An SEO report for customers doesn’t have to be another boring and tedious job.
A comprehensive SEO report should make your client think, “Damn, now I know what I’m paying for!” Surprisingly, it’s not about creating content that the customer won’t understand. That will only deter them.
So, how to create an SEO report that will make your customer appreciate your work and want even more?
After reading this post, you’ll get to know:
- What essential information should every SEO report contain?
- How to create an SEO report that ultimately helps you generate more sales?
- How to create an SEO report that is intriguing, engaging, and interesting to read?
So, what are the 7 best tips to make a robust SEO report?
You’ll find all of this here. No beating around the bush. Have a good read.
In a Nutshell:
First Step: Define Clear Objectives
Let’s face it, a common problem is the lack of proper communication.
SEO agencies or freelancers send information to customers that they don’t understand. It seems so complicated that they don’t even want to try to understand it. This limits sales opportunities and creates a gap between you and the client.
Having worked over 8 years in marketing and sales, I’ve learned a golden rule: simplicity wins.
Therefore, when creating an SEO report, define clear objectives.
To do this, write:
- What the client can expect
- What and how much you’ve done
- What you are currently working on
That’s absolutely enough.
Additionally, avoid technical jargon. Nobody likes it. If your situation allows, always use simple but effective synonyms.
For instance:
- SEO < Gaining higher rankings
- We’ve filled all meta descriptions and optimized all meta titles < We added descriptions to articles (meta descriptions) and made titles clearer for users and Google (meta titles).
- We’re working with 30 backlinks in the fintech industry < We’re working on external resources (backlinks) to quickly and safely improve your website’s position online.
Want to present yourself as an outstanding expert in the industry? While using more technical terms, such as meta description, add links (e.g., to your blog) where your client will find the right explanation.
Even if they don’t read it, they’ll see you as a knowledgeable expert.
Work on Detailed Data
Do you know when you’re willing to pay a lawyer more for creating documentation? When it contains complex and specialized terminology. That’s the lawyer’s expertise that you don’t have, which is why you’re keen to pay for it.
Similarly, with SEO reports, but don’t apply the same principle and rely on difficult terminology. It’ll actually be counterproductive.
However, what you can do instead is rely on the right data, and data source.
Every customer loves data. The more data you show that highlights the increase in your results (and their website), the better. Take advantage of it.
Most importantly, the data cannot be overwhelming. Focus on clear charts and succinctly described data/bars.
Besides the data, add a legend of what the increase or decrease is due to. If the data is not fully readable; describe it meticulously (but encouragingly) in the following email.
Data is the basis for further and more effective cooperation. It’s not just about continuing to “convince” the customer. It’s about your participation; the better you know the right data, the better you know what you are doing properly or what you should improve.
Be Detail-Oriented but Easy to Understand
This is one of my favorite topics because it’s what sales boils down to. And all communication with your audience (meaning: client).
You particularly need to be detail-oriented while preparing an SEO report. All data must be meticulous, showing cause and effect, but most importantly—it must be exceptionally easy to understand.
No matter how knowledgeable your client is, your SEO report must be clear and easy to digest. Just like a good resume. The more skimmable, and more meaty, the better.
But how to do so?
Be effective, not smart.
Show progress and support it with arguments, but don’t reduce all your work to good phrasing and excessive details.
Remember, the more information you include, the more you face a higher number of questions and (potentially) objections. If you provide too much information, your customer may come up with many questions. Not necessarily ones that will contribute (positively) to your relationship and the sale itself.
- Inform about the progress.
- Describe in detail (but don’t exaggerate) where you’re heading.
- Inform about the upcoming steps and what your client can expect.
This is the right definition of an SEO report. It’ll be absolutely enough.
Analyze Keyword Performance
Keyword performance is a crucial element in SEO-based cooperation. I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you.
That’s why keywords and their performance must be appropriately justified.
For this purpose, I recommend using two tools. Everyone knows Ahrefs & SEMrush, but not every agency needs them. Instead, I recommend two tools:
They’re reliable, Poland-based SEO tools. I’ve been using both for more than two years, and I find them really effective. And more importantly, they’re also affordable. They won’t cost you an arm and a leg, like the two most common tools for SEO endeavors.
But how do you properly justify keyword issues in a report?
Obligatory:
—> Include all the targeted keywords.
—> Show your client the current rankings of their website.
—> Suggest recommendations (if needed), what you can do better, and what you’re working on to get the site to rank #1 for specific phrases.
And what if it’s impossible to gain higher rankings for the given keywords?
You have two options:
- You chose the wrong keywords for cooperation.
Change them as soon as possible. Neither you nor the client will be satisfied with the results.
- Supplement the database of targeted keywords with additional ones.
Using SEO tools, you’ll see what works and what doesn’t. A tool like Surfer SEO will show your client’s site and related keywords. Suggest these to the client to focus on as well. How to add them to the client’s site as quickly as possible? Create a blog post. SEO nowadays is about 70% (or even more) on-site work and just less than 30% off-site presence.
The more robust content on your client’s website, the better.
P.S. If you want to find out why Senuto can be your next SEO tool, dive into this review: “Senuto Review: Why This Should Be Your Next SEO Tool?”
Thorough SEO Audit is a Must
Hell yeah, your client needs to be aware of what you’re working on.
An in-depth SEO audit helps you, as the SEO specialist, know where you stand.
When creating a comprehensive SEO audit, focus on these 5 elements:
- Technical SEO Analysis:
- Site Architecture: Make sure the website has a logical structure that is easy for search engines (Google’s robots) to crawl.
- Crawlability and Indexability: Check for issues that might prevent search engines from crawling or indexing pages.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Evaluate the site’s performance on mobile devices.
- Site Speed: Assess the loading speed of the website and identify any issues slowing it down.
- On-Page SEO Review:
- Keyword Optimization: Ensure that targeted keywords are used effectively throughout the content, meta titles, and descriptions.
- Content Quality: Evaluate the quality, relevance, and originality of the website content.
- Meta Tags: Check for optimized and unique title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags.
- Internal Linking: Analyze the internal linking structure to make sure it simplifies navigation and distributes page authority.
- Off-Page SEO Analysis:
- Backlink Profile: Review the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to the site.
- Anchor Text Distribution: Analyze the anchor texts used in backlinks to ensure they are natural and relevant.
- Domain Authority: Assess the overall authority and trustworthiness of the website based on its backlink profile.
- Competitor Analysis:
- Keyword Gap Analysis: Identify keywords that competitors are ranking for, but your site is not.
- Backlink Comparison: Compare the backlink profiles of top competitors to identify potential link-building opportunities.
- Content Analysis: Examine the type and quality of content that competitors are producing and ranking for.
- User Experience (UX) and Engagement Metrics:
- Bounce Rate: Evaluate how often users leave the site after viewing only one page.
- Average Session Duration: Measure how long users stay on the site.
- Conversion Rates: Analyze how effectively the site converts visitors into customers or leads.
- Navigation and Design: Assess the site’s navigation and design for user-friendliness and accessibility.
By providing your client with comprehensive insights into the data and progress of their website, you will certainly build a better relationship.
However, don’t spam the client with audits. How often should you conduct them? Depending on the size of the project, a complex SEO audit once every three months should be fine. If the project isn’t that big, then perform it once every 4–6 weeks.
On-Page SEO & Off-Page SEO: Let Your Client Understand the Difference
Let’s assume a client asks you: what’s the difference between on-page and off-page SEO. How would you explain it, in one sentence?
On-page SEO covers everything visible to users on a webpage, like content and meta tags, while off-page SEO encompasses factors external to the webpage, such as backlinks and social media activity, influencing search engine rankings. Period.
I’m writing about this because I’ve noticed this terminology often appears in SEO reports without definitions.
You might say: hey, isn’t that simple enough that everyone already knows it?
That’s not true. You need to know this, but your client may not. It’s not their role to know and understand it, but it is yours.
An even bigger mistake is using this terminology in sales conversations with clients. Often, clients don’t want to hear it and say they don’t have time to continue. You might do great work over the phone, but technical terminology without context often leads to a lack of interaction.
Let’s move on to SEO reports.
I’ll now present on-page and off-page SEO in practice. Here are the 5 most important elements you should know when discussing these differences.
On-Page SEO
Keyword Optimization
Use relevant keywords naturally within your content, including in the title, headers, and throughout the body text. What’s important—add both short, alike long-tale keywords. Ensure the keywords are strategically placed to improve search engine rankings without keyword stuffing.
High-Quality Content
Create valuable, informative, and engaging content that meets the needs of your audience. High-quality content is more likely to rank well in search engines and attract backlinks.
Meta Tags
Optimize meta titles and descriptions to include primary keywords and accurately describe the content. These tags help search engines understand the content and encourage users to click through from search results.
Internal Linking
Use internal links to connect related content on your site. This helps search engines understand the structure of your site and keeps visitors engaged by guiding them to more relevant content.
Name Images (Image Optimization)
Use descriptive file names and alt text for images, and make sure images are compressed (format .jpg instead of .png) for faster loading times. This improves accessibility and helps search engines index your images properly.
Now, let’s talk more technically.
Off-Page SEO
Backlinks
Acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites is one of the most powerful technique for gaining higher rankings in search results. And it’s organic—no paid interference is needed. These links act as votes of confidence for your site, indicating to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy.
Citation Building
Make sure your business information (Name, Address, Phone Number—NAP) is consistent across all online directories and citation sites. And if you didn’t add it to your website, just make this up. This helps improve local visibility and builds credibility with search engines.
Broken Link Building
Identify broken links on other websites in your niche and offer your content as a replacement. This not only helps the site owner but also secures a valuable backlink for your site.
Skyscraper Technique
Find high-performing content in your niche, create a better and more comprehensive version of it, and then reach out to sites linking to the original content to promote your superior version, aiming to get backlinks.
Guest Blogging
Write guest posts for other websites in your niche. Simply reach out to bloggers or other sites that do a better job than your blog (so far). And ask for a post-exchange. You’ll write something, and they’ll post it. It’s free for both. This not only builds backlinks but also exposes your content to a broader audience, enhancing your site’s authority and organic reach.
Now you know how to distinguish between what the user sees (on-page) and what search engines’ robots see (off-page). Clearly present this to the prospect, and I guarantee you’ll never confuse them again.
Provide Actionable Recommendations
It may sound trivial, but it’s actually one of the more problematic issues.
Often, recommendations are so complex that clients think, “the heck, so what am I paying for?”
However, if a specialist hesitates to give honest feedback, real growth is difficult to achieve without addressing missing elements.
Most importantly, if your SEO report requires it, recommendations must be included. This is a must.
But what if implementing these recommendations would cost the client? Sometimes, purchasing additional services is necessary. If the client is reluctant, inform them about the potential consequences. Try to bridge this gap with in-house services.
Additional SEO elements often include running a blog and making programming-related changes.
If you accurately outline to the client during the service sale what is and isn’t included, the client shouldn’t be caught off guard.
My favorite element is, indeed, the blog.
In many cases, clients view it as… something unnecessary, not needed for their industry. Unfortunately, this is a big mistake. Of course, maintaining a blog isn’t just about search engine optimization, but in many cases, achieving high rankings is difficult without one. It’s up to you to present this to the client effectively.
However, the takeaway is universal: if something must cost extra and can provide far-reaching results, don’t hesitate to offer it. In the worst-case scenario, the client simply won’t take it. That’s it.
Pro Tip: Create Good Reports to Generate More Sales
That’s true. Good SEO reports make clients want to continue working with you longer. And those same clients are more likely to recommend you.
Good reports are clear, simple, and indicate areas for improvement, making it easier to convert your prospects into customers.
When preparing a report, consider: if I were this client, would I be satisfied receiving this report? If you have doubts, it means it’s time to make some improvements.
Creating reports is typically a standard part of your job to maintain the client relationship. However, often agencies (and more specifically, their salespeople) fight for customers, but neglect their maintenance. This isn’t a good approach, but you already know that.
Now you know the 7 best tips to make robust SEO reports. What are your thoughts? What’s your secret sauce for making robust reports for your customers?
If you have any doubts, or questions—hit me up! I’ll be glad to help.
In the meantime, if you like drinking coffee, you can share one with me! 😉 Find the link below. 👇
Thanks for reading and contributing!
Simon
Author Profile
- Simon Gorlak is a Digital Marketing Expert with over 8 years of experience. He specializes in 3 areas: SEO, Copywriting, and Email Marketing. Simon's blog gathers knowledge that helps Marketers & C-level to increase profits from their online businesses. Also, his content helps to reach the most difficult customers, make others' content to be read & purchased. Besides digital marketing, Simon speaks 4 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish & works as a Head of Business at an Indian Start-up.
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