When it comes to SEO client reporting, don’t overcomplicate it. Clients aren’t looking for a dissertation—they want to know: What’s working, what did you do, and are we getting closer to the results we want?
You don’t need a fancy dashboard or a $300/month tool to pull this off. In fact, most of my clients prefer something short, clear, and conversational. That’s why we put together a free SEO client reporting template (linked below) that you can tweak and use in 10 minutes or less.
So, What Should You Actually Include? SEO takes time, and so most clients mainly want to see progress.
When it comes to reporting, here’s what SEO client’s care about most:
- A few top keywords and whether they moved up
- A short list of what you worked on since the last update
- Any new content you published or optimized
- A quick mention of what’s next
That’s it.
No need to walk them through schema, Core Web Vitals, or backlink disavows unless they specifically ask.
When Should You Send SEO Reports?
There’s no one-size-fits-all schedule, but here’s what usually works:
- Every 2 weeks – Great for new clients, fast-moving projects, or when you’re creating content or optimizing pages weekly. It keeps the momentum going and shows frequent progress.
- Every month – The most common cadence. Good for steady retainer clients or less aggressive SEO timelines.
- Every quarter – Works if the client is more hands-off or if you’re doing long-term technical SEO, like site architecture or backlink cleanup.
The key is to stay consistent. Set expectations early, and don’t leave clients wondering what’s going on behind the scenes. Even a short monthly check-in builds trust and keeps them engaged.
What’s the Best Format?
Google Docs works great. So does Notion. If you’re fancy, Looker Studio or SEMrush My Reports is fine, but honestly, when I send a simple doc with a few screenshots and bullet points gets opened more often.
Keep it casual. Try something like:
“Hey Sam,
Just wrapped up your SEO update. A few keywords jumped, and we published that services page we discussed. I’ve also outlined 3 quick wins I’ll tackle next. Full breakdown below.”
Free SEO Client Reporting Template
Want something you can copy and use today? Here you go:
👉 Download the free SEO Client Reporting Template (Google Doc)
Final Tip
Good reporting isn’t about showing how smart you are—it’s about showing your client that you’re consistent, active, and getting them closer to their goals. Keep it clear. Keep it short. Keep it coming.