Hey everyone,
I’m looking for a simple SEO proposal template that clearly shows the roadmap and ROI to clients without getting too technical. I’m also wondering about what key terms and conditions should be included. Any suggestions?
Keep it simple. My proposals are usually 3 pages, 4 at the most. I won’t share mine, but I can list the sections I include. It’s not anything fancy.
- Situational Appraisal
- Objectives
- Measures of Success
- Value to XYZ Company
- Timing
- Methodology and Options
- Joint Accountabilities
- Terms and Conditions
- Acceptance
@plugindoctor
This looks great. Just curious, what exactly is ‘situational appraisal’?
Spenser said:
@plugindoctor
This looks great. Just curious, what exactly is ‘situational appraisal’?
A situational appraisal is a brief summary of the current situation the organization is facing, including the challenges they want help with. It might look something like this:
Acme Corporation is a payment solutions provider wanting to improve their presence on search engines like Google, mainly to attract new leads and clients.
They want to focus on high-risk merchants who may struggle to find other providers due to high chargeback rates or being in a higher-risk industry. Examples include businesses in travel, cannabis, adult entertainment, supplements, and gambling.
Acme Corporation needs someone to manage their SEO efforts, which includes developing a content plan, managing a writing team, and overseeing a link-building campaign to improve their search visibility and attract new clients.
How can you really include ROI in a proposal? SEO results aren’t guaranteed, right? I think you can show ROI in a monthly report, especially for e-commerce, but not in a proposal.
LillyGrace said:
How can you really include ROI in a proposal? SEO results aren’t guaranteed, right? I think you can show ROI in a monthly report, especially for e-commerce, but not in a proposal.
I see your point, but from my experience, clients often ask for a kind of forecast in the proposal. It’s not a guarantee, but it helps them understand what we can offer. For example, one client was spending 5k a month on ads, but after showing them how SEO could improve their search rankings for targeted keywords, they were convinced to invest in SEO as well.
Jean said:
+1
+1
Semrush has a blog post with a template that could address your concerns. You might find that helpful. ROI is tricky to mention.
I’m interested too
I don’t usually use proposals. I charge for audits and keyword research, which also includes a topical authority map, categories, and topics. After that, the client decides what they want to do and whether they want to hire me for execution.
It works well because the client understands the value and gets a clear idea of how to optimize their site and drive traffic.
@esleystanley
We hope to reach that level where clients pay for an initial audit too! 
I get about 35 proposals a day on my website, and I delete them all in bulk.
SEO proposal templates aren’t as effective as personalized presentation decks that show your value as an SEO professional. Every presentation should be unique based on your style and what information you want to cover.
@Lucia
I don’t agree. My proposals aren’t sales presentations. I send proposals only after we’ve agreed on the scope of work, and they specifically ask for one. It’s not a sales tool.
plugindoctor said:
@Lucia
I don’t agree. My proposals aren’t sales presentations. I send proposals only after we’ve agreed on the scope of work, and they specifically ask for one. It’s not a sales tool.
I respect your opinion, but who’s to say what’s a sales tool and what’s not? Something that works well for someone else might be seen differently by others.
plugindoctor said:
@Lucia
I don’t agree. My proposals aren’t sales presentations. I send proposals only after we’ve agreed on the scope of work, and they specifically ask for one. It’s not a sales tool.
So, is that a contract then? Haha.
@Spenser
Not exactly, but I use some simple language I learned from Alan Weiss to make it almost like a contract without all the legal jargon. This way, they usually don’t need it reviewed by the company’s legal team.
plugindoctor said:
@Lucia
I don’t agree. My proposals aren’t sales presentations. I send proposals only after we’ve agreed on the scope of work, and they specifically ask for one. It’s not a sales tool.
A proposal is by definition a sales tool. What you’re sending is more like a strategy outline.
@sage
It’s not a sales tool. The proposal outlines my involvement in the project, including most of the deliverables. It doesn’t cover the full strategy, though.
plugindoctor said:
@sage
It’s not a sales tool. The proposal outlines my involvement in the project, including most of the deliverables. It doesn’t cover the full strategy, though.
I think you must have a unique idea of what a proposal is. How do you price the work if they don’t know what you’ll deliver?