SEO Report Template: What to Include and How to Present

An effective SEO report template has five sections: executive summary, traffic overview, keyword rankings, work completed, and next month's recommendations. Everything else is either optional or noise. This is the structure I have refined through delivering monthly reports to 40+ clients.

This post provides the template structure. For guidance on which metrics actually matter (and which to leave out), see the detailed monthly reporting guide.

Report Template Structure

Section 1: Executive Summary (One Page)

This is the only section many clients read. It must stand alone as a complete monthly update:

• Wins (2-3 bullets): What improved and why. Be specific: "Organic clicks increased 23% month-over-month, driven by 3 new pages reaching page one for [keyword cluster]."
• Concerns (1-2 bullets): What declined or needs attention: "Rankings for [keyword] dropped from position 4 to 8 — likely due to new competitor content. Addressing with content update this month."
• Work completed: One-sentence summary of the month's activities.
• Next month focus: Top 3 priorities for the coming month.

Section 2: Organic Traffic Overview

Data from Google Search Console and Google Analytics:

• Total organic clicks: Current month vs previous month (with percentage change)
• Total impressions: Current vs previous
• Average CTR: Current vs previous
• Average position: Current vs previous
• Top 10 pages by organic traffic: Table showing URL, clicks, impressions, and average position

Present as a comparison — current period vs previous period — with percentage changes highlighted in green (improvement) or red (decline).

Section 3: Keyword Rankings

Segment keywords into actionable groups:

• Positions 1-3: Top performers to maintain
• Positions 4-10: Close to the top — opportunities to push higher
• Positions 11-20 (striking distance): Biggest opportunities for quick gains
• Biggest gains this month: Keywords that moved up significantly
• Biggest drops this month: Keywords that declined with explanation of likely cause

Section 4: Work Completed This Month

Itemized list of everything done:

• Pages optimized (list specific URLs with changes made)
• Technical fixes implemented
• Content briefs delivered
• Index requests submitted
• GBP posts and updates
• Any other SEO activities

Section 5: Recommendations for Next Month

Prioritized list of planned activities:

• What I plan to do
• Why (what data supports this priority)
• Expected impact

Optional Sections (Add When Relevant)

Backlink Profile Update

Monthly snapshot showing new links gained, links lost, and total referring domains. Include for clients on plans that include link monitoring.

Competitor Movement

Brief update on competitor ranking changes and new content. Include for Growth and Scale plans.

GBP Performance

For clients with local SEO: profile views, direction requests, phone calls, and post engagement.

Formatting Best Practices

• Keep it under 5 pages: Longer reports do not get read
• Use the same format every month: Clients compare month-to-month — consistency matters
• Lead with insights, not data: "Traffic increased 23% because..." not just "Traffic: 5,230 clicks"
• Use visual cues: Green/red for improvements/declines, bold for key numbers
• Write in plain English: No jargon. If a non-technical client cannot understand it, simplify it.

What NOT to Include

Metrics that look impressive but do not drive decisions:

• Domain authority/domain rating (not a Google metric)
• Social media metrics (unless directly relevant)
• Raw Search Console data without analysis
• Tool-specific proprietary scores
• Vanity charts that do not answer "so what?"

Every element in the report should answer the question: "What should the client do with this information?" If the answer is nothing, remove it.

Delivery and Follow-Up

• Deliver on a consistent date: 1st of each month creates a predictable rhythm
• Use Google Docs: Shareable, commentable, searchable, and consistent
• Include a brief email summary: When sending the report, include a 2-3 sentence email highlighting the key takeaway
• Be available for questions: Clients should be able to ask about anything in the report

Good reporting builds trust, demonstrates value, and retains clients. It is not a formality — it is the primary way clients evaluate whether their SEO investment is working.