What happens if I end my collaboration with my SEO agency?

What happens if I end my collaboration with my SEO agency?

In the event of termination, active support ends, but existing optimizations continue to have an effect. However, without ongoing maintenance, monitoring and updates, rankings, visibility and traffic can gradually decline.

What happens after the end of the collaboration

An SEO agency takes on tasks such as technical optimization, content strategy, keyword research and link building. If the collaboration is terminated, the implementation of new measures stops. Improvements that have already been implemented - such as faster loading times, optimized content or technical structures - remain in place, but lose their effect over time if they are not maintained.

As Google regularly adjusts its algorithms, rankings can slowly deteriorate without ongoing optimization. New competitors with fresh content or active link building can also take over your positions.

Important steps after termination

• Secure access: Make sure you have admin rights for tools such as Google Search Console, Analytics and CMS.
• Transfer data: Request a complete transfer of all reports, keyword lists and backlink data.
• Clarify responsibility: Determine who will be responsible for technical maintenance, monitoring and content updates in the future.
• Weiterführende Beratung: Eine fachliche SEO-Beratung kann helfen, den Übergang strukturiert zu planen und Rankingrisiken zu minimieren.

Typical misunderstandings

• "SEO has a lasting effect." Without continuous maintenance and new content, the effect diminishes over time.
• "The content automatically belongs to me." Check the contractual rights of use - not every agency transfers these completely.
• "Rankings remain stable." Without regular adaptation to updates or market changes, visibility usually declines.

Practical example

Ein Online-Shop beendet nach zwei Jahren die Zusammenarbeit mit seiner SEO-Agentur. Die technische Basis bleibt zwar stabil, doch neue Produkte werden nicht mehr optimiert. Nach sechs Monaten fällt der organische Traffic um 35 %. Erst durch eine neue, überarbeitete SEO-Strategie und externe Unterstützung kann das Ranking wieder verbessert werden – zum Beispiel mit einer spezialisierten SEO-Beratung.

Keeping an eye on important key figures

• Organic traffic - How many visitors come via Google?
• Keyword rankings - How are the most important search terms developing?
• Click-through rate (CTR) - How often are your snippets clicked?
• Domain authority & backlinks - How strong is your link profile?
• Core Web Vitals - How fast and stable does your website load?

Frequently asked questions after the end of the collaboration

How do I back up all SEO data when changing agencies?

Ask for all reports, keyword mappings and backlink lists to be handed over before the contract ends. Secure administrator access and clarify the rights to all content and accounts.

Does a termination immediately affect my Google rankings?

Usually not immediately - declines usually become apparent after a few weeks or months. Google reacts to missing updates with a delay, but a lack of optimization has a noticeable effect in the long term.

Who will take over the SEO tasks after the termination?

Entweder ein internes Team oder eine neue Agentur. Wichtig ist eine klare Übergangsphase, um Monitoring, Content-Updates und Backlinkpflege fortzuführen. Bei Bedarf kannst du dir externe Unterstützung durch eine unabhängige SEO-Beratung holen.

Status: September 26, 2025 - SEO results are not a permanent state. Only through regular maintenance, analysis and further development visibility remains stable in the long term.