How to Set Monthly SEO Targets for Clients
Short answer
To set a monthly SEO target, take the same month last year, adjust it by the trend of the last 3 months, then add a realistic lift from the work planned. Write the target as a checkpoint, not a promise.
In this article
To set a monthly SEO target, take the same month last year and the 3-month trend as a baseline, then add the expected lift. A good monthly SEO target can be checked with one number at the end of the month.
Clients often ask for targets at the start of a contract, before anyone has read the data. This guide on how to set monthly SEO targets covers the metrics, the calculation, seasonality and the report.
Which metrics work as monthly SEO targets?
Monthly SEO targets use 2–4 metrics: organic clicks and impressions from Search Console, plus organic sessions and key events from GA4. Other metrics belong in the report as context, not as targets.
| Metric | Source | When to use it as a target |
|---|---|---|
| Organic clicks | Search Console, Performance report | Almost always: the main measure of traffic from Google |
| Impressions | Search Console, Performance report | When the site is new or has just published a lot of content |
| Organic sessions | GA4, Organic Search channel | When the client reads GA4 and wants a visit count |
| Key events | GA4, events marked as important | When forms or purchases are tracked correctly |
Average position makes a poor monthly target. Average position can drop when the site starts to show for new queries, even while clicks grow. Choosing KPIs is covered in the guide to SEO KPIs.
How do you work out a target from 12 months of data?
A target comes from 3 numbers: the same month last year, the 3-month change against last year, and the lift from this month's work. All 3 come from the Search Console Performance report with a date filter.
To work out an organic clicks target for November:
- Take last November's clicks, for example 4,000.
- Work out the change for August to October against the same period last year, for example up 10%.
- Multiply the two for a baseline: 4,000 x 1.10 = 4,400.
- Add the lift from this month's work, for example 5% from 6 new articles: 4,400 x 1.05 = 4,620.
- Round it to a target of 4,600 clicks.
Last year · 4,000
Clicks in the same month last year. The number already holds that month's seasonal pattern.
Trend · +10%
The change over the last 3 months against the same period last year. The number shows where the site is heading now.
Baseline · 4,400
Last year times the trend. The baseline is the estimate with no new work.
Work · +5%
The lift expected from the work planned this month, such as new content or technical fixes.
Target · 4,600
The baseline plus the lift, rounded.
Example numbers, not data from a real site.
How do you allow for seasonality in a target?
Seasonality is handled by starting from the same month last year, not from last month. Last month can sit in a different season, such as December against November for a site that peaks before the year end.
Check the seasonal pattern of the client's main queries in Google Trends before setting a target. Google Trends shows relative interest, not search volume, so use the pattern only. Explaining seasonality is covered in the guide to seasonality in an SEO report.
How do you write targets in a client report?
Write a target as a checkpoint with a number, a source and a check date, not as a promised result. Google's own documentation says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
The targets part of a monthly report can hold the following:
- The target, the result and the share reached for each metric.
- The gap to the target, with one sentence on the cause backed by data.
- Next month's target and the work behind it.
A missed target is still reported with its numbers. A cause that isn't proven is written as a possibility, such as coinciding with a core update, not as caused by it.
Targets and results usually open the monthly SEO report. Recalytics keeps each client's monthly targets in the report settings and shows the result, the share reached and the gap on the Target slide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a realistic monthly increase?
No single number fits every site. Use the site's own trend over the last 3 months as the guide.
Should a target change mid-month?
No. Change the method for next month when something big changes, such as a domain move.
Can average position be a target?
It can, but it is unstable. Average position shifts when the site starts to show for new queries.
Sources
The Recalytics Team writes guides on SEO and analytics reporting for digital agencies and website owners, based on Google's official documentation and Search Console and GA4 data.