What Should an SEO Report Include? | iBrandLabs Guide

by | May 27, 2025

If you’re investing in SEO, your report shouldn’t just be a list of numbers โ€” it should tell the story of your brand’s digital journey. At iBrandLabs, we believe a powerful SEO report bridges strategy and results, helping brands make data-driven decisions with confidence.

But what exactly should an SEO report include?

Whether you’re an agency creating reports for clients or a business owner tracking your online performance, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what an SEO report must cover.

1. Website Health & Technical Audit

Your websiteโ€™s performance lays the foundation for SEO success. This section should include:

Crawlability & Indexability: Any blocked resources or pages not being indexed?

Mobile-Friendliness: Is your website responsive and optimized for mobile devices?

Page Speed: How fast does your website load?

Broken Links/404 Errors: Identify and fix dead ends.

Sitemap & Robots.txt issues.

๐Ÿ” Why it matters: Google prioritizes websites that offer a seamless, user-friendly experience.

2. Keyword Rankings

This is often the first thing stakeholders check โ€” but it’s only valuable when contextualized.

Current keyword positions

Ranking progress over time (weekly/monthly)

Target vs. non-target keyword rankings

High-opportunity keywords

๐Ÿ“ˆ iBrandLabs Tip: Highlight movement, not just position. A keyword moving from position #25 to #8 is more valuable than a keyword stuck at #1 with no conversions.

3. Organic Traffic Insights

Google Analytics and Google Search Console data should be included to show:

Total Organic Sessions

New vs. Returning Users

Traffic by Device (mobile vs. desktop)

Top Landing Pages from Organic Search

CTR (Click-Through Rate) from SERPs

๐Ÿ’ก Key Insight: Look at quality, not just quantity. More traffic doesnโ€™t always mean better performance.

4. Backlink Profile Analysis

Backlinks remain a crucial ranking factor. Your report should include:

Number of New & Lost Backlinks

Referring Domains

Link Quality (DA/PA)

Anchor Text Distribution

Toxic Backlinks (if any)

๐Ÿ”— Why it matters: Building strong backlinks enhances domain authority and trust with search engines.

5. On-Page SEO Updates

This shows the actual optimizations done, such as:

Meta Tags Optimization

Content Edits/Enhancements

Internal Linking Structure

Schema Markup Implementation

Image ALT Text and File Optimization

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ iBrandLabs Approach: We document all changes transparently so clients know where their investment is going.

6. Content Performance

If content is king, you need to track its kingdom. Include:

Top Performing Blog Posts

New Pages/Blogs Published

Bounce Rate per Page

Average Time on Page

Pages with Low Engagement (for revamp)

โœ๏ธ Pro Tip: Always align content performance with user intent and search trends.

7. Local SEO (If Applicable)

For businesses targeting local customers, track:

Google Business Profile Performance

Local Keyword Rankings

Map Pack Visibility

Local Reviews & Ratings Analysis

NAP Consistency Across Directories

๐Ÿ“ iBrandLabs Bonus: We often include competitor snapshots in the same location to spot quick-win opportunities.

8. Conversion Metrics

Ultimately, SEO should lead to conversions. Include:

Goal Completions (Forms, Calls, Downloads)

Conversion Rate from Organic Traffic

Leads/Sales Generated

Micro-Conversions (like newsletter sign-ups)

๐Ÿ’ฐ Real ROI: Reports should clearly show the path from search to sale.

9. Competitor Analysis

Compare your performance with competitors:

Keyword Overlap

Domain Authority Comparison

Content Gaps

Link Building Strategy Insights

๐Ÿš€ Why itโ€™s essential: You donโ€™t need to be #1 on Google โ€” just ahead of your competitors.

10. Actionable Insights & Next Steps

End every report with clear takeaways:

What worked well this month

What needs improvement

New opportunities identified

Next monthโ€™s plan of action

๐Ÿ“Š iBrandLabs Focus: We donโ€™t just deliver data. We deliver direction.

Final Thoughts

An SEO report should not be a data dump. It should be a strategic tool that empowers decision-makers and aligns all marketing efforts. At iBrandLabs, we customize SEO reports for each client, ensuring they are not only comprehensive but also easy to understand and act upon.

Whether you’re a startup, SME, or enterprise brand โ€” if your current SEO report feels confusing or underwhelming, it’s time for a change.

๐Ÿ“ฉ Ready for a smarter SEO strategy? Contact iBrandLabs today and let’s build your brand visibility the data-driven way!