Summary: With SEO complaints rising and a $1.5 billion market at stake, Australia needs formal AS/NZS standards. By codifying ethical practices—like banning vanity metrics and #1 guarantees—we can boost consumer confidence, drive innovation, and ensure a positive economic net benefit for the businesses that rely on the internet to survive.
Preread: This is an opinion piece.
Introduction
We don’t let unlicensed electricians wire our homes. We don’t buy cars that haven’t passed rigorous safety checks. We rely on AS/NZS Standards to ensure that when we spend money, the service we receive is safe, reliable, and fit-for-purpose.
Yet, in the SEO services sector—an industry where Australian business investment is projected to hit AUD $16 billion—we are currently operating in a Wild West.
Despite the Australia Search Engine Optimisation services market being valued at USD $1.5 billion, there is no formal standard governing how these services are delivered. It is high time SEO matured. It is time for AS/NZS Standards for Search Engine Optimisation.
What are AS/NZS Standards and Why Do We Need Them?
AS/NZS standards are joint Australian and New Zealand benchmarks that set out specifications and procedures designed to ensure that “products, services, and systems are safe, consistent, and reliable”. According to Standards Australia, these benchmarks exist to build a “safer, more sustainable environment” for local communities.
When a service has an AS/NZS stamp, it provides a Net Benefit. This means the value to society should outweigh the cost. Currently, SEO lacks this framework, leaving businesses—particularly small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs)—vulnerable to snake-oil peddlers and quacks.
1,500 Agencies but 0 Rules
Pulkit Agrawal, Founder and SEO Director of UR Digital, has spent over 20 years in the digital marketing domain. In September 2025, he issued a call to action in Mumbrella, stating clearly that Australia needs professional SEO standards.
The data supports this urgency. Ken Research reports that there are over 1,500 SEO agencies operating in Australia. This saturation makes it nearly impossible for a business owner to differentiate a legitimate expert from an amateur.
The fallout of this lack of regulation is concerning. In 2019, the Small Business Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, had to actively call for “SEO horror stories” to be reported to the ACCC. SmartCompany reports that in 2018 alone, the ACCC received approximately 100 formal complaints regarding dodgy SEO conduct. When businesses are ripped off by “experts” who provide zero value, it isn’t just a private loss but a drag on the Australian economy.
What Should SEO AS/NZS Standards Include?
To move the industry forward, Pulkit Agrawal proposes a set of non-negotiable standards as the baseline requirements for SEO as a professional service.
1. Mandatory Adherence to Search Engine Guidelines
Google and Bing provide well-maintained, updated SEO-related documentation on Google Search Central (formerly Webmasters), Bing Webmaster Guidelines respectively.
Anyone claiming to be an SEO professional must demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with these official guidelines. It ensures the practitioner isn’t using outdated or prohibited methods that could lead to a site being de-indexed.
2. Ban on Vanity Metrics
Reporting on total keyword rankings or raw traffic without context is misleading. SEO practitioners must report on KPI-relevant data, such as leads, conversions, and revenue attribution because it forces accountability. A business owner shouldn’t be told a campaign is “successful” if the phone isn’t ringing.
3. Transparency of Proof and Vetting
Agencies must be able to submit case studies and proof of results on request. They must cooperate when a client seeks to vet claimed results through a third party. Transparency allows businesses to verify that an “expert” really understands complex, high-stakes digital strategy.
4. Non-Usage of Black-Hat Techniques
Vendors should not deploy techniques designed to trick search engines (spamming, cloaking, or link schemes). These tactics offer short-term gains but lead to long-term amputation from search results, consequently destroying business value.
5. No Unsolicited Spamming
SEO firms should not send cold emails promising top rankings. Google itself warns people to “be wary of SEO firms that email you out of the blue.” Standards would codify this ethical boundary.
6. No Guaranteed #1 Rankings
There should be a ban on guaranteeing a #1 spot or alleging a “special relationship” with Google. No one can guarantee a #1 ranking because search engines are third-party platforms. Any such claim is a hallmark of fraud.
7. Ownership of Client Assets
Some agencies hold digital assets hostage to prevent clients from leaving. This is unethical and must be prohibited. The client must always remain the owner of their domain, website, and analytics accounts.
6 Benefits of AS/NZS SEO Standards
By implementing these standards, we align SEO with the six key benefits (distinct from Net Benefit) identified by Standards Australia:
Boosted Confidence
Just as consumers look for an energy rating on a fridge or ensure an electrician follows AS/NZS 3000:2018 Wiring Rules, SEO standards give businesses one less thing to fret about. They are a reassurance that the agency is meeting specific, audited benchmarks for safety and reliability.
Enhanced Innovation
Vendors who are forced to abandon shortcuts or hacks must innovate within professional boundaries. This encourages mastery of advanced areas like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which will creating a more inclusive digital society where asset accessibility is a priority, not an afterthought.
Competitive Edge
Adherence to Australian Standards® offers immediate added value. In a market of 1,500+ agencies, a firm that is officially compliant with AS/NZS standards gains an instant, verifiable advantage over those operating without a framework.
Fewer Barriers to Trade
Adhering to international-aligned standards allows Australian SEO vendors to manage multinational sites and international clients with a unified methodology. They can help local businesses compete on the world stage with a trustworthy, standardised approach.
Reduced Red Tape
Standards are an alternative to heavy-handed government regulation. By self-regulating through harmonised standards, the industry can reduce business costs and decrease red tape while still providing the necessary security for consumers.
Helping Businesses Thrive
Standards make business transactions simpler and more efficient. They mitigate risk and simplify compliance, which allows SEO strategies to be executed with fewer friction points. Put simply, when the rules of the game are clear, businesses thrive.
Net Benefit of AS/NZS SEO Standards
Standards Australia defines Net Benefit as having an overall positive impact on the community that outweighs the cost of implementation. Net benefit takes into account (1) public health & safety, (2) social & community impact, (3) environmental impact, (4) competition, and (5) economic impact, out of which (1) and (3) do not interact with SEO standards.
When we look at the auDA Digital Lives of Australians 2025 report, the case for a positive net benefit in the remaining sectors becomes undeniable.
Social & Community Impact
The internet is where 86% of Australians go to learn new things and 83% go to access essential goods and services. When SEO is standardised, the most vulnerable members of our community receive better, more accurate, and more accessible information. We move away from information silos and toward a more transparent digital ecosystem.
Healthy Competition
Standards level the playing field. Currently, snake-oil vendors compete by promising the impossible at a low cost. Standards expose these outliers and ensure that competition is based on verifiable skill, innovation, and result-delivery rather than who can make the most impressive claim.
Macroeconomic Growth
83% of small businesses use the internet to communicate with customers, and 77% rely on it to boost sales and attract new clients. SEO enables these activities. When SEO standards help businesses reach their KPIs effectively, those businesses grow. As they grow, they hire more staff and reinvest in the local economy. The flourishing of the digital sector thereby translates into a flourishing national economy.
Closing Words
SEO is the bridge between consumers and businesses. When SEO works correctly, businesses grow and the economy flourishes. When it fails due to incompetence or fraud, it stymies that growth.
As it is a multi-billion-dollar pillar of the Australian economy, we cannot afford to leave this industry unregulated. By establishing AS/NZS Standards for SEO, we protect local businesses, eliminate snake-oil vendors, and ensure that the digital future of Australia is built on a foundation of integrity.
If you would like to talk to Pulkit Agrawal about your SEO horror stories or contribute to the conversation on SEO standards, we invite you to write to us.