Getting clients to say yes to SEO services is tough. An SEO proposal template makes your job easier by including your plan, what you'll do, and your prices into a clear document that excites clients to work with you.
Clients need to see that you know what you're doing and will finish the work. I'm giving you a simple guide you can use right away, including what to write, how to set prices, and how to explain SEO so everyone gets it.
Think of it as your game plan that shows off your ideas, walks through your method, and proves you really understand what the client needs. A solid SEO project proposal spells out exactly what's covered, how the work flows from start to finish, and what clients can expect– making you way more likely to land the project.
The best proposals keep everything moving in the right direction and stop clients from asking for things that were never part of the deal. So what pieces do you need to create a proposal that clients actually sign? Let me walk you through it.
Good proposals tell a story with each section naturally leading into the next.
This section demonstrates you've done your research. Repeat back what they told you– maybe they need more website visitors, want to rank higher in Google, or need customers to find them online instead of through expensive ads. Be specific about how you'll measure success, e.g., traffic numbers, search rankings, and the number of leads coming through the door.
Show them where they rank today, how much traffic they're getting, what's holding them back, and how they compare to competitors. Use screenshots, charts, and simple tables to back up everything you say. Then connect the dots between problems and their goals, such as how slow mobile speed hurts rankings, especially since mobile devices account for over 62% of organic search traffic. Or thin content keeps them out of important searches.
This part of your SEO proposal should break down your approach into concrete areas such as fixing technical issues, creating content, building links, and optimizing pages. Organize everything into stages with realistic timeframes.
For example, "First 90 days: We'll fix technical problems, find the best keywords, optimize your 10 most important pages, and plan your content." Show how your SEO work connects to their other marketing– the content you create will strengthen their emails, social posts, and ads by keeping everything consistent.
Write out exactly what they get each month, e.g., "4 optimized blog posts (1,500+ words), 8-10 technical fixes, 5-8 quality backlinks, monthly reports, plus a 60-minute strategy call." Specify what's included and what costs extra, like managing social media, running ads, or handling urgent issues after hours.
Set realistic timelines upfront to prevent disappointment. To illustrate:
Meaningful ranking improvements usually take 3-6 months, and SEO campaigns typically achieve positive ROI within 6-12 months. Your phased approach delivers quick technical wins in Months 1-2, growing content visibility in Months 3-4, and compounding traffic and lead growth in Months 6-12.
This honesty builds trust and prevents scope creep that kills so many SEO projects.
Introduce the team working on their account, such as the SEO strategist, content creators, designers, and their main contact, and mention relevant wins. Highlight your special advantages, like having writers and designers in-house, but always connect these back to solving their specific problems and getting better results.
Unlike regular SEO firms that just chase keywords, you ensure SEO supports their brand personality and customer experience as you build trust and enhance their brand.
Offer three packages so clients can easily compare and pick what fits their needs and budget. This tiered approach in your SEO proposal example helps clients see the value at different investment levels. Here’s an example:
Show this as a simple table so clients instantly see what each level includes.
Choose your pricing model based on the project type.
Help clients understand where their investment goes by breaking down a typical monthly budget. For example:
Always specify what's included with what costs extra, like social media, paid ads, or rush projects.
Avoid these common pricing mistakes:
A complete SEO proposal template always includes clear payment terms and contract length. Explain how payment works, e.g., first month paid upfront, then monthly payments on the same date. Explain the difference between small tweaks and big changes to the plan, and clarify how extra requests affect the budget and timeline.
This is where you protect against scope creep by defining what's included in your base retainer versus what triggers additional costs.
Spell out the agreement length. I recommend 6-12 months since SEO takes time to work, and include cancellation terms upfront, such as 30 days' notice from either side. When educating clients on SEO timelines, be clear that shorter contracts rarely provide enough time to demonstrate ROI and ultimately harm both parties.
Close with an actionable path forward. Explain how they accept, like signing electronically, and give them a timeline for kicking off that connects to their business goals or launch dates.
Walk them through what happens after signing.
For example, you'll schedule their discovery call within a day, they'll share access credentials, your audit starts Week 1, and actual work begins Month 1.
This helps them feel confident taking the next step.
Top agencies set realistic expectations and demonstrate proven results in their proposals, which helps you stand out from the competition.
Talk about their business problem and how you'll fix it using simple words, not technical terms. Focus on results they care about, like getting 50% more leads or lowering costs, then explain what success looks like in 6-12 months before getting into the technical stuff.
Use charts, competitor comparisons, and simple diagrams to make your proposal easy to understand at first glance. Break it into clear sections with headers and space so busy clients can quickly find what they need, and for big proposals, create a nice-looking PDF that shows your professional quality.
Don't just copy and paste the same proposal for every client—customize it each time. Use details from your conversations with them, add examples from similar companies, and replace generic words with specific solutions that match their unique problems and goals.
Show case studies with real results like more traffic, better rankings, and increased leads to prove you can do the job. Add client testimonials about your communication and results so new clients can imagine working with you, and include any awards in an "About" section that adds credibility without distracting from what matters to the client.
Once a client says yes, turn your proposal into a clear plan with specific tasks and due dates for fixing their website, writing content, and building links. Pick one person to handle everything so nothing gets lost and everyone knows what's happening.
Setting honest expectations from the beginning helps keep clients happy and paying you regularly. Without good systems, SEO projects get messy fast, such as lost passwords, missed deadlines, and confused clients. ManyRequests fixes this with a client portal where they can ask about work, check reports, message your team, and see what's done all in one spot. Try ManyRequests free for 14 days to keep your SEO projects organized with professional tools that make clients trust you and stay longer.
Download our free SEO proposal template to help you win more clients, it has helped many agencies get new business.
What's the difference between an SEO proposal and a simple quote?
A quote lists the monthly cost, while an SEO proposal template includes pricing, your strategic approach, what you'll deliver, timeline, proof of past results, and why you're the right choice for growing their organic presence.
How do you write an SEO proposal for a client?
Start by understanding their business goals and current challenges through a discovery call. Then, audit their website to show where they stand today. Build your proposal around their specific problems—include your strategy, what you'll deliver each month, realistic timelines, and clear pricing. Make it visual with charts and simple language that they can understand.
How long should SEO contracts run?
Most SEO agencies require 6-12-month minimum agreements because meaningful results take 3-6 months to appear, with most SEO campaigns achieving positive ROI within 6-12 months. This protects your ability to deliver results while giving clients enough time to see a return on investment before deciding whether to renew.