SEO

Proposal
Guide
SEO Proposal Guide   
Search engine optimization is an often-changing field and you
may find yourself having to learn many new things over the
course of your career. However, one skill that will always prove
valuable to you is the ability to write persuasive proposals.
Proposals will land you the clients you want, which in turn, will
make you more successful.

This guide is a quick resource that you can use to check your
proposals as you’re writing them to ensure that you’ve included
everything.

The Problem Statement

The problem statement is the first part of your proposal and it
serves a dual purpose. You have to get the clients attention and
tell them what they need you to solve at the same time. The best
problem statements don’t tell the client what they need but rather
why they need it.

1.How does the client benefit from SEO?

2.What is driving the client to make the hire?

Best Practices:  
• Research the client to find out their issues. (Why do they
need an SEO?)
• Outline that issue and suggest SEO as the solution
The Proposed Solution
Once you’ve told the client the problem that they’re facing and
that SEO can solve it, you have to tell them how that will work.
Take the time to outline a solution to the client’s problem and
paint a picture where your services offer the best results.

Best Practices:
• Tell the client how you fix their problems
• Present your skills as solutions

Benefits Statement
Your benefits or value statement is where you improve on your
proposed solution by telling the client how solving the issue
benefits them. Here, you want to focus on direct ROI, profit,
increased traffic, and increased ranking. Tell the client how you
will help them make more money.

• Outline how web design can improve sales, traffic, or ROI

• Explain why your services are great for the client

Best Practices:
• Explain the direct effects of SEO on the client’s site
• Outline expected ROI in terms of customers, traffic, and
ranking
• Avoid using SEO jargon that the client may not understand
Pricing Information
The pricing section in your proposal is important because it tells
the client not only what you charge, but what they get for the
money. It is important to make this are easy to understand
because an overly complex pricing section may be confusing
and can turn off the client.

Best Practices:
• Offer ROI not budget prices
• Consider using a budget schedule for long-term projects
• A grid layout makes the pricing easier to understand

Call to Action
A call to action may seem unnecessary but it’s important if you
want to remind clients to get back to you. Clients, like you, are
busy and might simply forget about you. Include a call to action
to encourage them to get back to you immediately, before they
get distracted.

Best Practices
• Ask the client to get back to you
• Include relevant contact details and information
• Make the process as easy as possible.
Final Checklist  
Content Check
Structure 5-Element Structure (Problem
Statement, Proposed Solution,
Value Statement, Pricing
Information & Call to Action)
Design Simple & Elegant
Spelling & Grammar Check for Errors
Relevancy Take out irrelevant language
Be Persuasive Remove anything that doesn’t
sell your services

Good luck writing your SEO proposals