What Our Top-Performing SEO Clients Have in Common

Most companies searching for an SEO partner focus on finding the best agency. And that’s fair. We’ve written an entire guide on what it takes to be one.

But here’s something we’ve learned over 25+ years in the industry: The best SEO results don’t just come from the agency you hire. They come from how you show up as a client.

Yes, we bring the technical know-how, strategy, and execution but the clients who see the biggest wins? They also bring something to the table.

Whether you’re just starting your SEO journey or already deep into it, here are 8 traits we consistently see in our most successful clients (like the ones featured in our Portfolio).

1. They Treat SEO as a Long-Term Investment

Great clients understand that SEO takes time, consistency, and a bit of patience. They aren’t looking for overnight rankings, they’re focused on building long-term visibility, traffic, and trust. They measure progress in quarters, not days. They’re in it for sustainable growth, not short-term spikes.

What this looks like in practice:

• Sticking with the plan, even if rankings don’t skyrocket right away
• Measuring success in lead quality or organic traffic growth over time and not quick wins
• Committing to content, optimization, and updates month after month
• Saying things like: “Let’s keep going and evaluate quarterly,” instead of “We haven’t ranked yet, should we pause?”

Takeaway: SEO is a compounding investment. The longer and more consistently you stick with it, the stronger your results.

2. They Know Their Audience and Align SEO with Business Goals

Successful clients don’t just want more traffic. They want the right traffic. That starts with knowing their ideal customer. 

Effective SEO isn’t just about keywords. It’s about connecting with the right people at the right time.

Our best clients have a strong sense of who their ideal customers are, what those people are searching for, and how to position their content accordingly. Even better? They tie SEO goals to business outcomes like qualified leads, bookings, or sales.

What this looks like in practice:

• Helping us understand your top customers and what they care about
• Telling us what a “high-value lead” looks like to you
• Being specific: “We want more bookings from families looking for week-long rentals” vs. “We want more traffic”
• Aligning SEO goals with real business metrics (calls, forms, sales vs. just rankings)

Takeaway: The more we understand your customer and goals, the better we can craft a strategy that works.

3. They Trust Their SEO Team and Stay Engaged

You don’t need to know every technical detail. But the best SEO clients stay plugged in and collaborate with us as partners.

They trust us to do our job but they also stay involved in the process. They ask smart questions, provide timely feedback, and collaborate on strategy. It’s a partnership, not a handoff.

What this looks like in practice:

• Responding to questions or content drafts quickly
• Giving feedback on tone, accuracy, or business context
• Letting go of control on tactics, while staying looped in on strategy
• Saying: “I’ll leave this to you guys. Just keep me posted” instead of “Send me every keyword you’re targeting before we do anything.”

Takeaway: The more we understand your customer and goals, the better we can craft a strategy that works.

4. They’re Curious and Open to Learning

You don’t need to be an SEO expert but curiosity goes a long way.

The clients who succeed ask “why,” stay open to new ideas, and want to understand the strategy behind the work. That makes communication easier and decisions smarter.

What this looks like in practice:

• Asking why a certain strategy is recommended
• Wanting to understand how rankings impact revenue
• Being open to new tactics, even if they weren’t on your radar
• Saying: “I don’t totally get this. Can you explain it in a different way?”

Takeaway: Ask questions. The more you understand the why, the better equipped you are to make smart decisions and spot real opportunities.

5. They Prioritize a Strong Website Foundation

You can’t build SEO success on a broken site.

Our most successful clients are willing to invest in their website by fixing technical issues, improving mobile usability, speeding up load times, and making sure their site supports SEO best practices.

What this looks like in practice:

• Being open to technical fixes or layout improvements
• Investing in mobile speed, clear navigation, or conversion-friendly design
• Updating your CMS or plugins when needed
• Not saying: “We don’t want to change anything on the website” when there’s a clear opportunity for improvement

Takeaway: A strong SEO strategy needs a strong website to stand on. You need to be willing to invest in your website if you are investing in SEO.

6. They Contribute to Great Content

We can write, but we need you to make it real.

The best clients bring insights, stories, and clarity that turn content from generic into valuable. Remember, great content isn’t just well-written, it’s useful, specific, and informed by your real-world experience. Great results are achieved when you help provide insights about your industry, stories from the field, or simply reviewing drafts and suggesting what matters most to your audience.

What this looks like in practice:

• Sharing client FAQs, product knowledge, or internal tips
• Providing internal documents such as staff training documentation, proposals, sales brochures, etc
• Reviewing blog drafts to ensure accuracy and tone
• Offering photos, case studies, or testimonials that enhance content
• Saying: “Our customers always ask this. Can we write something about it?”

Takeaway: A strong SEO strategy needs a strong website to stand on. You need to be willing to invest in your website if you are investing in SEO.

7. They Embrace Continuous Improvement

SEO isn’t “set it and forget it.” It’s dynamic. It evolves.

Great clients understand that rankings fluctuate, algorithms update, and competition increases. They don’t panic when things shift. Instead they collaborate with us to adapt, test, and improve.

What this looks like in practice:

• Letting go of underperforming pages or strategies
• Refreshing old blog content instead of starting from scratch
• Listening to data instead of gut feelings
• Saying: “If it’s not working, let’s test something new.”

Takeaway: Stay open to change. What worked yesterday might need a refresh tomorrow. Flexibility is your superpower. 

8. They See SEO as Part of the Bigger Picture

SEO doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The best results happen when SEO works alongside your paid ads, email marketing, branding, PR, and conversion strategy.

Our top clients see SEO as part of their broader business growth efforts and we work with them to align everything for maximum impact.

What this looks like in practice:

• Coordinating messaging across SEO and Google Ads
• Making sure your branding matches what’s showing up in search
• Using SEO insights to inform email or social content
• Saying: “We’re planning a new campaign. How can SEO support it?”

Takeaway: Don’t silo SEO. When you connect the dots across your marketing, everything performs better.

Final Thoughts

If you’re investing in SEO, it makes sense to ask what your agency is bringing to the table. But don’t forget to ask what you can bring, too. The best SEO campaigns happen when we’re in sync … your business expertise paired with our technical and strategic know-how. Want to set yourself up for lasting SEO success? Start by being the kind of client that gives your SEO team the foundation they need to do great work.

Want to Connect and Join Forces?

If you need help assessing where your SEO stands or how to be a more successful SEO client, let’s chat! We’re happy to give you honest feedback and help you build a path to long-term growth through SEO. Connect with us by calling 1-888-262-6687 or completing our contact form.