The signals that justify leaving
Nobody can tell you what last month produced. Not rankings — enquiries, by source, and how many became jobs. If that data does not exist after several months, that is the finding.
Reports that cannot fail. Every month shows the same charts rising slightly. Ask what a bad month would have looked like; if the answer is these charts rising slightly less, the report is not informing anything.
No change in enquiries after six months. Search takes time, but six months with nothing moving is a legitimate conversation, and a good provider will have raised it first.
Promises that were never going to be kept. Guaranteed rankings, guaranteed lead volume, first-page results in thirty days.
You cannot get straight answers. Vagueness under direct questioning is usually its own answer.
Work is not being done. Pages not built, fixes not made, months of a retainer with nothing to point at.
They hold your accounts and will not transfer them. A significant finding about the relationship regardless of anything else.
The signals that do not
Rankings moved in the wrong direction one month. Normal. Search fluctuates.
A slow season. Compare against the same period last year, not last month.
Month three with nothing visible. Early, and expected if the work is search and content.
Somebody else promised more. Whoever promises most is usually promising what cannot be delivered.
Before giving notice
Check you control everything, because access requests slow down once a relationship is ending:
- Domain registrar account, in your business name
- Hosting account
- Website files and database — an actual export
- Google Business Profile, you as primary owner
- Google Ads account, with its history
- Analytics property, with the historical data
- Email list, exported with consent records
- Social accounts
Then read the contract: notice period, early termination terms, and whether work produced remains their property.
Have the conversation first
A direct conversation resolves a fair number of these. "I cannot tell what this is producing — can you show me enquiries by source and cost per booked job?" is a fair question, and the answer is informative either way.
Some providers respond well and the relationship improves. Others confirm the decision.
The more expensive mistake
Staying another six months because switching feels disruptive, while paying for work that is not producing.
Work out what the last quarter produced. If nobody can tell you, that is your answer — and every further month is spent on the same uncertainty.
Doing it cleanly
Secure the accounts, export everything, read the notice terms, give notice politely in writing, and have the next provider ready rather than starting a search afterwards.
Politeness matters — you may need cooperation on a login for weeks.
A second opinion
If you want someone to look at your reports before you decide, call James on 832-338-2926.
Frequently asked questions
What justifies leaving an agency?
Nobody able to say what last month produced in enquiries by source, reports that cannot fail, no change in enquiries after six months, promises that were never keepable, or refusal to transfer your accounts.
What is not a good reason?
Rankings dipping for a month, a slow season, month three with nothing visible from search work, or a competitor promising more — whoever promises most usually cannot deliver it.
What should I do before giving notice?
Confirm you control the domain, hosting, site export, Google Business Profile, ad account, analytics, email list and social accounts. Access requests slow down once a relationship is ending.
Should I talk to them first?
Yes. "Can you show me enquiries by source and cost per booked job?" is a fair question. Some providers respond well and the relationship improves; others confirm the decision.