Coming from a web agency, that might sound strange. But it’s true.
We get it—this isn’t a popular opinion in digital marketing circles.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is often pitched as essential, non-negotiable, and universally applicable to every website, in every industry, for every goal.
But based on what we’ve seen across hundreds of brands, we can confidently say:
Not every website needs SEO services.
Some websites simply aren’t built to attract strangers through search engines.
They’re not trying to generate organic traffic from curious Googlers.
They’re not built for discoverability—they’re built for direction.
We’ve worked with brands that:
Operate in tightly controlled B2B environments
Use their websites as internal portals or client-only resources
Rely entirely on referral pipelines, tradeshows, or direct outreach
Send all traffic via private links, sales decks, or QR codes
For these brands, getting random traffic from organic search would not only be irrelevant—it could actually be counterproductive. It clutters their lead funnel and introduces noise into otherwise highly controlled communications.
If you’ve never encountered a website like that, it’s probably because brands that follow this approach aren’t trying to be found. That’s kind of the point.
To be clear: SEO is mission-critical for many websites.
If your brand is trying to attract new leads, grow organic reach, or establish topic authority, a robust SEO strategy is invaluable. We offer SEO services for clients who truly need it—and we’re great at it.
But when a brand tells us, “We don’t need SEO,” we don’t try to talk them into something that doesn’t fit. We listen. We understand. We ask questions. And if it turns out they’re right—we honor that.
If you’ve been trying to explain this to other web agencies and keep getting blank stares or pushy pitches, just know:
shepx gets it.
Let’s talk about what your website actually needs—and what it doesn’t.
® Brand Shepherd llc • shepx is a service of Brand Shepherd
