Over the past 20 years of talking to clients, I’ve developed a list of key questions that have helped me build strong, long-term relationships.
There are many questions you could ask, but I’ve put together a list of the most important ones that I ask when meeting new clients.
Understanding the Business
Good search marketers go beyond tactics. They understand how SEO fits into the bigger business picture. I believe SEO should guide business decisions, not just be done for the sake of it.
1. “How do you make money?”
It’s crucial to understand how a company makes money. Every business action eventually leads back to this goal. Knowing this will help you prioritize your SEO efforts better.
2. “What are your mission, vision, and values?”
Knowing what a company stands for is essential. If their brand is known for safety, for example, we should focus on search terms related to safety and ensure content reflects that.
In smaller businesses, you might ask, “What do you want to be known for?” instead.
3. “Who is your ideal target audience?”
Many clients might say “everyone” is their target audience, but that’s rarely true. Knowing the specific group they’re trying to reach helps tailor your SEO strategy.
4. “Who are your main competitors?”
Clients may see their competitors differently than what you find in search results. Understanding this helps create a strategy that positions them well in the market.
5. “Why would someone choose you over your competitors?”
This question helps clarify the company’s unique strengths. If they can’t answer this, it can be hard to craft an effective SEO strategy.
6. “What are your targets?”
Understanding the client’s goals, like revenue or leads, is critical. This helps set realistic expectations and avoid future disappointment.
7. “How do you expect SEO to contribute to these goals?”
This helps you understand the bigger marketing picture. If they expect SEO to contribute a small part, while PPC or email does the heavy lifting, it’s important to know upfront.
8. “What is your SEO budget?”
Discussing the budget helps you determine if their targets are achievable. If there’s a big gap between expectations and budget, now is the time to address it.
How SEO Fits Into Their Business
Once you’ve got the basic info, it’s time to understand how SEO will work within their business framework.
9. “What do you want to get from this SEO engagement?”
This question reveals what the client expects from you, whether they need full strategy support or just implementation help.
10. “How would you define success?”
Beyond targets, this question gets at what really matters to the client. It could be changing internal views on SEO or solving a specific technical problem.
11. “What does your internal team look like?”
Understanding the client’s team size and capabilities helps you plan an SEO strategy that matches their resources.
12. “Are there any constraints, like development timelines?”
Knowing about any technical or approval bottlenecks helps you avoid proposing things that aren’t feasible.
13. “What SEO work has been done so far?”
This helps you understand the client’s history with SEO, including any past issues or challenges.
14. “Who are the key stakeholders?”
Knowing who will be involved in decision-making and reporting helps tailor your communication.
15. “How do you currently report on SEO, and what’s your preferred reporting method?”
Understanding their current reporting tools and preferences ensures you’re on the same page.
Bonus: “What’s the most important thing you look for in an agency?”
This question helps you understand their priorities, whether it’s results, communication, or trust, so you can frame everything accordingly.
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