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Providing search engine optimization (SEO) services to paying clients can be a great way to make money. You’ll increase the client’s rankings in search engines with the power of content, links, and onsite improvements while earning thousands of dollars in the process – so it’s kind of a win-win.
But if you want to stay in business indefinitely, and keep your client relationships stable, you’ll need to find ways to increase client satisfaction.
Increase Client Satisfaction in SEO
How can you do it?
Work With a White Label Link Building Partner
To start, you can partner up with a white label link building agency. The arrangement looks something like this. You’ll pay a white label link builder to build links on behalf of your client, then charge your client a premium on the services; you’ll also get to pass these services off as your own since they’re effectively “white labeled.”
There are several advantages to enjoy here:
- Better links. For starters, you’ll likely end up with better links for your clients. White label link building agencies typically have great publisher relationships, solid writers, and tons of experience – so you’ll definitely get your bang for your buck. Better links will lead to better results, which means your clients will be happier.
- Agency convenience and time savings. You’ll also have to spend less time and fewer resources building those links entirely on your own. That means you’ll have more time to devote to maintaining and building your client relationships (and handling other matters).
- Accountability and support. If you’re not happy with your links, or if there’s a miscommunication somewhere in the chain, you’ll have a point of accountability. You can reach out to your white label link building agency and get them to help resolve the problem.
Set Realistic Expectations
Next, make sure you set realistic expectations from the beginning of the relationship. Your client’s satisfaction will often depend on whether their expectations were met. For example, let’s say you’re able to generate 5,000 monthly organic visitors for your client’s website after three months of engagement. If they expected to see 3,000 monthly organic visitors, they’ll likely be ecstatic about your results. If they expected to see 8,000 monthly organic visitors, they’ll likely be disappointed – or even angry – even though the raw numbers are the same in both scenarios.
The key here is to underpromise and overdeliver. When it comes to projecting results, setting timetables, and estimating quality and speed, always set your clients’ expectations to be lower than what you actually think you can achieve.
If you do well, you’ll be seen as exceeding expectations. If you underperform, you’ll have a kind of buffer zone to prevent you from disappointing the client.
The only real downside is that you may have trouble selling new clients on this idea. If you’re promising lower numbers and a longer timeframe, they may choose to go with a competitor. You’ll have to consider the costs and benefits before employing this strategy in individual scenarios.
Be Proactive With Communication
It also improves client satisfaction to be proactive with your communication. Reach out to your client and ask them how they’re feeling, rather than waiting for them to report the information to you. If there’s a problem with the work you’re doing, let them know about it. If you’ve made a mistake, acknowledge it and explain how you’re going to correct it. While you’re at it, make sure you establish regular meetings – such as a weekly call to recap progress.
Similarly, you’ll need to adapt to your client’s communication style. Some clients are going to be needy and communicative, wanting to exchange messages frequently. Others are going to be more hands-off, preferring to communicate only when necessary – and focusing on bottom-line results. Figure out what your client wants and try your best to give it to them.
Get Feedback
Finally, make sure you get feedback from all your clients. That means collecting bits of feedback periodically throughout your arrangement and getting full reports at the end of the relationship (such as when the duration of your contract expires or if the client chooses to leave).
Here, you’ll be able to find out how you’re performing, how you’re communicating, and how you might improve – all through the eyes of a real client. You can use this information to improve and serve other clients better in the future.
One of the most important ways to improve SEO client satisfaction over time is to simply remain adaptable. You’re not going to be a perfect project manager or a perfect communicator from the outset, and you’re going to make mistakes as you provide SEO services.
What’s important is that you learn from those flaws and failures and keep inching your way to perfection.
