SEO Merchant Accounts – The Best Solution

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Last Updated on July 7, 2023 by Corepay

Search engine optimization(SEO) has become one of the essential services offered to online business owners who engage in eCom2 and classic brick-and-mortar businesses. The reason is simple: SEO helps enterprises bring in potential new customers by targeting specific keywords and growing authority in specific niches for companies.

Marketing companies specializing in SEO services might find it challenging to find reliable payment processing as not all banks and processors trust SEO services. However, Corepay is proud to offer SEO merchant accounts for all reputable/serious SEO businesses. We understand the industry, but we also believe that the sector will continue to grow with the rapid expansion of eCommerce brands.

SEO merchant accounts are considered high-risk by processors and banks as many US banks are reluctant to underwrite their accounts.

SEO/PPC services often have large ticket transactions, and the biggest problem is that some companies are not the most trustworthy in the space as a whole.

Certain companies will promise guaranteed #1 rankings on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, or Duck Duck Go, only to get their client’s website hit by an algorithmic penalty. Naturally, this results in angry customers who might pursue chargebacks.

This article will break down what you need from your SEO/PPC merchant account to achieve optimal growth in the space.

Corepay offers SEO merchant accounts for the following types of companies:

• Lead generation
• On-page SEO
• Off-page SEO
• Technical SEO
• PPC
• Legit backlink services
• Technical audits
• Website flipping
• Speed optimization
• Plugin optimization
• Content planning
• Content writing

We understand the various ways SEO companies can make large profits and know what it takes in this industry to maximize your earnings.

Please fill out an application below to find out what we can do for your SEO/PPC agency.

How To Apply For Your SEO Merchant Account

Applying for your payment processing for SEO can be an exciting time as well as frustrating. Since most banks won’t approve your account, you will find yourself needing a high-risk account.

Fortunately, at Corepay, we specialize in the high-risk industry and understand the ins and outs of the SEO space.

Below is a list of what you need when applying:

• Proof of operating address
• Business and Personal Financial statements
• Articles of incoporation
• Principal’s driver’s license
• Voided check
• Company EIN document

Why Choose Corepay For Your SEO Services Payment Processing

Are you looking to boost your revenue for your marketing agency? Marketing agencies in the US and globally can use our payment processing solutions to maximize profits and fight chargebacks.

At Corepay, we genuinely care about your business and understand the complexities of the SEO industry like no other payment processor.

To maintain 100% transparency, we keep all fees as low as possible by waiving application fees, annual fees, and set up costs.

We offer the following for all of our marketing payment processing:

• Fast approvals: Quick approvals not only maximize the time merchants – expect approvals within 24-72 hours typically
• Competitive rates: We provide low rates to allow for optimal profitability for your business
•  High volume capability: We have our payment gateway, Solidgate, designed for high-risk merchants dealing with high volumes
• Multiple currencies: You will be able to accept different currencies to maximize profits
• Security: Our payment gateway is PCI-Level 1 compliant and monitored around the clock
• 24/7 customer service
• Mobile payments: Accept payments from customers paying with their mobile devices
• Seamless integration to a variety of payment gateways
• Chargeback mitigation with our partner product CB-ALERT

Merchants We Disapprove

During our underwriting, one of our trained specialists will review your account to determine the risk associated with your account and make sure you’re running a legal business.

This specific space has a history of scam/fraud, and one of the things we weigh into our equation is customer feedback/chargebacks.

A high number of chargebacks can sometimes indicate customers are not happy with your service provided.

Why Is SEO Considered High-Risk By Banks/Processors?

SEO can have a tremendous impact on businesses from local to eCommerce. However, the negative side of SEO is that non-trustworthy companies take advantage of their clients by offering dated and shady practices.

We’ve all seen the companies advertising on Facebook that they will make your website rank number one on Google overnight. But, unfortunately, the reality is that this doesn’t happen anymore.

The being said, well-created content, good on-page, and a balance of solid backlinks can help businesses achieve high rankings, even in competitive spaces.

 SEO merchant accounts are considered high-risk due to the following:

• Chargebacks
• Fraud
• Long fulfillment periods
• Large average ticket sizes

Chargebacks

Chargebacks are typically the culprit when it comes to being considered high-risk. In the SEO industry, they are rampant as not everyone has an understanding of what SEO is.

When companies promise results such as ranking number one overnight, customers are misled and feel scammed. Unfortunately, this happens all too often in this industry and can be a significant problem when not addressed.

Fraud

There are several backlink providers that prey on individuals that don’t know the industry.Establishing that you are an established local SEO agency that is trustworthy is key.

Since SEO is something that not many truly understand, it is easier for companies to take advantage of clients.

When companies promise results that are by no means achievable, only for their profit, this is known as fraud.

Fulfillment Periods

Backlink outreach campaigns are notorious for long fulfillment periods, which is understandable because it truly does take time to build trustworthy links.

This can lead to clients feeling duped or uncertain about what they are receiving every month. While this can be normal and fine, most services are charged upfront before any results have had the time to kick in. 

Large Tickets

Large ticket transactions are typically prone to higher chargebacks. In the SEO industry, most charges occur online, which adds another risk of chargebacks as these are CNP transactions.

SEO Industry Overview

The SEO industry is booming as of 2021. With tools such as SEMrush and AHREFS, the sky is the limit for what both SEO agencies can accomplish and what can be earned in this space.

Let’s look at five highly profitable SEO companies/products below:

• AHREFS – Tool used by SEO agencies
• SEMrush – Tool used by SEO agencies
• Authority builders – backlink outreach
• Neil Patel Digital – Traffic growth specialist (Ubersuggest)
• Backlinko – backlinks

Paypal And Their History Of Processing For SEO Services

Paypal can be an excellent option for certain businesses. The main problem most companies have with Paypal is not reading their terms of service. Paypal does not work with high-risk merchants, and they also have a list of services/industries they do not wish to associate.

We have had many clients come to us after having their merchant account frozen or terminated with Paypal. What happens when this occurs is that Paypal flags your account for activity against their terms of service. 

They then have to audit your account, which can take up to 180 days from the start of the audit. This means you can have your funds frozen for that period.

 Note: If this happened to you from Paypal or any other provider, you’ve come to the right place. Fill out an application, and our trained specialist will reach out to you swiftly, letting you know what you need to do to get your account up and running. 

So, why do Paypal and other payment providers terminate SEO merchant accounts? Paypal recently stated that they are refusing to work with SEO companies because they have experienced too many chargebacks in this space. 

Paypal went as far as to develop a policy that doesn’t allow SEO companies to obtain a pro account that can accept recurring payments.

Our article on ISOs VS Payfacs will shed some light on why this is. 

Wrapping Up

With an SEO merchant account from Corepay, you will lower your chargebacks, maximize profits, and not find yourself limited in checkout options.

Applying is free, and we strongly encourage you to compare rates with other processors to know you are getting the lowest rates and best service possible.