Client retention is the cornerstone of a successful SEO agency. FACT!
The key to building loyalty and reducing client churn lies in delivering tangible results swiftly. For agencies, this article provides a guide on how to achieve impactful outcomes within the first three months of client engagement.
By leveraging the power of website audits, especially with tools like SE Ranking, you can identify opportunities, rectify issues, and present impactful results to your clients.
1. The Importance of the First 3 Months
The initial three months of any SEO engagement are pivotal. It’s the period where clients form their first impressions, gauge the effectiveness of their investment, and decide whether to continue with your services. Delivering noticeable improvements within this timeframe not only instills confidence in your expertise but also fosters a sense of trust and partnership.
- Cost of Sale Considerations: Let’s consider a mathematical example. Suppose the cost to acquire a new client is £500, and in the first month, you earn £200 from them. By the end of the third month, if you’ve earned a total of £600, only then have you truly covered the acquisition cost and started making a profit. Swift results can expedite this payback period, ensuring a healthier bottom line.
- Managing Expectations: For instance, after gaining full access to a client’s e-commerce site, you might discover that their checkout process is cumbersome, leading to cart abandonment. While the client might have expected quick fixes, this deeper issue requires a more comprehensive solution. Transparent communication about such challenges and the roadmap to address them becomes paramount.
- Clear Reporting Aligned with Business Aims: Imagine a local bakery wants to increase online orders for its signature cakes. Instead of just showing an increase in website traffic, your report should highlight the growth in online cake orders specifically, demonstrating a direct correlation with the client’s business objective.
2. The Power of Website Audits
- Analyse the Client’s Website: With SE Ranking, you can delve deep into various aspects of a website, offering a holistic view of its SEO health.
- Find Quick Wins: While the term “quick wins” implies speed, it’s essential to understand that these are not just rapid fixes but often bring high value to the client. For instance, optimising a meta description might seem like a small task, but if it leads to a 10% increase in click-through rates, its value is immense. It’s crucial not to undervalue such wins in reporting or conversations.
- Fix Problems with Prioritisation: Presenting issues with clarity can be achieved using a structured approach.
For instance:
- Severity: How critical is the issue?
- Effort to Fix: How many resources are required?
- Impact of Fix: When weighted against all issues, how significant is this one?
- Time to Deliver: How long will the solution take?
- Latency to See Results: After implementation, when can results be expected?
- Leading Indicator of Results: Early signs that the solution is working, e.g., an increase in page impressions after improving content.
3. Presenting Results to the Client
Align Results with Business Aims: Using the bakery example, if one of the identified issues was a slow-loading product page for the signature cakes, fixing it would directly align with the business aim of increasing online cake orders.
After rectification, the report could highlight the decrease in page load time alongside an increase in online cake orders, making the SEO efforts tangible and directly tied to the client’s objectives.
4. Tools and Advice for Quick and Quality Results
- Stay Updated: The SEO landscape is ever evolving. Ensure that you’re always updated with the latest trends and algorithm changes. SE Ranking offers regular updates and insights, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
- Prioritise Client Communication: Regularly update your clients about the progress, challenges, and results. Open communication builds trust and sets the right expectations.
- Invest in Training: Ensure that your team is well-versed with the latest tools and techniques. Regular training sessions can enhance the quality of your services and the speed of delivery.
In the competitive world of SEO, delivering fast and quality results is the key to client retention. By harnessing the power of website audits, especially with tools like SE Ranking, agencies and professionals can identify opportunities, implement changes, and showcase tangible results within the first three months.
For agencies, this approach is not just a recommendation but a roadmap to sustained success and growth. With the right strategies and tools in place, SEO professionals can ensure that their efforts align with client expectations and business objectives, leading to lasting partnerships and mutual growth.
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About the Author
Roman Chygur – Head of Affiliates, SE Ranking
With over a decade of experience in marketing, Roman specialises in driving traffic through organic and referral channels, and expertly crafting efficient sales funnels. He views traffic as the ‘new oil’ of the digital age, and adjusts his strategies accordingly.