How to interpret an SEO report
13th May 2025
posted 13th May 2025
If you've ever received an SEO report suggesting your website has major issues or won't rank well, you're not alone. These reports can be alarming, especially when they seem to contradict the efforts you've put into your website. But how accurate are they?
In this post, we'll break down what an SEO report can and can't tell you, how to spot misleading claims, and what steps to take if you receive a concerning report.
Can you trust an SEO report?
Customers sometimes contact us after receiving an SEO report that suggests their website won’t rank well or has significant issues. Naturally, being presented with such a report can be worrying, even frustrating. From our perspective, these reports can also be problematic, as they can harm the trust we’ve built with our customers. More often than not, these reports are generated by companies trying to sell SEO services, and they have a vested interest in making you believe your website has problems. Their business model relies on convincing you that you need their help, so they will always find something to highlight as an issue.
That’s not to say SEO reports are entirely without value. There can be genuine issues that need attention. However, an SEO report should never be viewed as an absolute ranking scorecard. It’s essential to understand its context and limitations.
What is an SEO report?
Before we jump in, let’s define what an SEO report is. Generally speaking, an SEO report analyses how well a website is optimised for search engines like Google. It typically breaks down key ranking factors and provides an overall score or a list of suggested improvements.
What can an SEO report tell you?
While SEO reports can sometimes be overly simplistic, they can still highlight areas that may need improvement. A common example is page speed—Google prefers faster-loading websites, which can contribute to better rankings. If an SEO report identifies that your pages take too long to load, it may suggest ways to improve performance, such as optimising oversized images or reducing unnecessary code. These technical issues are straightforward and usually worth addressing.
What can’t an SEO report tell you?
A report can provide an overview of your website’s performance, but it often lacks context. For example, a website with minimal content—like Google’s homepage—will score highly because it only has to display a logo and a search bar. On the other hand, a content-heavy site like the BBC News website, which contains large amounts of text, images, and interactive elements, might receive a low score despite ranking exceptionally well.
For reference, here are some real-world examples of SEO scores:
- BBC News: 37/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights
- Google Homepage: 72/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights
- Trustpilot: 39/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights
Clearly, these scores do not dictate actual ranking success.
Can you trust an SEO report?
The key question is: where did the report come from?
If you ran a free report from Google (e.g., Google PageSpeed Insights), you can trust that the results provide a genuine attempt to highlight areas for improvement. Google has no incentive to mislead you.
However, if you received an unsolicited report—especially from a company that also sells SEO services—there’s a strong possibility that the report is designed to exaggerate issues to push you into purchasing their services. Be sceptical of any report that arrives out of the blue or makes alarming claims without clear context.
What should you do with an SEO report?
We recommend first running an SEO report from an impartial source, such as Google PageSpeed Insights. Keep in mind that achieving a perfect score of 100 is almost impossible unless your website is extremely simple.
An SEO report should be treated as advisory, not prescriptive. It’s a tool to help identify potential areas for improvement, not a definitive verdict on your website’s quality or ranking potential. Every website we build follows best practices and draws on years of experience designing sites for businesses across various industries.
If you receive an SEO report that concerns you, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to review it with you and provide honest, expert guidance.