The world of digital has evolved dramatically over the last decade, and with it, the way agencies should approach their relationships with eCommerce brands. We launched NOVOS in 2018, and even then, it was clear you can’t win clients by “selling” to them, and now it’s even more so the case. 

Gone are the days when an agency simply pitched their expertise, signed a contract, and expected clients to sit back and enjoy the results. Today, it’s about building genuine relationships and solving problems for brands — not just selling them a service.

As an organic growth agency for eCommerce brands, we’ve seen our industry experience this shift. Sales no longer feels like a transactional process; instead, it’s about being a strategic partner, understanding the client’s goals, and providing real value.

1. eCommerce Brands Are More Informed Than Ever

A decade ago, many eCommerce brands didn’t fully understand SEO, and they were looking for experts to guide them through the process. They were eager to trust agencies that could deliver immediate results and help them grow their online presence. At that time, agencies focused heavily on educating their clients and "selling" SEO as a magic solution that would deliver fast rankings and traffic.

However, eCom brands today are far more informed. They’ve likely done some research themselves, read case studies, and even tried to implement SEO on their own before considering an agency. They understand that SEO isn’t just about rankings but also involves content, user experience, technical optimization, and link-building. Most importantly, they know that results take time, and they are no longer expecting quick fixes.

This shift means that agencies can’t sell SEO as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it’s crucial to approach potential clients with an open mind and an understanding of their unique challenges. Instead of focusing on selling SEO packages, the focus must be on understanding the problems that an eCommerce brand is facing and showing how SEO can be part of a long-term strategy to help them reach their goals.

2. The Rise of Data-Driven Decision Making

The days of relying solely on intuition and "gut feeling" for making business decisions are long gone. eCommerce brands now have access to vast amounts of data—sales trends, customer behaviour, product performance, and more—that help them make informed decisions. As an organic growth agency, we have no choice but to be equipped to speak the same language and understand the data that drives our client’s business.

Sales pitches based on abstract promises or buzzwords like “guaranteed rankings” or “overnight success” no longer resonate. eCommerce brands are looking for measurable outcomes, not vague promises. Instead of selling SEO as an abstract service, agencies must now show how SEO can be integrated with a brand’s data, helping to drive growth, solve problems, and meet their specific business objectives.

This means focusing on problem-solving. For example, if an eCom brand is struggling with low organic traffic, the agency’s role isn’t to sell them SEO but to ask questions like, “What are the most profitable products in your catalogue? Are there keyword opportunities we’re missing? How can we optimise your content to convert visitors into buyers?” By shifting the conversation from selling to problem-solving, agencies can provide real value and build long-lasting relationships with their clients.

3. Customer-Centric Approach Over Transactional Sales

In the past, agencies often operated with a transactional mindset: secure the sale, deliver the service, and move on to the next client. But as SEO for eCommerce has become more complex and nuanced, this approach doesn’t work. eCommerce brands are now looking for partners, not vendors. They want an agency that truly understands their business and can offer ongoing support, guidance, and strategic advice.

This is why the sales process has morphed into a relationship-building process. If you’re an eCom brand looking for an agency, you should make sure that they focus on understanding your customer’s pain points, long-term goals, and challenges, then align their solutions accordingly. Instead of trying to “close the deal,” agencies should focus on how they can add value over time, solving real business problems and helping their clients grow sustainably.

For example, if an eCommerce brand is struggling with a high bounce rate across their PDP’s, instead of pitching a generic SEO plan, an agency should suggest conducting a thorough user experience audit, optimising page load times, and crafting compelling product descriptions (and other content) that address common customer concerns. By offering tailored, solution-oriented strategies, agencies become trusted partners rather than one-time service providers.

4. SEO Is Part of a Larger Ecosystem

eCommerce brands today understand that SEO isn’t a standalone tactic—it’s part of a much larger digital ecosystem. SEO works best when it’s integrated with other marketing efforts, including social media, paid media, content marketing, email campaigns, and more. Because of this, we must focus on holistic solutions rather than selling individual SEO services.

Building a relationship with a brand means collaborating with them to create a comprehensive strategy that addresses multiple areas of their business. Instead of selling SEO in isolation, you should make sure that your agency positions themselves as integral parts of the client’s overall marketing team. This might involve working alongside in-house marketing teams or other agencies to ensure that all aspects of the brand’s digital marketing strategy are aligned.

For instance, if an eCommerce brand is running Instagram ads but isn’t seeing the expected return on investment (ROI), the brand should look for an agency to assess the brand’s SEO strategy, the quality of its landing pages, and the relevance of its content. By focusing on the bigger picture, you’ll get more value and contribute to more sustainable, long-term growth.

5. Trust and Transparency Are Key

In today’s highly competitive eCommerce market, trust is everything. Brands are no longer willing to take risks on agencies that make lofty promises or provide vague explanations of how their services work. They want transparency, honesty, and real results.

Building trust is a key part of the relationship-building process. Agencies that succeed in the modern SEO landscape are those that take the time to educate their clients, communicate openly about challenges and opportunities, and share detailed reports that track progress over time. Instead of selling “guaranteed results,” agencies should focus on educating clients about what SEO involves, how long it takes to see results, and how they can be involved in the process.

This transparency builds credibility and strengthens the partnership. When an agency becomes a trusted advisor, clients are more likely to remain loyal and refer others, creating a steady stream of new business without the need for aggressive sales tactics.