The "Ghosting" Epidemic: Why Agency Churn is Killing SEO Partnerships (and How to Fix It)

[Dopious]

Interesting discussion maybe, what is your thoughts?​

Confession; written with the help of AI, but interesting topic.

We’ve all seen it: You have a solid rhythm with a contact at an SEO agency, the collaboration is seamless, and then—click—their email bounces. They’re gone. No handover, no intro to their successor, just a dead end and a lost connection.​

The recent discussion about the lack of "professional pride" and high turnover in agencies hit a nerve. It feels like the industry is moving toward a "disposable" culture where relationships are treated as temporary tasks rather than long-term assets.

Why is this happening?​

It’s easy to blame "lazy" employees, but the problem is usually deeper:

• Poor Institutional Memory: Agencies often fail to use a centralized CRM. If the relationship lives in a single person’s Gmail, it dies when they leave.
• The "Burnout" Cycle: High-pressure KPIs lead to staff jumping ship every 10–14 months, often leaving with zero notice or time for a proper handover.
• Lack of Training: Junior SEOs aren't always taught that their network is their net worth. They see a link seller or a partner as a "transaction," not a human connection.

How do we overcome this?​

If we want to stay long-term in this industry, we can't wait for agencies to fix their culture. We have to "churn-proof" our own businesses. Here’s how:

1. Multi-Thread the Relationship: Never have just one point of contact. Occasionally CC the department head or the account director on "win" reports. Make sure more than one person knows your name.
2. LinkedIn is Your Backup: Connect with your agency partners on LinkedIn immediately. If their email bounces, you can message them to ask who is taking over the account. It keeps the bridge intact regardless of where they work.
3. The "Quarterly Check-In": Every 3 months, send a high-level summary to your contact. It’s a professional touch that’s easy to forward to a successor if they leave.
4. Standardize Your Onboarding: When a new person takes over (the "Who are you?" phase), have a "Partnership Deck" ready. A simple 1-page PDF explaining: Who I am, what we’ve done together, and the current status. It makes you look like the most organized person they’ve ever worked with.

The Bottom Line: Professional ethics might be at an all-time low, but that’s an opportunity for those of us who stay consistent. If you are the "reliable constant" in a sea of agency turnover, you become the first person they call at their next job, too.

What are you guys doing to keep your partnerships alive when your main contact vanishes?
Are you seeing this more often lately, or is it just the "new normal"?

 

[polecat]

I make friends with all my connections so we can get in contact on Telegram or somewhere else for example one I got on Facebook,Instagram,Linkedin and got the others home address if something goes wrong.


Say Mark wreaks both platform got easy get on linkedin or Linkedin crashes other two work or in extreme cases send a letter to the guy house.

 

[roydan]

You can really "procedure" your way into professionalism in the same way you can't teach common sense.

I'm the first to accept that sometimes shit happens (I myself forget sending invoices sometimes) but not handing over a client in next level. It's both on the employee and the manager that assigned the client to that team member in the first place.

 

[Preying Mantis]

The problem is a shit foundation. Of course these fucks blame lazy employees but then who hired those lazy employees?

The problems come from the top.

 

[polecat]

The problem is a shit foundation. Of course these fucks blame lazy employees but then who hired those lazy employees?

The problems come from the top.

Agreed I only work with people pro ferrets if not got no interest in them for work or money