some are better than others though so test different ones). They can give you a simple overview of how your site is performing – without the sales pitch.

3. Ask your developer or designer

If someone helped you build your site, they might already have SEO basics covered. Ask them to walk you through it.

What if I do need SEO help?

That’s totally fine! Good SEO can really help your business grow. Just make sure you work with someone you trust.

How to find a proper SEO expert:

• Ask other small business owners for recommendations.
• Check reviews and case studies – do they have proof they’ve helped others?
• Look for people who explain things clearly, not just throw jargon at you.
• Be wary of anyone who promises fast or guaranteed results.

Remember: SEO is a long game. It takes time, and no one has a secret shortcut (despite what those emails say).

Can I stop these emails completely?

Sadly, probably not 100%. But you can cut down on them:

• Use a contact form on your website instead of showing your email address and use a Captcha on it.
• Add spam filters to your inbox.
• Report dodgy emails as spam so your email provider learns to block them.
• Use a separate email for business enquiries that you check less often.

Funny replies (if you’re feeling cheeky)

Now, we don’t recommend actually replying to spammers. But if you’re in a mood, here are some replies just for a laugh (don’t actually send these – just enjoy the idea):

• “Thanks for the tip! I’ll pass it on to the SEO team (aka my cat).”
• “I checked with Google and they said I’m fine. Ta!”
• “Do you also fix bad email marketing?”
• “Great! I’ll pay you in exposure – fair’s fair, right?”

Final thoughts

If you’re running a small business, you’ve got enough to deal with without worrying over every scary email that lands in your inbox. Most unsolicited SEO advice is just noise – ignore it. Learn a bit about SEO on your own terms, ask for help from people you trust, and grow your website at your own pace.

You’re doing great. Keep going – and don’t let the spam bots get you down!

Bonus tip: Learn a little SEO yourself

You don’t have to be an expert, but understanding the basics helps you spot nonsense. Here’s a few things worth Googling (ironically):

• What is SEO?
• How does Google ranking work?
• Simple on-page SEO tips
• Free SEO tools for small business

You can even take a look at our SEO related articles for general advice, we’ve been in the “game” for over 25 years.  There’s no pressure on you to contact us for advice, and in fact if you did we might turn you down if we don’t think we could help, or we have clients in the area already.

The more you learn, the less scary those emails will seem.

Have you had a weird SEO email?

We’d love to hear about it! Share the funniest or most ridiculous one you’ve had in the comments. Let’s laugh at the nonsense together. ?