Reviewed September 23, 2026. An SEO reporting template should be a reusable outline: outcomes, visibility, technical blockers, work shipped, and next actions.
Not sure what to include in an SEO reporting template for 2026? Use this guide as a reusable outline – sections, metrics, sample structure, cadence, and tools – then trim to the stakeholder. For definitions and report types, see what is SEO reporting; for a filled sample analysis outline, see our SEO analysis report example; for a monthly client narrative, see the SEO client report template; for client delivery tips, see SEO reports for clients.
Reviewed September 2026 for template workflows and SE Ranking reporting / pricing cues (Core $129/month, Growth $279/month – confirm on our SE Ranking pricing guide). Agency white-label and scheduled client reporting typically need the Agency Pack add-on (not a legacy “Pro” plan).
What is An SEO Report?
SEO reports provide insight into the opportunities, progress, and performance of SEO efforts. There’s a lot that goes on in SEO work, so a solid reporting template helps you synthesize the metrics that matter over time – without reinventing the outline every month.
SEO reporting guides strategy and helps stakeholders understand effort vs results. A template keeps that narrative consistent; software from our best SEO reporting software listicle can automate the charts once the outline is set.
What to Include in An SEO Report Template?
Since everyone’s reporting needs are different, there is no one-size-fits-all or best SEO report template. Depending on the business and situation, a simple SEO report template might be all you need, while an enterprise might require more in-depth reports.
There are also different types of SEO reports such as one-off audit reports that use a unique reporting template and SEO performance reports that commonly use a monthly SEO report template as a part of SEO packages.
However, there are some sections and reporting metrics that are common in most templates used for search engine optimization reports.
Here are some potential sections to include when creating an SEO reporting template:
Report Summary
A report summary or overview of progress and performance is a good starting point at the beginning of an SEO report. A summary is useful for providing key points about progress and results.
A summary at the beginning of an SEO report helps whoever is receiving the report understand what the report contains including the following sections and details.
Traffic Overview
An overview of web traffic channels is a key section to include in SEO reports. While you probably want to prioritize organic traffic, you can show trends in how traffic is changing over time across channels.
Example traffic channels include organic search, direct traffic, referral traffic, and paid search traffic.
Organic Conversions
Conversions from organic traffic are another important metric to include in an SEO report. In Google Analytics 4, these are usually tracked as conversions / key events – when a visitor completes a desired action.
Example conversion actions include phone calls, form messages, e-commerce sales, and email subscribers.
Page Report
A page report provides insight into which pages are generating traffic and helps figure out which page topics are popular and which pages could be improved with internal links between other pages to improve navigation.
You can also use page data to break down which pages are generating conversions, leading to visits of other pages, and engagement signals (GA4 engagement rate; bounce rate where you still use it).
Keyword Rankings
Keyword rankings are a fundamental aspect of SEO reports that help show progress towards increasing search visibility, search traffic, and conversions.
Tracking organic rankings also offers insight into which pages should be optimized more, or which related topics and keywords with search volume are worth writing about in existing or new content to improve search presence and ranking visibility.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) data is a helpful SEO tool that provides key data to include in SEO reports to better understand and report on a website’s Google search presence.
GSC provides data such as the pages indexed in Google, any page indexing or performance issues, links, clicks, impressions, clickthrough rates, and average position.
SEO reporting software often provides Google Search Console integrations or ways to combine that data with other SEO data.
Backlink Overview
Depending on the SEO service provided such as a link building service, you might want to monitor and report on a site’s backlink profile, including links gained or lost.
Example backlink metrics include the referring domains gained or lost, backlinks gained or lost, backlink quality, the anchor text used in the links, and any traffic from links.
Recommendations
Close with recommendations the client or stakeholder can act on – ideally 3-7 prioritized next actions with owners (agency vs client). Vague “keep optimizing” notes waste the report; concrete tasks make the template useful between cycles.
Sample SEO Report Template Structure
Use the same section order each cycle so stakeholders can scan for what changed. Copy this outline into Docs, Notion, Looker Studio, or your SEO platform’s report builder – then hide sections that don’t apply.
- Cover / period – client or site name, date range, report owner.
- Executive summary – wins, risks, and what changed since last period (5-8 lines).
- Goals & context – launches, content, links, tracking changes, algorithm notes.
- Outcomes – organic sessions, conversions / key events, revenue or leads when available.
- Visibility – priority keyword movements, GSC clicks/impressions/CTR, top landing pages.
- Site health & worklog – index/crawl issues, speed regressions, backlinks gained/lost, work shipped.
- Next actions – prioritized tasks with owners and due dates.
One-off audits can expand technical and content findings; monthly retainers should keep the same skeleton so trends stay comparable. For client-facing delivery tips on this outline, see SEO reports for clients.
Metrics for Your SEO Reporting Template
Don’t put every available chart in the template. Lead with outcome metrics, then add supporting visibility and health signals.
Core (most monthly templates):
- Organic sessions / users and trend vs prior period
- Organic conversions / key events (and revenue or leads when tracked)
- Priority keyword rank changes (target set, not the whole universe)
- GSC clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position for key queries/pages
- Top landing pages by organic traffic and conversions
Supporting (include when the engagement warrants it):
- Backlinks / referring domains gained or lost
- Index coverage or critical crawl errors
- Core Web Vitals or notable speed regressions
- Optional AI / Search visibility notes when that channel matters – treat as emerging, not a replacement for classic KPIs
When stakeholders ask whether SEO was worth the spend, connect outcomes to cost in Track SEO ROI with SE Ranking reporting – rankings alone rarely close that conversation.
SEO Reporting Cadence
Match depth to the decision cycle. The template stays the same; the length changes.
- Weekly – thin update: rank movers, blockers, and work in progress. Skip full traffic narratives unless something broke.
- Monthly – default for retainers: full template with summary, outcomes, visibility, health, and next actions.
- Quarterly – zoom out to pipeline impact, content/link themes, and strategy bets; fewer charts, more narrative.
Ship on a fixed day when you can. Consistency beats polished one-offs that arrive late.
Tools to Build and Automate the Template
Start with free sources – Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, and Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) – then layer an SEO suite when you need rank tracking, backlink monitoring, and scheduled client-ready reports in one place.
We use SE Ranking for template-friendly reporting across rankings, GSC-connected insights, audits, and backlinks (paid plans start at Core $129/month; Growth is $279/month – see SE Ranking pricing). White-label and unlimited scheduled client reporting typically need the Agency Pack add-on. Compare other platforms in our best SEO reporting software roundup when you’re shopping the category.
Template must-haves (keep it short)
- Executive summary (5 bullets max).
- Outcomes + visibility with one chart each.
- Blockers still open.
- Shipped work since last period.
- Next 3-5 actions with owners.
Software options: best SEO reporting software.
Conclusion
The SEO reporting template ideas above should help you create a solid SEO report for clients – reusable sections, the right metrics, and a cadence stakeholders can trust. Pair the outline with what is SEO reporting for definitions, then prove impact with SEO ROI reporting in SE Ranking.
When you have an SEO report template of reusable sections, you can easily add, remove, or alter each section to suit different needs. Compare builders in our best SEO reporting software listicle, and confirm tooling costs on SE Ranking pricing (Core $129/month, Growth $279/month) before you scale seats or white-label reporting.
SEO Software Guides: