The SEO reports of your clients must have all important data, metrics, and analytical insights. This guide will help you create comprehensive reports with RanksPro.
How to Create SEO Reports for Clients: The Complete Guide (2026)
When it comes to SEO, putting in the effort is just part of the equation. The other half is showing that your efforts are actually making a difference.
You could be smashing records in organic traffic or addressing major technical issues, but if your client can’t make sense of the data, they might not see the value in what you’re doing. That’s where a solid SEO report becomes your best friend for keeping clients around.
A good SEO report doesn’t just throw a bunch of numbers at a client; it weaves a narrative. It helps connect the dots between complicated metrics and actual business income. Whether you’re freelancing, running an agency, or working in-house, nailing the client report is crucial for success in the long run.
In this detailed guide, we’re going to show you exactly how to create SEO reports for clients that are not only insightful and easy to digest but also hard to overlook.
Plus, we’ll share some tips on how to make this process smoother with RanksPro, so your reporting can be just as effective as your SEO strategy.
What is an SEO Report?
An SEO report is a document that gives a rundown of a website’s performance in search engines over a certain timeframe. It highlights important SEO metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, backlink growth, and overall technical health.
However, in 2026, a report is more than just a spreadsheet. It is a strategic asset that answers three fundamental questions for your client:
- What did you do? (Activities)
- What happened? (Results)
- What’s next? (Strategy)
If your report fails to answer “What’s next?”, you are leaving your client in the dark.
Why You Should Consider SEO Reporting Important for Clients?
Before diving into the “how,” it is vital to understand the “why.”
In a sector where most marketing experts prioritize showing the ROI-driven stats to their clients, an SEO report is super important. Without a clear, precise report, SEO can look like another draining expense. Here’s why great reporting is a must-have in 2026:
1. Establishing Radical Transparency & Trust
SEO is often seen as a mystery. Unlike a PPC ad that pops up right away, the progress isn’t often visible to everyone, which includes technical SEO audits, schema tweaks, and link-building.
The Problem: Studies show that bad communication is the top reason clients dump agencies. If they don’t see the work, they think nothing’s being done.
The Solution: A report is clear proof of your work. Using RanksPro’s Activity Logs and Site Audit history, you can show clients exactly which technical problems you fixed and which keywords you boosted from way back on page 10 to page 1.
Transparency transforms you from a “vendor” into a “trusted partner.”
2. Justifying ROI (The Language of Business)
In the end, clients aren’t really interested in things like “backlinks” or “meta tags.” What they care about is growth. Your report needs to bridge the gap between technical numbers and the money going into their pockets.
Recent industry data shows that SEO boasts one of the best ROIs among marketing channels, averaging $2.75 back for every $1 invested. But if you’re not tracking conversions, the client just sees that $1 going out without realizing the potential $2.75 coming back in.
A solid SEO report should connect those dots. It’s not enough to say that a keyword moved to position #3; you also need to demonstrate that this ranking brought about a 22% boost in organic click-through rate (CTR), resulting in 50 new lead submissions.
When clients can see a clear link between your tactics and their revenue, they’re much more likely to stick with you.
3. Client Education & Expectation Management
SEO is a long game, but many people think they’ll see results right away. They might not understand why they’re not beating huge brands for popular terms like insurance in just a few weeks.
Data shows it usually takes 3 to 6 months for a new page to rank well for a tough keyword. SEO Reports help you explain this. Using RanksPro’s Competitor Analysis, you can show people the Keyword Gap.
For example, you can show that a competitor has way more backlinks or a faster site, explaining your plan.
Patient clients know that SEO success builds up over time.
4. Strategic Pivot Point
Reports aren’t just about looking back; they’re meant to help us plan for the future. An SEO report serves as a diagnostic tool for your strategy.
If the report shows that while organic traffic is increasing, conversion rates are dipping, it signals to you (and your client) that next month’s priority should shift to Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) instead of just pumping out more content.
When you share a report that highlights a specific blog post driving 40% of all leads, you’ve got solid data to make a case for increasing the budget for similar content.
Must-include Metrics in an SEO Report
When putting together a report meant to impress, it’s crucial to cut through the clutter. You don’t want to drown your clients in 50 pages of raw data. Focus on these essential parts:
1. Executive Summary
This section matters the most. If your client is a busy CEO, they might just skim this part. Keep it straightforward and highlight the month’s successes, challenges, and the overall performance.
For example: “This month, organic traffic went up by 15%. We resolved 10 major crawl issues and made it to page 1 for our main target keyword.”
2. Traffic Overview
This is an important section in an SEO report where you give an idea to your client on how they are being reached. The data shouldn’t just show clicks; it should reflect whether your client is getting engaged by the right audience or not.
- Organic Visits & People: See how your audience from search engines is growing. This shows if more people know your brand.
- Engagement Rate: This number shows how many people really use your site. A higher number means your SEO work is attracting the right crowd.
- Best Performing Pages: These pages are your winners and show which topics your customers care about most.
3. Keyword Ranking Progress
Shoring keyword rankings focuses on providing a clear picture of your client’s presence among top-searched terms by their audiences.
- Ranking Changes: See current rankings of the client and track the monthly changes. A keyword jumping from #12 to #3 is a win. Also, show LLM rank tracking scenarios so that your clients know you’re well aware of the latest trends.
- Search Volume vs. Value: This helps put rankings in context by showing the potential traffic each keyword could generate.
- Branded vs. Non-Branded: It’s important to distinguish between searches for the client’s name and those searching with industry terms. A rise in non-branded keywords really indicates that the SEO strategy is heading in the right direction.
4. Conversions and Goals
Traffic means nothing if it doesn’t turn into revenue. This part helps justify all the money the client spends on your services.
- New Leads: We’ll keep track of how many people fill out forms, reach out to you, or sign up for the newsletter as a result of search results.
- Online Sales: If you’re selling online, we’ll help you see how much revenue comes directly from people finding you through searches.
- Direct Inquiries: Monitor phone calls (using GBP or tracking tools) to demonstrate how SEO contributes to offline business growth.
5. Technical Health
SEO is impossible on a broken website. This section provides peace of mind that the site is healthy, fast, and secure.
- Overall Health Score: This is a straightforward score from RanksPro that tells you how well your site is performing.
- Resolution Log: A summary of “fixes”, such as repairing 404 errors or broken redirects, to show proactive site maintenance.
- Core Web Vitals: A snapshot of site speed and user experience, which are critical Google ranking factors in 2026.
6. Backlink Profile
Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other sites. This part shows what you’ve done to build the site’s authority.
- Referring Domains: The number of unique and high authority sites linking to your client is more important than the total number of links. Simply put, the quality of backlinks is more crucial than quantity.
- Authority Metrics: Keep an eye on how Domain Authority (DA) or similar scores improve. This shows the website is becoming a more trusted source in its area.
Steps to Create SEO Reports for Clients with RanksPro
Practically, it is really hectic to create SEO reports for clients manually, that is, by adding data in Excel sheets. Here, you can use RanksPro to create all-inclusive SEO reports that can help your clients understand data and see progress.
Step 1: Set Up Your Project and Goals
Before generating a report, ensure your data is accurate.
- Log in to your RanksPro dashboard.
- dd your client’s domain as a “Project.”
Select the specific search engines (Google, Bing) and locations (Country/City) relevant to the client. Local SEO clients need precise geo-targeting, which RanksPro handles effortlessly (150+ countries supported).
Step 2: Input Target Keywords
You can’t report on rankings if you aren’t tracking them.
- Upload the list of keywords you are targeting for the client.
- Use the Keyword Research tool within RanksPro to find additional high-opportunity terms you might have missed.
- Group these keywords by “Intent” (e.g., Buying vs. Informational) to make the report clearer.
Step 3: Run a Comprehensive Site Audit
No one wants a broken website. Show clients you’re on top of things.
- Go to the Site Audit tool in RanksPro and start a new crawl.
- You’ll see a visual report of errors (like 404s), warnings (such as missing meta descriptions), and notices.
In your report, don’t list every small issue. Instead, say something like: We found 12 important technical issues, and fixed 8 of them, which made the site 20% faster.
Step 4: Analyze Competitor Performance
It’s important to know the comparison. Your client might be growing, but are they growing faster than their rivals?
- Use RanksPro’s Competitor Analysis tool.
- Add 2-3 of the client’s main competitors.
- The tool will show how your client’s visibility compares to competitors.
If your client is gaining ground while a competitor is losing it, that’s a big success to mention in your report.
Step 5: Generate the White-Label Report
This is where you look like a pro. Sending screenshots of a tool looks amateur. RanksPro offers White Label Reporting.
How to do it:
- Go to the Reporting section.
- Upload your Agency’s Logo (or your personal brand logo).
- Customize the color scheme to match your brand.
- Select the modules you want to include (Rankings, Audit, Competitors).
- Download as PDF or set up a shareable link.
The client receives a polished, professional document that looks like it was custom-coded by your team.
Step 6: Add Your Perspectives As Well
SEO tools can create insight-driven SEO reports for your clients, but you need to add some human touch to make these reports interactive. Add your own notes that can help your clients understand your vision, idea, or even the progress.
For Example: “You will notice a slight dip in traffic on the 15th. This correlates with the seasonal holiday trend and is not a technical concern. We expect a rebound next week.”
How Often Should You Send SEO Reports?
How often you report really depends on the client’s tier and what they need.
- Monthly: This one’s ideal for most clients. It gives enough time for SEO changes to kick in and show real trends.
- Quarterly: The clients who are interested in seeing a big shift in the progress and not just daily tracking can have quarterly SEO reports.
- Weekly: Weekly reports are generally shared with clients when they want to see even a little progress in traffic, rankings, or engagement rates. With RanksPro, you can set Automated Email Alerts that will keep your clients updated with the latest stats.
Must-flow Practices for SEO Reporting to Clients in 2026
1. Visualize the Data
A graph showing an upward trend is worth a thousand words. RanksPro’s dashboard provides intuitive line graphs that make progress undeniable.
2. Focus on “Share of Voice”
In 2026, it’s not just about landing that #1 spot; it’s about how much visibility you have. Are you showing up in the Featured Snippet, the Local Pack, or the Image results? Make sure to mention these details.
3. Mobile vs. Desktop
Since Google focuses on mobile-first indexing, you need to keep an eye on both desktop and mobile rankings. RanksPro lets you track them separately. If most of your client’s traffic comes from mobile, make sure your report focuses on their mobile rankings.
4. Don’t Hide Bad News
If traffic goes down, explain why before your client has to ask. Was there a Google update? Is it just a slow time of year? Is something broken? Being honest builds trust more than pretending everything is fine.
Conclusion
Putting together an SEO report for your clients doesn’t have to be stressful at all. It’s actually your chance to show off your skills, justify your fees, and maybe even suggest some extra services.
While rankings are nice to look at, what really matters to business owners are conversions, basically, the ROI. Keep the report brief; a PDF that’s around 3 to 5 pages is usually enough. It’s all about providing valuable insights rather than just piling on a lot of data.
By zeroing in on the metrics that count, like Traffic, Rankings, and Conversions, and using a handy tool like RanksPro, you can save a ton of time on manual data entry by automating the whole process.
Plus, you can set up reports to be automatically generated and sent to clients weekly or monthly. With features like White Labeling, Multi-Project Management, and Competitor Tracking, it’s designed to grow along with your agency.
