A made a 12 month proposal for a SEO services for a website that streams music. It currently has around 5k artists and 50k tracks that need to be optimized. The client told me that they want to sign up a shorter contract and if they see results, we will continue working together. How to explain to them that SEO takes time and I need 1 year to execute the strategy properly?
How to Convince a Client for a 12-Month SEO Contract (Genuine Way)
Don’t start by forcing them into a 12-month contract.
Instead, explain it honestly:
Step 1: Start with a 3-month commitment
Tell the client:
"Let’s work together for 3 months first. SEO takes time, but within these 3 months, you will definitely see improvement — whether it's in keyword ranking, traffic growth, or lead quality."
This builds trust and reduces pressure.
Step 2: Combine SEO + Direct Lead Generation
Explain that you won’t just work on keywords or blogs. You will also help them generate direct leads alongside SEO using:
Optimized landing pages
Google My Business improvements
Local keywords + WhatsApp integration
Simple direct marketing (like FB groups, classified sites, Quora, etc.)
So they start seeing leads even before Google fully picks up.
Step 3: Show progress month by month
After one month – show the audit + technical fixes
After two months – share keyword ranking growth
After three months – show traffic + lead improvement
Step 4: Then propose a longer contract (9 or 12 months)
Once they’ve seen genuine results, tell them:
"Now we can scale this. SEO is long-term. If we continue together for 12 months, I’ll help you grow steadily with proper monthly planning and reporting."
Clients are more likely to say yes once they trust your work and see progress.
Final Tip:
Don’t sell dreams. Show them the first 90 days as proof.
Then offer the 12-month plan as a way to scale real results — not chase rankings only.
