Set SEO client expectations in week one by saying two things out loud, then writing both down: how long a change can take to show, and what no one can promise. Google's own pages give you words for each, so the client isn't taking them on your say-so alone.
What are realistic SEO expectations?
Realistic SEO expectations are the ones that match what Google itself says about the wait and about guarantees. Its SEO Starter Guide says: "Every change you make will take some time to be reflected on Google's end". On its page about whether you need an SEO, Google says "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google".
What Google says about the wait
The guide adds that some changes might take effect within a few hours, while others could take several months. The guide's advice on timing: you'll likely want to let a few weeks pass before you judge your work.
Notice what the guide is talking about: single changes to a site. It doesn't say how many months SEO takes, so leave that number out of what you tell a client.
What's yours to promise
Promise what's in your hands:
- the work you'll do each month, by name
- the date the report arrives
- the person the client talks to
- that you'll say what you changed, and why
- that you'll say so when a change shows nothing
Say each of these in plain words, and ask the client to say them back. For plain words for what SEO is, see how to explain SEO to clients.
What never to promise
Leave these out, however much a client wants them:
- a place in the search results, for any search
- a date when results arrive
- that every change will show in the numbers
If a client asks for one of them, show them Google's lines above and offer the list of what you do promise.
If you're not sure what to promise a new client, talk it over with our team. The call is a short one, and it comes with no obligation.
SEO expectations vs reality: what do you tell a client?
Tell the client four things before the work starts: you won't promise a date for results, not every change will show in the numbers, nobody can guarantee the number one spot on Google, and the first reports show work before wins. Then say what you'll do in place of each.
| What a client may expect | What to tell them |
|---|---|
| Results by a set date | "I can give you the date of each change, and the date we'll look at it together." |
| Every change to move the numbers | Google's guide says not all the changes you make to a site will have an effect you can notice in search results. "I'll tell you which changes showed nothing, and what we'll try next." |
| A guarantee, because another firm offered one | Google warns businesses about SEOs who claim they can guarantee rankings. Its advice, when an SEO guarantees first place in search results, is to look for a different SEO. |
| A first report full of wins | "The first reports show the work we did and what we're watching. I'll mark early signs as early." |
If the client still asks for a guarantee
- Ask what they've been told before, and by whom.
- Show them the two pages, and let them read the lines for themselves.
- Go back to what you do promise, and offer to put it in writing that day.
- Say plainly that you won't promise a ranking. Then let the client decide.
How to write both down
- Write a short summary in the first week. Give it two parts: what you promise, and what you can't.
- In the first part, list the work, the report date and the name of the client's contact.
- In the second part, put the two lines on the wait and on guarantees, each with a link to its page.
- Send the summary by email, and ask the client to reply once they've read it.
- Bring it back out at the first report, and read it again together.
The summary is one step in bringing a client on. For the first 30 days with a new SEO client, see SEO client onboarding.
The monthly report is where you show the client that you kept each promise. For why a report with your name on it matters, see Why is white label SEO reporting important?.
Keep saying the same lines while the numbers are flat. For the slow first months of an SEO account, see how to retain SEO clients.
How it looks from the client's chair
Michael Quinn, the founder of My Site Ranked, is an SEO expert who has led a digital marketing agency for seven years. Quinn came to DeskTeam360 on the Duct Tape Marketing Network's recommendation. By Quinn's account, DeskTeam360 sets expectations up front and then meets them, and that spared Quinn disappointment. Quinn also says: "I Am More Than Confident That I’m Getting My Money’s Worth And More Bang For My Buck."
For a second view on your week one promises, a call with our team is short, and there's no obligation.