Clients do not read dashboards. They read the first paragraph and the ask.
The order that works
- What changed, in one sentence.
- The numbers, in a table with the source named.
- What it means, one line per finding.
- What is next, one action with a reason.
- What you could not read, with the fix named.
The email, filled in
Foxglove Bakery, a fictional client, September 2026.
subject: Foxglove Bakery, September in review
Hi Sam,
This month we rewrote the title and description on three pages,
fixed the hours text in the footer, and reconnected Search Console
after the token expired on 12 September.
Search September August change
impressions 2,460 2,090 +17.7%
clicks 62 58 +6.9%
click rate 2.52% 2.78% -0.26 points
average position 14.8 15.6 -0.8 places
source: Search Console, 28 days each, America/New_York
The arithmetic: 62 / 2460 = 2.52%, and 58 / 2090 = 2.78%.
Clicks rose 4, which is inside the normal swing for a site this
size. Impressions rose 370, and most of that came from the three
rewritten pages. I am not claiming the rewrite caused it: the
window is still open and impressions were rising in August.
What is next, one thing: the cake page gets impressions and no
clicks. I will rewrite its title to match the query it appears for,
and read it again after 28 days.
What I could not read: conversions. The property has no key events
configured, so I cannot tell you what happened after a click. If you
want that, it needs one event configured, and I will do it next week.
Reply if you want anything added to the list.
Why the arithmetic is in the email
A reader who can check the division does not have to trust the sentence.
Writing 62 / 2460 costs one line and removes a whole conversation.
What to leave out
Do not give a percentage without saying what it is a percentage of. Do not report a change that shipped last week as a result. Do not list five themes.
Acceptance: send it when
- the first sentence names what actually changed
- both periods are the same length, and the range is written out
- every percentage shows its division
- one action is proposed, and nothing else
- a missing source is named with the date it was missing
- no sentence claims the change caused the movement
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The client replies with a bigger number from their own dashboard | Different date range or timezone | Agree the range first, then compare |
| Clicks fell while impressions rose | New queries arrive at lower positions | Report position, not clicks |
| The client asks what it cost | You are reporting sites, not credits | Add a one-line cost note, or link the plan |
| Nothing worth reporting | A quiet month with no new pages | Say so, and propose one test |
| The client wants weekly updates | You have five clients and one week | Move the cadence into the retainer plan |
Limits
A monthly update is a record, not a forecast.
A quiet month with a clear reason is better than three invented items. A client who reads one honest page a month renews more often than one who reads nothing.