Why the First 3 Months of SEO Can Make or Break Your Campaign – And what the first 3 months of SEO typically looks like.
The first three months of an SEO campaign are critical. This is when you gather the data needed to determine the best strategy moving forward. Too many SEO specialists make the mistake of committing to a plan too early, then spend the next nine months stuck with a mediocre approach. That’s how you lose clients.
Here’s the deal: in the first three months, you shouldn’t be married to anything. Have a loose strategy, sure, but be willing to test, adjust, and scrap ideas if they don’t work. This is the phase where you try different things and figure out what’s actually going to move the needle.
(Note: For those learning SEO going in multiple directions is how we all learn. Eventually experience takes over and you have a really good idea of what’s going to work, but we still wait the first 3 months to commit.)
What You’re Doing in the First 3 Months
- Testing Everything – Content types, keywords, audience segments, CTA’s, etc. Go wide and gather as much information as possible.
- Watching the Data – See how search engines view your site. What’s ranking? What’s not? Which content gets clicks and converts?
- Refining Your Focus – By the end of three months, you should know what’s working. You’ll know which audience is converting best and what strategies to prioritize.
(Note: Be completely data-driven!)
Why This Matters
If you lock in too early, you risk wasting time and resources on a strategy that’s just “okay.” That’s why so many agencies/contractors have high churn rates—they commit too soon, deliver average results, and lose the client. You can always tell how good a SEO professional is by how long their clients have been with them.
When you take those first three months to experiment and analyze, you can avoid all that. By the end of the quarter, you’ll have the clarity to move forward with confidence.
(Pro tip: if you are completely honest and you set, manage, and meet client expectations. It will save you a ton of headache and have a long-term relationship with that client. Part of our sales pitch literally goes “ Client portfolio -> Examples of results -> Our Fee -> You’ll start seeing noticeable results in 3 months, 9-12 months it will be a night and day difference lol.)
The Results
By month three, you’ll know:
- How search engines are treating your site.
- What strategy drives traffic and conversions.
- Which audience segments are worth your focus.
From there, you can build a real strategy that gets results.
