SEO Proposal Template

An SEO proposal has to sell work that pays off over months, not days. This template sets a six-month focus, explains each part of the work from the audit to digital PR, says plainly what results to expect and when, and offers three monthly retainers to choose from.

  • Where You Are
  • The First Six Months
  • How We Work
  • Reporting
  • What to Expect
  • Retainer options
  • What's Not Included
  • Term and Cancellation
  • Payment Terms
  • Ownership and Access
  • Acceptance
  • Signatures from you and your client
Free, no account needed to start. Not legal advice.

Use it when a business wants more traffic and leads from search and is choosing an agency or consultant to run its SEO.

The full template

Words in brackets, like [Client Name], fill in automatically from your client's details when you use the template in Clientary.

In the editor, you can change any section and package options. Once you send it, your client picks a package and signs online. Edit this template online

Thank you for the conversation about growing [Client Name]'s search traffic. This proposal covers where your site stands, what we'll focus on in the first six months, how we work, and three retainer options.

Where You Are

[Summarize the situation, for example: the site ranks well for the company name, but rarely for the services customers search for, and most leads come from referrals and paid ads.]

The First Six Months

Over the first six months, we'll focus on:

  • Fixing the technical issues that keep search engines from crawling and understanding your site
  • Building pages and articles around the searches your customers actually make
  • Earning links and mentions from sites your customers already trust
  • Reporting every month on rankings, traffic, and the leads that come from search

How We Work

Month one: the audit. A full review of your site's technical health, content, and links, and of the competitors ranking where you want to be. It ends with a six-month plan we agree on together.

Technical fixes. Site speed, indexing, page titles and descriptions, structured data, internal links, and anything else the audit finds. We make the fixes ourselves where we have access, or brief your developer.

Content. New pages and articles planned around keyword research, and updates to existing pages that are close to ranking. You approve every piece before it's published.

Links and digital PR. Outreach to industry sites, publications, and partners with useful content and stories worth linking to. We never buy links or use link schemes.

Reporting

You'll receive a monthly report on rankings, organic traffic, and leads from search, with a 45-minute review call to agree on next month's priorities.

What to Expect

Technical fixes can show results within weeks. Content and links take longer, and most clients see meaningful growth in four to six months. Search engines decide rankings, so we can't guarantee a position, but we'll report honestly on progress every month.

Retainer options

Retainers are billed monthly in advance. The first month's retainer covers the full audit and six-month plan.

Foundation · Technical SEO and steady content
Monthly strategy and reporting$800.00
Technical SEO and on-page optimization$1,200.00
Articles and page updates, 2 per month (2)$900.00
Total$2,900.00
Growth · Adds digital PR and more content
Monthly strategy and reporting$1,000.00
Technical SEO and on-page optimization$1,200.00
Articles and page updates, 4 per month (4)$1,800.00
Digital PR and link outreach$1,500.00
Total$5,500.00
Authority · For competitive searches and larger sites
Monthly strategy and reporting$1,200.00
Technical SEO and on-page optimization$1,500.00
Articles and page updates, 6 per month (6)$2,700.00
Digital PR and link outreach$2,500.00
Total$7,900.00

What's Not Included

  • Website redesign or new development, which we quote separately
  • Paid search advertising, and any advertising spend
  • Photography and video beyond stock images
  • Hours beyond the monthly scope, billed at $120 per hour with your approval

Term and Cancellation

The retainer starts with a three-month minimum term, then continues month to month. Either party may end it with 30 days' written notice. You may change retainer levels with the start of any month.

Payment Terms

The first month's retainer is due on signing. After that, retainers are invoiced on the 1st of each month and due within 15 days. We may pause work on accounts more than 30 days overdue.

Ownership and Access

Content we create for you is yours once paid for. Your analytics, search console, and website accounts stay in your name, with access granted to us for the length of the retainer.

Acceptance

Choose your retainer level and sign below to get started. We'll schedule your audit kickoff within one week.

How to use this template in Clientary

  1. Edit it online. Change any section, add your own, and add a fee table with packages the client can choose from. No account needed.
  2. Preview it as your client will see it. Fill in who it's for and pick a design.
  3. Start your free trial to send it. Confirm you'll have it reviewed, since templates aren't legal advice, and your proposal is waiting in your new account with your client's details filled in.
  4. Send it to be signed. Your client reviews, chooses a package, and signs online, and you can see when it's viewed and signed.

Learn more about proposal software in Clientary.

Frequently asked questions

How long does SEO take to show results?

Technical fixes can help within weeks, but content and links usually take four to six months to move rankings and traffic in a meaningful way. A six-month plan with monthly reporting sets that expectation from the start.

Can an SEO agency guarantee rankings?

No. Search engines decide rankings and change how they do it often. Agencies can commit to the work, the plan, and honest reporting, and track progress against goals the client agrees on.

Is this seo proposal template free?

Yes. Read and copy the full text on this page, or edit it online and see it as your client will. When it's ready, start a free Clientary trial to send it or download it as a PDF.

Has a lawyer reviewed this template?

No. It's a general starting point written by Clientary, not legal advice, and it hasn't been reviewed by a lawyer for your situation or the laws where you and your client work. Have your own counsel review it before you use or sign it.

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