Being proactive in the face of economic downturns and natural crises is critical for any business. One thing we learned from the 2008 recession is that marketing budgets are first to get cut – shrinking up to 30%. That is why now is an important moment for SEO agencies to focus on the productivity and well-being of their teams, and above all, good client management. Communication and care are crucial for navigating market uncertainties while transforming processes that keep SEOs profitable. In this presentation, Alen-Jelco Todorov of SEOmonitor offers tips on how SEO agencies can be proactive and prevent high churn in the face of an economic downturn. We will: - Explore strategic ways to prepare for an economic downturn as an SEO agency. - Identify what effective communication with clients is during a recession. - Determine how to assess SEO resources and opportunities in a time of budget cuts. - Uncover the silver lining – what industries thrive in this scenario.

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How SEO Agencies Can Stay Profitable
During a Downturn

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3. Did the outbreak affect your current
monthly recurring revenue?
POLL
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“People need to be reminded more often
than they need to be instructed.”
- Samuel Johnson

5. A few considerations
● Every agency situation is unique. Some cater to local
business, while others work with enterprise customers.
● Your primary goal is to maintain sustainability.
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6. The goal of this seminar
● Work as a tool for strategic thinking
● Reference point for management workshops
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Assess the current situation

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External Internal
Opportunity areas
Risk Areas
People
Cash

9. Opportunity areas - Where can you add more value?
● Cost per FTE lower due to switching to a remote team
● Digital transformation expertise - Help your customers
navigate the challenges of switching to digital
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10. What areas at risk? How might you mitigate
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Customer Industry MRR Action

11. People - How to keep them active & engaged
● Should you increase the amount of staff meetings?
● How do you a maintain your work ethic culture while social
distancing?
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12. Cash - Monthly operating expenses
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Vendor Cost Variable Proposals

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Build the contingency plan

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Pre-emptive What-if Defensive
Acquire
Manage
Retain

15. “OMG we have to cut everything”
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Establish and align on trigger events

16. What are trigger events
● Objective and quantifiable
● The whole leadership team agrees to them
● Based on real-time data
● Aligned to cash
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Pre-emptive What-if Defensive
Acquire
Introductory pricing
Manage
What expenses can be put on
hold with no harm
Retain
Focus on high-value and
at-risk
Weekly check-ins with
customers

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Pre-emptive What-if Defensive
Acquire
Discounts for long term
contracts
Manage
Short-term capex,
bonuses / sales incentives
Retain
Exclusive access

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Pre-emptive What-if Defensive
Acquire
Re-package for margin
Manage
Deferred comp, part time
work.
Retain
Pause existing campaigns

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Focus on the relationships

21. How to mitigate concerns customers
could have from a remote team
● Informing them about your current
workflow.
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22. Over Communicate
● Weekly check-ins about the
companies’ current status.
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23. Be a consultant
● Don’t give self-serving advice. Some
companies need to stop all marketing
initiatives in order to make payroll.
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24. Acknowledge uncertainty
● Use fuzzy tools like Google Trends
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What we did after the workshop

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trends.seomonitor.com

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We asked SEO leaders
about the impact.

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