What to do if a client is asking about SEO organic traffic growth, but you just started?

When a client asks about SEO organic traffic growth and you've just started working on their SEO strategy, it's important to set realistic expectations and communicate effectively about the process and timeline. Here's what you can do:

Use CTR & SERP clicking tools like ApexTraffic.

• When promoting a new website in a competitive niche, the process can take months before you can show the client positive growth in traffic from organic results, and this depends not only on you but also on dozens of factors, because the site may not be ready, or the content writer is delaying writing the texts.
• In such cases, it is recommended to gradually purchase organic traffic, for example, for brand keywords, until your content begins to rank. This is, of course, not very ethical in relation to the client, but the client does not understand that the process takes time. And when the main content starts to grow, you can turn off the bot traffic.

Explain the SEO Process:

• Education: Inform the client that SEO is a long-term strategy, and it typically takes several months to see significant changes in organic traffic.
• Strategy Outline: Describe the steps you will take, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, content creation, and link building.

Set Realistic Expectations:

• Timeline: Give them a rough timeline of when they can expect to see initial results, usually between 3-6 months for some initial traction and up to a year for more substantial results.
• Progress Indicators: Explain that while traffic is a key performance indicator (KPI), other early indicators of progress include improved keyword rankings, increased impressions in search results, and growth in organic click-through rates (CTR).

Regular Communication:

• Reporting: Establish a reporting schedule to update the client on progress with data from Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or other SEO tools.
• Check-Ins: Have regular meetings or calls to discuss the progress and any adjustments to the strategy.

Early Wins:

• Quick Fixes: Implement any quick fixes that can bring in short-term improvements, such as fixing broken links, optimizing meta tags, or improving site speed.
• Content Optimization: Optimize existing content for quick wins in rankings and traffic.

Demonstrate Initial Progress:

• Baseline Reports: Show the current state of their website's SEO performance as a baseline to measure against in the future.
• Small Successes: Highlight any small successes as they happen, such as improvements in rankings for certain keywords or increased organic impressions.

Educate About Influencing Factors:

• Competitive Landscape: Explain how the competition affects their SEO and what it will take to outperform them.
• Algorithm Updates: Make them aware that search engine algorithm updates can impact rankings and traffic.

Manage the Workload:

• Prioritization: If resources are limited, focus on the most impactful SEO tasks first.
• Outsourcing: Consider whether outsourcing certain tasks might be beneficial to get results sooner, such as content creation or link building.

Long-Term Strategy:

• Content Plan: Discuss the importance of a content strategy that targets a variety of keywords related to their niche over time.
• Adaptation: Stress the importance of being adaptable as SEO is not a set-and-forget strategy; it requires ongoing effort and adjustment.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can manage your client's expectations effectively while also setting the foundation for a strong and productive working relationship as you progress with the SEO strategy. Remember, the key to client satisfaction in SEO isn't just delivering results, but also ensuring that the client understands the process and the realistic time frame for achieving their goals.