A 9-Step Information to Writing an search engine optimization Proposal [Free Template]

Think about you might have a whole bunch of recordsdata in a folder labeled “Necessary Recordsdata.” A few of the recordsdata are named by date, some by topic, and a few by creator.

It’s a must to sift via all of them to discover a evaluate of the brand new neighborhood pizza place. With no constant filename or organizational construction, you’re not going to search out that evaluate anytime quickly.

That situation illustrates the worth of technical search engine optimization, which I realized about whereas managing a venture to rebuild a earlier employer’s web site from the bottom up.

The unique web site didn’t have a constant system for creating new URLs — it was like a folder filled with erratically named recordsdata — which made it onerous for search engines like google to index and rank new pages.

With out an applicable URL construction, implementing a keyword-based search engine optimization technique wouldn’t have performed us a lot good. We wanted a technique that met us the place we had been.

I share this as a result of it demonstrates two of an important factors on this nine-step information to drafting an search engine optimization proposal: 1. Know your potential shopper’s wants, and 2. Use clear, easy-to-understand language.

Desk of Contents

When a possible shopper desires to stage up their search engine marketing (search engine optimization), you’ll have to draft a profitable proposal to win their enterprise.

I talked to half a dozen consultants to create this search engine optimization proposal template, which I encourage you to adapt to your individual wants and clientele.

The consultants characterize a variety of expertise, together with nonprofits, tech corporations, small companies, and huge firms.

Everyone handles search engine optimization proposals just a little in a different way, however there are some clear do’s and don’ts — together with one piece of recommendation that each single professional talked about.

“I all the time begin with an audit, as a result of I can’t enhance one thing if I don’t know what’s occurring,” Merove Heifetz, founder and chief digital strategist of Acquisition Digital, tells me. “The audit is basically foundational.”

Brent D. Payne, founder and CEO of Loud Interactive, shared just a little bit about his audit course of. He begins by wanting on the shopper’s Google Search Console for present rankings and site visitors. He additionally likes to get purchasers’ income fashions to see “what number of {dollars} they usually get from an internet customer.”

Armed with this knowledge, he spends a number of hours doing key phrase analysis utilizing instruments like Ahrefs and SEMrush, and makes use of AI to arrange key phrases into classes and subcategories. The result’s a large spreadsheet — we’re speaking 50,000 or 60,000 traces of knowledge — that reveals strengths and alternatives.

You may also obtain HubSpot’s free key phrase analysis template to assist set up and analyze knowledge collected throughout this step.

HubSpot’s personal Head of EN Development, Rory Hope, advises aligning your search engine optimization technique together with your shopper’s enterprise targets very early within the relationship. “It’s going to will let you plan the search engine optimization roadmap extra intently to these targets every time attainable,” he says.

Professional tip: The web site audit is vital, however don’t low cost how fruitful dialog could be. Tory Grey, CEO and founding father of The Grey Dot Firm, says that “it’s actually vital to take heed to the shopper.

What are they searching for? How are you going to give them what they want? As a result of for those who can replicate that within the proposal and the work that you simply do, [you] will stand out.”

Hope agrees. “Focus fully on the shopper, their enterprise, and issues and ache factors.”

Can AI do it for me?

It will possibly definitely assist! Many individuals within the search engine optimization trade use AI to arrange and interpret large quantities of knowledge gleaned throughout web site audits and competitor analysis. This is usually a large time-saver whenever you’re defining targets.

It’s value noting that numerous seasoned professionals have invested in proprietary AI instruments. Payne says that Loud Interactive spent three months programming one such software — and it’s decreased a month’s value of labor to 3 hours.

2. Govt Abstract: In a number of sentences, lay out the broad strokes of your plan utilizing jargon-free language.

“Describe the service [you’ll provide] in as broad, pleasant, and approachable phrases as attainable,” says freelance advertising and marketing strategist Rachel Claff.

There’s loads of time to get into the weeds; proper now you simply need to show that you simply perceive the shopper’s targets and have a technique for assembly them.

Claff suggests structuring your proposal like a funnel, with the broad companies outlined on the prime, and going into extra element within the scope and funds.

Professional tip: Use plain language. Each search engine optimization professional I talked to, no matter their specialty or trade, emphasised how vital it’s to depart the jargon on the door. Write like a human, be pleasant, outline acronyms and different trade phrases, and be clear and concise.

Can AI do it for me?

So long as you’re ready to edit out jargon or different unclear language, instruments like ChatGPT can velocity up this course of.

3. Analysis and Analytics: Primarily based in your analysis and web site audit, present a number of key insights.

This one could also be onerous to listen to for those who love spreadsheet (I see you), however your proposal ought to include only a few key insights.

Phillip Lunn, CEO and co-founder of West Loop search engine optimization, says, “Do not burden potential purchasers with phrases and knowledge that may very well be reserved for the individual behind the pc doing the implementations.”

The purpose of your proposal is for the potential shopper to turn into your shopper. They don’t have to see 20 pages of knowledge — however they do have to belief that you simply’ve constructed an search engine optimization roadmap that may obtain their enterprise targets.

Professional tip: To keep away from overwhelming a possible shopper, Payne doesn’t open together with his 500-megabyte spreadsheet. He makes use of insights from the info to create 12-page Google Slides shows, that are much more palatable for the layperson.

Can AI do it for me?

Nearly definitely, relying in your consolation and expertise with AI instruments. It’s not an alternative choice to your individual expertise and perception, however it will possibly velocity up your analysis and evaluation. As Payne places it, “AI is an effectivity software.”

4. Alternatives: What particular areas are you able to assist your shopper obtain vital outcomes?

Don’t underestimate the ability of a case examine to show the worth of your work. Claff says that many purchasers are stunned by how rapidly they see outcomes, so utilizing a earlier success for instance is extra persuasive than merely promising to “increase your search engine optimization.”

Rory Hope says, “Show the worth you‘ve achieved for different purchasers. Embrace quotes. And for those who can’t share main knowledge, use a third-party software like Ahrefs to indicate the visibility uplifts.”

Can AI do it for me?

In the event you’re utilizing case research from your individual expertise, you’re your individual greatest useful resource. That doesn’t imply AI can’t assist, particularly when you’ve got entry to proprietary instruments.

5. Commerce-offs: Be crystal clear in regards to the scope of your proposal, each when it comes to what’s included and what isn’t.

Tory Grey gave me an amazing instance of what this could appear like.

Her agency usually works with nonprofits that need to keep away from the phrase “charity,” however “they nonetheless need to present up [in searches] for ‘local weather change charity’ or ‘water charity’ or no matter they give attention to. So how do they do this?”

It’s a tough query that she navigates via numerous dialog with the shopper. Shoppers have totally different ranges of consolation; one is likely to be comfy utilizing the phrase “charity” in alt textual content that describes pictures, and one other would possibly need to keep away from it altogether.

When Grey proposes options, she ensures that the shopper understands the trade-offs.

In case your proposal consists of “musts” and “nice-to-haves,” word these in your funds (step 8) to keep away from scope creep.

Professional tip: “Be 100% above board and ensure [you’re] delivering the best info,” Grey says. And be humble: Grey additionally makes use of this as a chance for the potential shopper to appropriate her if there’s been any misunderstandings.

Can AI do it for me?

Your expertise is among the most dear issues you possibly can carry right into a shopper partnership. In the event you usually work with purchasers with advanced requests, use AI to assist spark concepts, however rely by yourself expertise with comparable challenges.

6. Expectations and Deliverables: In clear, plain language, lay out what you’ll want out of your shopper and what they’ll anticipate from you.

What info will the shopper want to supply upfront, and on an ongoing foundation? What points of the venture require collaboration? What sorts of outcomes ought to they anticipate to see?

Rory Hope places it succinctly: “Outlining what search engine optimization can and might’t obtain is essential for expectation administration.” He suggests constructing this into your search engine optimization roadmap by together with natural site visitors leads and income uplift projections subsequent to every search engine optimization precedence.

Professional tip: Hope provides, “Clearly listing out every deliverable that you will be finishing for a shopper, each in the beginning throughout the audit section, but additionally as an ongoing a part of the technique. Think about your key decision-maker, and use language that may attraction to that decision-maker.”

Rachel Claff stresses {that a} profitable proposal hinges on listening to your shopper, and gives this instance: “Pinpointing key phrases is a collaboration between the 2 of you … In the event you ask [the client] for his or her optimum key phrases, it is not all the time going to match with what is going to truly get them essentially the most return.”

Your shopper — let’s say it’s the brand new neighborhood pizza joint — might want their web site to be on the primary web page of search outcomes for “pizza.”

I used Ahrefs’ key phrases explorer and located that “pizza” can be “tremendous onerous” to rank for, so I’d counsel a substitute for the shopper that may meet their purpose of accelerating foot site visitors.

Picture Supply

Professional tip: Be particular and don’t promise what you possibly can’t ship. Phillip Lunn says that though his purchasers anticipate him to herald extra high-quality site visitors, he likes to set extra particular expectations primarily based on the shopper’s present digital presence and the info he’s gleaned.

Can AI do it for me?

Each search engine optimization professional I spoke with, even those that lean closely on AI instruments, emphasised the significance of attending to know your shopper. Expectations and deliverables are particular to every shopper, so tread rigorously for those who use AI.

7. Timeline: As a result of search engine optimization isn’t a one-and-done proposition, embody your suggestions for each the short- and long-term.

Some potential purchasers, particularly if that is their first critical foray into search engine optimization, might imagine that it’s one thing you do as soon as.

However “the processes undertaken to achieve natural site visitors are sluggish and regular — as a result of that’s actually what natural site visitors is,” Merove Heifetz says.

Your timeline ought to embody your estimates for analysis, implementation, and upkeep.

Can AI do it for me?

In case you have estimates for sure duties, AI can positively enable you to construct a sensible timeline.

8. Finances: What are you able to moderately accomplish inside your shopper’s funds?

What do you cost, and what’s your cost schedule? That is additionally place to revisit expectations to keep away from falling prey to scope creep.

Rory Hope suggests together with the variety of hours your workforce will allocate to the venture. “The extra granular you could be, the higher,” he says, “because it builds transparency” with the shopper.

Tory Grey provides a word of recommendation for individuals beginning out in search engine optimization: “Don’t be afraid to cost extra. … Don’t undervalue your self or the worth you might be bringing to this enterprise — and the way a lot cash you will make them.”

Professional tip: Heifetz offers “particular suggestions and the extent of precedence for these suggestions.” Shoppers want totally different ranges of help, so she additionally gives choices: The shopper can implement methods together with her supervisory help, they’ll divvy up the work, or Heifetz’s workforce can deal with all of it.

Can AI do it for me?

Simply make sure you double-check its math.

9. CTA: What’s the clear, easy subsequent step your potential shopper must take to signal a contract with you?

The decision to motion ought to be the simplest, quickest step of your proposal: Inform your potential shopper the right way to turn into your precise shopper.

Can AI do it for me?

Positive it will possibly, however do you actually need it to? The decision to motion shouldn’t change a lot from proposal to proposal, so whether or not your potential shopper must click on a button or reply to an e-mail, allow them to know what the subsequent step is.