Knowing what a consultant does is one thing; knowing what the engagement actually feels like month to month is another, and it is where most mismatched expectations come from.
For the activities themselves, see what an SEO consultant does.
The first month
Expect questions rather than output. A consultant who begins delivering in week one is delivering a template.
- Access requests — Search Console, analytics, the site, sometimes hosting.
- Questions about the business, not just the website: margins, which services you want more of, what a good customer is worth.
- A review period where it looks like nothing is happening.
- A plan at the end of it, with a stated order and stated exclusions.
This phase feels slow and it determines whether everything after it is aimed correctly.
Months two to four
- Implementation, or specifications handed to whoever implements.
- Leading indicators moving — impressions, pages indexed, new queries appearing.
- Little or no revenue change yet.
- Requests from them to you: content approvals, developer time, decisions.
That last is worth planning for. Engagements stall on the client side more often than the provider side, and a consultant who never asks you for anything is probably not doing much.
Months five to twelve
- Rankings and traffic on target terms improving.
- Enquiries beginning to move.
- The plan changing as evidence arrives, which is a sign of attention rather than of a bad plan.
- Some things tried that do not work.
What a good working relationship looks like
- They tell you when something failed. Reports with only good news are not reports.
- They say no. To your ideas sometimes, and to work that will not pay back.
- They explain in plain terms without retreating into jargon when questioned.
- They point at the work, not just a dashboard.
- They tell you what they need from you, with dates.
What you should not expect
- Results in the first quarter.
- Guaranteed positions — nobody controls the results page.
- Weekly ranking swings to mean anything.
- That recommendations implement themselves. Confirm who does it before starting.
- That they will fix a conversion problem. More traffic to a site that does not convert produces more traffic.
Frequently asked questions
How often should we speak?
Monthly is normal, with more contact early on. Weekly calls usually indicate an engagement that has not settled.
What should the monthly report contain?
What was done, what changed, what is next, and what they need from you. See how to know if SEO is working.
How much of my time will it take?
More than most people expect — approvals, access, decisions and developer coordination. Budget a few hours a month.
When should I be concerned?
If by month four no leading indicator has moved and nobody can explain why. See when an agency is not getting results.
Consulting CTA
To discuss what an engagement would look like for your business, book an SEO consultation.