Monthly Reporting

SOP: CSM Monthly Reporting & Strategy Calls

Last Updated: March 2026 Version: 1.0 Owner: CSM

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Purpose

This SOP documents the CSM’s monthly reporting process, from data gathering through client delivery, plus monthly strategy call execution. Monthly reporting is the client’s primary communication touchpoint and the source of truth for campaign performance. The goal is 100% of clients receive comprehensive, on-time monthly reports by the 5th, with strategy calls scheduled by the 10th.

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Monthly Reporting Timeline

By the 1st of Month: SEO Specialist Runs Monthly Batch

Trigger: First day of new month

Owner: SEO Specialist

Timeline: Days 1-3

Tasks:

• Run /seo-batch-monthly Claude Code skill (automated monthly run)

Skill Outputs:

1. Crawl comparison — Technical changes vs. previous month (indexation, crawlability, speed)
2. Heatmap fetch — Ranking visibility snapshot (by city, by category)
3. GSC/GA4 parse — Traffic data (organic sessions, clicks, impressions, goals, conversion trends)
4. Review velocity check — New reviews count, sentiment analysis
5. Geo-weakness decision engine — Ranking opportunities by location (from AI SEO Mastery framework)
6. Task list generation — Auto-generated priority tasks for month ahead

SEO Specialist Follow-Up Tasks:

• Review all skill outputs for accuracy
• Check for data errors (missing months, blank fields, mismatched date ranges)
• Prioritize new tasks in Task Tracker
• Flag any major issues or blockers (e.g., “Rankings dropped 15% this month — investigating”)
• Notify CSM: “Monthly batch complete. Report ready for delivery. See Task Tracker for summary.”

By the 3rd of Month: SEO Specialist Delivers Draft Report

Trigger: Monthly batch complete

Owner: SEO Specialist

Timeline: Day 3

Deliverable: Draft monthly report with all data sections completed (not final; CSM will personalize)

Report Sections (from client-deliverables-reporting.md):

1. Cover Page

   • Client name, month, date range
   • Executive summary headline (e.g., “Page 1 Rankings: +3 keywords this month”)

2. Executive Summary (1 paragraph)

   • Plain language, no jargon
   • Top wins (new rankings, traffic gains, reviews, content)
   • Any concerns (dips, competitive pressure, gaps)
   • Momentum and next priorities
   • Tone: Confident, accountable, transparent

3. Site Health (Lighthouse/Core Web Vitals)

   • Lighthouse score (Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO)
   • Core Web Vitals status (LCP, FID, CLS)
   • Page speed trend (month-over-month)
   • Any fixes deployed this month

4. Rankings & Heatmap

   • Keyword tracking table: keyword, current position, MoM change, target
   • New rankings achieved (min 3 keywords, if applicable)
   • Keywords lost/dropped (if significant)
   • MoM trend summary
   • Local Pack vs. Organic breakout
   • Heatmap visualization (if available in Local Dominator)

5. Geo-Content Strategy

   • Multi-location performance (if applicable)
   • Location page rankings
   • Geographic weaknesses identified
   • Content gap analysis (areas underserved)
   • Quarterly: Competitor analysis + content gap per geo-weakness engine

6. Content Status

   • Blog posts published (title, URL, target keywords, date)
   • Service pages optimized
   • Technical SEO improvements
   • Citation and backlink growth

7. Data Intelligence & Recommendations

   • Traffic analysis (organic sessions, MoM %, by page)
   • GBP performance (views, actions, reviews, rating)
   • Lead quality and volume (if LSA active or CRM integrated)
   • Next month’s strategic priorities
   • Owner assignments with deadlines

Data Sources for Each Metric:

Metric	Source	Notes
Rankings (current position, MoM change)	Local Dominator	Pull 2-3 primary categories + services; update heatmap
New rankings achieved	Local Dominator	Ranks 1-20 only; highlight new positions
Site speed / Lighthouse	Search Atlas or PageSpeed Insights	Include Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO scores
Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)	GSC (if connected) or Search Atlas	Current month vs. previous month comparison
Traffic (organic sessions, trends)	GA4	Pull organic traffic by landing page; MoM trend
Clicks, impressions, CTR	GSC	Organic search data; MoM comparison
Leads by source / channel / campaign	GA4 generate_lead event	Group by session_source_medium and secondary dimension source_channel. Use server-side count (source_channel=server) as ground truth — see Leads-by-Channel subsection below
Form breakdown (which form produced leads)	GA4 generate_lead → form_name param	Tells client which lead magnet / tool / form is performing. Useful for upsell conversations
GBP views, actions, reviews	Search Atlas	Pull from GBP Insights section; review count + rating
New reviews (count, sentiment)	Search Atlas	Flagged in review response section; note any critical reviews
LSA leads, spend, ROAS	LSA dashboard (if applicable)	Via LSA Specialist; CSM pulls for report
Citations added/verified	BrightLocal	Count + list major citations added this month
Backlinks acquired	Backlink tool in Claude Code	Run /seo-links skill if updated data needed

Delivery Method:

• Upload PDF + optional Excel (raw data) to Task Tracker
• Message to CSM: “Draft report ready in Task Tracker. Please QC and personalize. Aim for client delivery by EOD [Date].”

Leads-by-Channel Reporting (GA4 generate_lead — new from April 2026)

For every client that has tracking on a Tekton-managed site (Astro + CF Pages, or any site where /gsc-verify was run), GA4 now captures form submissions as generate_lead events with full attribution. This section of the report shows the client which sources are actually producing leads, not just visits.

Pull this into every report for clients with:

• Astro + CF Pages sites
• Any site that has generate_lead events firing (check seo-specialist/lead-tracking-monthly.md audit results)

How to pull the data in GA4:

1. Reports → Engagement → Events → click generate_lead
2. Add secondary dimension: Session source / medium
3. Add secondary dimension filter: source_channel — pull two numbers:
   • source_channel = server = ground truth lead count (server-side fires for every successful form submit)
   • source_channel = client = what’s visible in browsers (~85% of server count due to ad-blockers)
4. Group by form: change primary dimension to form_name — shows which form produced which leads

Report table shape (suggested):

Source / Medium	Total Leads	Newsletter	Market Scan	GBP Check	Contact	Other
google / organic	12	4	5	2	1	0
direct / (none)	7	3	2	1	1	0
youtube / referral	5	1	3	0	1	0
…

Use the server-side count for “Total Leads” (ground truth). Form-level breakdowns use the same.

What to say in the CSM commentary section:

• Name the top-producing channel: “Google organic generated 40% of your leads this month — the blog content is paying off.”
• Flag misses: “YouTube sent 500 visits but only 2 leads — we should look at whether your landing page is converting that audience.”
• Connect to strategy: “Since your lead magnet is driving 60% of sign-ups, let’s propose two more lead magnets this quarter.”

Cross-check with GHL: compare the GA4 server-side generate_lead count against the tagged contact count in GHL for the same period. Should be within ±10%. If wildly off, flag to SEO Specialist before shipping the report — tracking is likely broken (see seo-specialist/lead-tracking-monthly.md).

By the 5th of Month: CSM QC and Client Delivery

Trigger: SEO Specialist delivers draft report

Owner: CSM

Timeline: Days 3-5

Tasks:

Task 1: QC Check (Day 4)

• Review entire draft report against QC checklist (see below)
• Verify all data accurate (no mismatched date ranges, no blank fields)
• Check chart/graph labels and legends
• Verify client name and reporting period correct
• Read executive summary — does it match the data?
• Scan recommendations — are they actionable and specific?
• Check tone — confident, accountable, transparent?
• Add any data corrections or notes in comment

Task 2: Personalize Report (Day 4-5)

• Add opening paragraph contextualizing the month
  • Example: “March was a strong month. We saw +3 new top 20 rankings despite increased competition. Here’s the full picture:”
• Highlight 2-3 major wins for the client
  • Example: “Your homepage is now ranking #2 for ‘emergency plumber Seattle’ — this is high-intent traffic that should drive calls.”
• Add CSM commentary (client-focused, not agency-centric)
  • Example: “This is great momentum. We’re targeting 3 more top 3 rankings next month by expanding location-based content.”
• Insert call-to-action for monthly strategy call
  • “Let’s discuss these results on a call this month. When would you like to meet?”

Task 3: Final QC Before Delivery (Day 5 AM)

• Re-read executive summary + personalization
• Skim entire report for typos, formatting issues
• Verify PDF renders correctly
• Confirm file naming: “[Client Name] — [Month] [Year] SEO Report.pdf”

Task 4: Client Delivery (Day 5)

• Send email to client (use template below)
• Subject: “[Client Name] – [Month] [Year] SEO Performance Report”
• Body includes:
  • Warm greeting: “Hi [Name], Here’s your [month] report. Quick highlights:”
  • 3 bullet points: Top win, impact metric, work completed
  • “Full report attached. Key takeaway for next month: [one strategic focus].”
  • “Strategy call scheduled for [date/time]. Let me know if you’d like to shift.”
  • Signature: “[CSM Name]”
• Attach PDF report
• Optionally attach Excel spreadsheet (if client requested raw data)
• Optionally post in Task Tracker (if client prefers that method)
• Log delivery in master tracker (internal)

Task 5: Track Delivery

• Add task in Task Tracker: ”✅ Monthly report delivered [month] — [date]”
• Update master log (or Fathom): Client name, month, delivery date

Example Monthly Report Email Template

Subject: [Client Name] – March 2026 SEO Performance Report

Hi [First Name],

Here's your March report. Quick highlights:
- Your "bathroom remodeling Austin" page just hit #2 (up from #7 last month)
- Organic traffic to your website was up 18% from February
- We published 2 new blog posts and secured 3 new high-authority backlinks

Full report attached. Key takeaway for next month: We're going to double down on location-based content. You've got strong momentum in the main service area — let's expand into [nearby city].

Strategy call scheduled for March 18th at 2pm. Let me know if you'd like to shift the time.

Best,
[CSM Name]
[Phone]
[Email]

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By the 10th of Month: Schedule Monthly Strategy Calls

Trigger: Reports delivered

Owner: CSM

Timeline: Days 5-10

Tasks:

Task 1: Create Calendar Invites

• For EACH client, create Zoom/Google Meet calendar invite
• Duration: 30-45 minutes
• Optimal timing: Days 10-20 (mid-month)
• Offer 2-3 time slot options (respect client timezone)
• Include in invite:
  • Agenda: “Review March report, discuss rankings, plan April priorities”
  • Prep materials: Attached or linked to monthly report + any talking points
  • Note: “Please have your report handy. We’ll walk through the highlights together.”

Task 2: Send Invites (Days 5-10)

• Send calendar invite to client(s) + relevant team members (SEO Specialist if technical discussion needed)
• Set reminder: 2-day reminder + 1-hour reminder before call
• Confirm attendance by Day 10 (track RSVPs)

Task 3: Prepare Call Materials

• Create brief call prep doc for EACH client:
  • Rank tracking summary (best performers, laggards, trend)
  • Content published this month (list)
  • Upcoming deliverables for next month
  • Talking points (2-3 wins to highlight, any challenges to address)
  • Any outstanding client questions/requests from Task Tracker
• Share prep doc in Task Tracker (so team can reference)
• Coordinate with SEO Specialist: “Who’s attending this call? Will you join for technical discussion?”

Task 4: Track Schedule Status

• By EOD on Day 10:
  • ✅ 100% of clients have strategy call on calendar
  • ✅ All invites sent
  • ✅ RSVPs tracked
  • ✅ Call prep docs complete

KPI Check:

• Target: 100% of strategy calls scheduled by EOD on 10th

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By the 15th of Month: Hold Monthly Strategy Calls

Trigger: Call scheduled

Owner: CSM (primary), SEO Specialist (if attending)

Timeline: Days 10-20 (spread calls throughout mid-month)

Pre-Call CSM Tasks (1 Hour Before Each Call)

• Review call prep materials one more time
• Load Local Dominator on screen (ready to show live data if needed)
• Have GA4 data ready (traffic trends)
• Test meeting link (Zoom/Google Meet)
• Test screen share
• Open Task Tracker to note discussion points

Strategy Call Agenda (30-45 Minutes)

Structure:

1. Welcome & Quick Context (2 min)

   • “Thanks for joining! Let’s walk through your March performance together.”
   • Confirm they’ve reviewed the report

2. Rankings & Wins (10 min)

   • Screen share Local Dominator heatmap or ranking table from report
   • Highlight new rankings: “Look at this — you’re now #2 for [keyword]. That’s a huge win because it’s high-intent traffic.”
   • Discuss rank movements: “Here are the keywords that grew. Here are the ones we’re watching.”
   • Explain trend: “Overall, we’re seeing solid momentum. The market’s competitive, so 8-week timeline still looks realistic.”
   • Ask: “How are you feeling about these rankings?”

3. Traffic & Conversions (8 min)

   • Screen share GA4 traffic trend
   • “Your organic traffic was up 18% this month. Here’s where it came from…”
   • Show by-page breakdown: “These pages are your traffic drivers…”
   • Ask: “Are you seeing an increase in calls/inquiries?”
   • If LSA active: “LSA brought in [X] qualified leads. Here’s the lead quality feedback you provided…”

4. Content & Optimization (7 min)

   • List content published: “We published these blog posts this month: [list]”
   • Explain strategy: “We’re targeting [topic] because it aligns with your high-intent keywords.”
   • Ask: “Do you have any photos/videos for upcoming posts? Any service areas you want featured?”
   • Discuss GBP activity: “Your GBP got [X] posts, [X] reviews, [X] actions. Here’s what performed well…”

5. Reviews & Reputation (3 min)

   • “You’re at [rating]. You added [X] new reviews this month, which is great velocity. Keep up the review collection.”
   • If critical reviews: “We had [X] critical review this month. Here’s how we responded…”

6. Next Month’s Plan (8 min)

   • “Here’s what we’re prioritizing in April: [list 3 priorities with owners + deadlines]”
   • Example: “By April 15th, we’ll have location pages for [new city] ready. We’ll also launch a backlink campaign targeting [type] sites.”
   • Ask for client input: “Are there any service areas or keywords you want to focus on next month?”
   • Set expectations: “Realistically, we should see [X number] of new rankings by end of Q2.”

7. Upsells & Opportunities (5 min)

   • Review tracked upsell opportunities from monthly assessment
   • If appropriate: “I noticed you’ve been asking about video SEO. That’s a great opportunity. Want to discuss adding that to your scope?”
   • Be soft — not pushy. Only surface if relevant.

8. Questions & Closing (2 min)

   • “Any questions about the strategy or the report?”
   • “Anything else on your mind?”
   • Confirm next call date (usually 1 month out)

During Call: Capture Notes

Real-time logging:

• Take notes in Task Tracker as you talk (not visible to client)
• Log key discussion points, action items, client sentiment
• Note any requests or concerns
• Document answers to client questions

Post-Call CSM Tasks (Same Day or Next AM)

Task 1: Update Task Tracker

• Post detailed call notes in Task Tracker:
  • Date, attendees, duration
  • Key discussion points (rankings, traffic, content)
  • Client sentiment (happy? concerned? engaged?)
  • Action items (who, what, deadline)
  • Questions answered
  • Upsell opportunities discussed
• Tag: “Monthly Strategy Call — [Month]”

Task 2: Follow-Up on Action Items

• If client promised to provide photos/info: Send follow-up Task Tracker message
  • “Thanks for the call! Just following up on [request]. Can you send that by [date]?”
• If team needs to take action: Notify relevant team member
  • “CSM note from call: Client wants location pages for [city] by April 15th. Can you add to your queue?”

Task 3: Send Call Summary (Optional)

• Send optional “call recap” email if client requested or if it was a long strategic discussion
  • Subject: “[Client Name] – Strategy Call Summary [Month]”
  • Body: Brief recap of decisions made, next steps, what to expect
  • This prevents misunderstandings and is valuable proof of care

Task 4: KPI Tracking

• Log call completion in master tracker (or Fathom)
• Record attendance (attended / rescheduled / no-show)

KPI Check:

• Target: 90%+ monthly strategy call attendance rate (track no-shows/rescheduling)

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Handling Late Data & Data Issues

Scenario: SEO Specialist Hasn’t Run Monthly Batch by Day 3

Situation: It’s Day 4 or 5 and you haven’t received the monthly batch output

Resolution:

1. Message SEO Specialist: “Checking on the monthly batch. When will that be ready? I need it by EOD to deliver reports by the 5th.”
2. If delayed: Don’t panic. You can:
   • Pull data manually from Local Dominator, GA4, GBP Insights (takes 2-3 hours per client)
   • Use data from last week (Day 28-30 of previous month) if current month incomplete
   • Deliver report with note: “Data as of [date]. We’ll update you on [date] once final metrics are in.”
3. Ask SEO Specialist: “What blocked you? Do we need to adjust the automated batch timing?”
4. Future prevention: Schedule backup batch run on Day 2 if Day 1 misses

Scenario: Data Has Errors (Mismatched Date Ranges, Blank Fields)

Situation: Draft report has incomplete or incorrect data

Resolution:

1. Flag to SEO Specialist immediately: “Report has data errors in [section]. Can you check?”
2. Wait for correction before finalizing
3. If correction needed is complex (e.g., need new API pull):
   • Deliver report with note: “Some data [section] is being updated. We’ll send you an updated version by [date].”
   • Avoid delaying entire report for one section
4. Schedule SEO Specialist review of batch output process

Scenario: GSC/GA4 Data Unavailable (Not Connected)

Situation: GA4 account not connected, so traffic data unavailable

Resolution:

1. Note in report: “Traffic data not yet connected. We’re setting this up in [month] so we can include detailed traffic trends in future reports.”
2. Include what you DO have: Rankings, GBP performance, citations, reviews
3. Set expectation: “We’ll have complete traffic reporting by [date].”
4. Work with SEO Specialist to connect GA4 in P4 onboarding

Scenario: Client Rankings Dropped Significantly

Situation: Data shows 15%+ drop in tracked keywords

Resolution:

1. Don’t hide it — address head-on in report and on call
2. Include in executive summary: “We saw a ranking drop this month. Here’s what happened and what we’re doing…”
3. Investigate root causes:
   • Algorithm update? Check Google announcements
   • Technical issue? Run /seo-crawl to check
   • Content issue? Review competitive content
   • Seasonal fluctuation? Validate with historical data
4. On strategy call: Be transparent
   • “We dropped rankings this month because [reason]. Here’s our action plan: [specific steps]. We expect recovery by [date].”
5. Escalate to Ops Lead if drop is unexplained or severe

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Monthly Assessment: Client Satisfaction & Upsells

Timing: By 15th of month (parallel to strategy calls)

Owner: CSM

Tasks:

Task 1: Client Satisfaction Assessment

• During strategy call: Gauge client sentiment (happy? engaged? concerned?)
• After call: Update Task Tracker with satisfaction level (1-10 internal rating)
• If score < 7: Flag to Ops Lead for recovery discussion
• Optional: Send brief satisfaction survey (email or Task Tracker poll)
  • “Rate your satisfaction with Tekton Growth work: 1-10”
  • “What’s going well? What could improve?”
  • “Any additional services you’d like to explore?”

Task 2: Upsell Opportunity Identification

• Review current client scope (services included vs. not included)
• Identify 2-3 opportunities per client:
  • Client asked about YouTube SEO? → YouTube SEO upsell
  • Site slow/outdated? → Website redesign upsell
  • Wants faster growth? → LSA or paid advertising upsell
  • Multiple locations? → Multi-location SEO expansion
  • High traffic but low conversions? → Landing page optimization upsell
• Track in Task Tracker: “Upsell opportunity: [opportunity] — discuss next month”
• Present during strategy call (soft sell, not pushy)

Task 3: Monthly Proactive Communications

• Ensure minimum 2 “win” updates per client this month
  • Example: “Just spotted a win! Your emergency plumbing page just hit #3 (up from #8 last week).”
  • Example: “Your Google Reviews just hit 4.8 stars. Great work building client relationships!”
  • Spread throughout month (not clustered)
• Log in Task Tracker: “Win notification sent: [date]”

KPI Check:

• Target: Minimum 2 proactive updates per client monthly
• Target: 2+ upsell opportunities identified per client monthly
• Target: 100% of clients assessed for satisfaction by 15th

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QC Checklist for Monthly Reports

Before delivering any monthly report, verify:

• Data Accuracy: All metrics verified against source systems (Local Dominator, GA4, Search Atlas, GBP Insights)
• Data Completeness: No missing months, no blank sections, all data ranges match (e.g., all March 1-31)
• Chart Quality: All charts labeled correctly (axis titles, legend, date range), no broken images
• Executive Summary Alignment: Summary reflects actual data (not over-promising or under-representing)
• Action Items Specificity: Next-month items have clear owners and deadlines
• Deliverables Documentation: Every item completed this month is listed with proof (dates, metrics)
• Grammar & Formatting: Professional appearance, no typos, consistent fonts/colors
• Tone: Confident, accountable, transparent, client-centric
• Timeliness: Ready for delivery by EOD on 5th of month
• Trend Analysis: Includes “why” behind movements, not just “what” (e.g., “Rankings up because we optimized these pages…”)
• Client Name & Date Range: Correct on cover page and throughout

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Monthly Reporting KPIs

Track these metrics to ensure reporting quality:

KPI	Target	Frequency	Owner
Reports delivered by 5th	100%	Monthly	CSM
Zero data errors in reports	100%	Monthly	SEO Specialist QA
Report timeliness (delivered on time)	100% by 5th	Monthly	CSM
Strategy calls scheduled by 10th	100%	Monthly	CSM
Strategy call attendance rate	90%+	Monthly	CSM
Client satisfaction rating	4.5+/5 (if surveyed)	Quarterly	CSM
Proactive wins communicated	Min 2/client/month	Monthly	CSM
Upsell opportunities identified	2+/client/month	Monthly	CSM
Task Tracker notes updated	100% within 24h of call	Monthly	CSM
Follow-up actions completed	100% on deadline	Monthly	CSM

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Data Sources Reference

Quick lookup table for where each metric comes from:

Metric	Primary Source	Secondary Source	Notes
Keyword positions & changes	Local Dominator	Search Atlas	Pull current position + compare to previous month
Ranking heatmap visualization	Local Dominator	Search Atlas	By city, by category, by service
Traffic (organic sessions)	GA4	Search Atlas	Monthly trend, by landing page
Clicks & impressions	Google Search Console	GA4	Organic search data only
Site speed / Lighthouse scores	Search Atlas	PageSpeed Insights	Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO
Core Web Vitals	Google Search Console	Search Atlas	LCP, FID, CLS; current vs. previous
GBP views, actions, questions	Search Atlas	GBP Insights (native)	From GBP performance dashboard
Reviews (count, rating, new reviews)	Search Atlas	GBP Insights	Track sentiment of new reviews
LSA leads, spend, ROAS	LSA dashboard	LSA Specialist	Request weekly summary from LSA Specialist
Citations verified/added	BrightLocal	Search Atlas	Niche directory counts
Backlinks acquired	Claude Code /seo-links skill	Backlink tool	Updated monthly

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Related SOPs & Resources

• 00-client-lifecycle-playbook.md — Full client lifecycle, monthly maintenance section
• csm/README.md — CSM role overview and ongoing responsibilities
• csm/onboarding.md — P0 onboarding process
• csm/offboarding.md — Client exit process
• client-deliverables-reporting.md — Detailed deliverables and report structure
• Task Tracker — Client communication and notes storage
• Local Dominator — Rank tracking data source
• Search Atlas — GBP and ranking data source
• Google Analytics 4 — Traffic data source
• Google Search Console — CTR, impressions, GSC data source
• BrightLocal — Citation tracking source
• Claude Code Skills: /seo-batch-monthly, /seo-report

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Version Control:

• v1.0 (2026-03): Created from client-deliverables-reporting.md and lifecycle playbook Ongoing section. Structured as step-by-step monthly process with timelines, data sources, templates, troubleshooting.