I get it. Someone contacts you offering to improve your SEO, boost your rankings, or get you to the top of Google. They sound knowledgeable, they're keen to start, and they just need your website login details.

It seems straightforward enough - after all, you want your business to be found online. But before you hand over those passwords, there are a few things you should know that could save you thousands of pounds and weeks of headaches.

I'm Not Anti-SEO (I Do It!)

Let me be clear from the start: SEO is important, and good SEO professionals can make a real difference to your business. As part of my web hosting and management service, I work on technical SEO for all my clients - it's baked into how I build and maintain websites.

The issue isn't SEO itself. The issue is when multiple people start making changes to your website without coordination, and especially when those changes are made by people who disappear when things go wrong.

What Can Actually Go Wrong?

Over 27 years, I've seen it all:

• Plugin conflicts that break the entire site (usually at the worst possible time)
• Duplicate SEO plugins fighting each other and confusing Google
• Security vulnerabilities from outdated or dodgy plugins
• Slow loading times from poorly coded additions
• Lost content when someone overwrites carefully crafted pages
• Hacked sites from security holes in rushed installations

And here's the difficult bit: when something goes wrong, the SEO person often isn't around to fix it. Or they blame your hosting. Or your theme. Or they simply don't have the technical skills to resolve the mess they've created.

Guess who gets the 11pm phone call? Your web host.

Red Flags to Watch For

Not all SEO providers are cowboys, but here are some warning signs:

• They ask for admin passwords via email or text (never secure)
• They need to install plugins but can't tell you which ones or why
• They promise "guaranteed top rankings" (no one can guarantee this)
• They're evasive about what they'll actually do
• They don't want to talk to your existing web person
• They want to work independently rather than collaboratively

How Professional SEO Providers Work

Good SEO professionals:

• Contact your web host or manager first to introduce themselves
• Explain exactly what they plan to do and why
• Request proper access credentials through secure channels
• Work collaboratively with your existing team
• Document their changes
• Provide proper handover information
• Take responsibility if something goes wrong

The Security Issue (Please Read This Bit)

Sharing passwords via email or messaging is genuinely risky. Once that password exists in an email, it's:

• Potentially visible to anyone who intercepts it
• Stored on multiple servers you don't control
• Accessible if either email account gets compromised
• Often forgotten about and never changed

Professional providers understand this and will either:

• Request you create them a separate admin account (that you can remove later)
• Use secure password sharing tools
• Work through your web host to get appropriate access

If I find out a client has shared their admin password, I change it immediately as a security precaution. It's not about control - it's about protection.

Why Coordination Matters

Think of your website like your high street shop. You wouldn't give keys to a contractor to work overnight without:

• Knowing who they are
• Understanding what they're changing
• Making sure they're properly insured
• Having a way to contact them if needed

Your website deserves the same care. It represents your business, holds your customer data, and probably processes payments.

When changes are coordinated through one professional who knows your whole system, problems get caught early, conflicts are avoided, and you have one person who's accountable for keeping everything working.

Questions to Ask Before Giving Access

Before you share any login details:

1. Who exactly are you and what's your company?
2. What specific changes will you make to my website?
3. Which plugins or themes will you add?
4. Have you spoken to my web host/manager?
5. What happens if something goes wrong?
6. Will you document what you've done?
7. How should I securely provide access?

If they can't answer these clearly, that's your answer.

How I Handle This for My Clients

At Polyspiral, SEO is part of what I do - not an afterthought. Technical SEO is built into every website I create and maintain:

• Proper site structure and navigation
• Fast loading times (our renewable energy hosting helps!)
• Mobile optimization
• Clean, search-friendly code
• Regular content updates and technical maintenance
• Security that keeps you safe

If you want additional SEO work (content strategy, link building, local SEO), I'm happy to work with specialists - but I coordinate it. That way:

• Nothing conflicts with your existing setup
• Your site stays secure and supported
• You have one point of contact
• Someone's accountable if things go wrong
• All the work complements each other

The Bottom Line

You absolutely should invest in SEO - it's how customers find you. But like any important business service, it should be managed professionally, coordinated properly, and done by people who'll stand behind their work.

Your website is too important to hand over to just anyone who asks.

If someone approaches you about SEO (or any website work), the first thing you should do is contact your web host or manager. A quick conversation could save you from weeks of problems and expense.

And if I'm your web host? Just forward me the email. I'll take a look, have a chat with them if they're legitimate, and make sure anything that happens protects your investment rather than risking it.

Need website hosting with SEO built in?

All Polyspiral hosting packages include technical SEO, security monitoring, and professional coordination of any third-party work. One team, one point of contact, complete peace of mind.

Get in touch for a no-obligation chat about how we can help your business be found online - safely and sustainably.