How to automate recurring SEO reports in SEMrush for clients

If you're tired of pulling the same SEO numbers every month, manually pasting screenshots, or scrambling to send updates to clients, this guide is for you. We'll walk through how to automate recurring SEO reports in SEMrush, so you can actually use your time for work that matters. You don't have to be a reporting wizard, but you do need to know the pros, cons, and a few gotchas if you want to set-and-forget your client reporting.

Why Bother Automating SEO Reports?

Let’s be real: recurring SEO reports are a pain. You want to keep your clients in the loop (and off your back), but pulling data by hand is a waste of time. Automating reports in SEMrush:

  • Saves you hours every month
  • Makes sure clients get their updates, even if you’re on vacation
  • Reduces human error (no more sending last month’s screenshots…)

But, be aware: automated reports aren’t magic. You still need to set them up right, double-check them occasionally, and make sure they’re actually useful—not just a bunch of charts nobody reads.

Step 1: Figure Out What Your Clients Actually Need

Before you start clicking around SEMrush, stop and ask: what does your client actually care about? Not every client needs a 20-page PDF with every possible metric. In fact, most will ignore it.

  • Ask your client: What are their goals? (Rankings, traffic, conversions, technical health?)
  • Keep it focused: For most, stick to keyword rankings, traffic changes, site health, and maybe backlinks.
  • Don’t overwhelm: More data doesn’t mean better reporting. The fewer, clearer metrics, the better.

Pro tip: If your client just wants “the highlights,” set up a one-page summary report. You can always add more detail if they ask.

Step 2: Set Up Your SEMrush Projects

To automate reports, you need to have your client’s website set up as a SEMrush Project.

Here’s how:

  1. Log in to SEMrush and click on “Projects” in the main menu.
  2. Create a new Project for your client’s domain (if you haven’t already).
  3. Configure the core tools you want to report on:
  4. Position Tracking: For keyword rankings.
  5. Site Audit: For technical health.
  6. Backlink Audit: For link profile.
  7. Google Analytics & Search Console Integration: For traffic data (if you want).

Don’t bother: Setting up every SEMrush tool “just because.” Stick to what your client actually wants to see. Unused widgets just clutter the report.

Step 3: Build a Custom Report in the SEMrush Report Builder

Generic reports are a snoozefest. Use the “My Reports” (sometimes called “Custom PDF Reports”) feature to build something that makes sense for your client.

  1. Go to “My Reports” from the SEMrush dashboard.
  2. Click “Create report” to start from scratch, or use a template if it matches your needs.
  3. Drag and drop widgets for the metrics you want:
  4. Position Tracking Overview: Show ranking changes for tracked keywords.
  5. Site Audit Summary: Quick snapshot of site health.
  6. Organic Traffic: Pull in Google Analytics data if you’ve linked it.
  7. Backlink Overview: High-level link profile.
  8. Custom text blocks: Add your own notes or explanations (seriously, do this).
  9. Remove anything you don’t need. Fewer charts = less confusion.

What works: Short reports with clear commentary. Clients care more about what changed and what you’re doing about it than about the raw data.

What doesn’t: Dumping every chart you can find. It’s overwhelming and makes you look like you’re hiding behind data.

Step 4: Add Your Branding (Optional, but Looks Pro)

SEMrush lets you add your logo and contact info to reports, which can help reinforce your agency’s brand.

  • White-labeling is available on some SEMrush plans (not all). If you’re on a basic plan, you may be stuck with SEMrush branding.
  • Upload your logo in the report builder settings.
  • Double-check that your contact info is correct—typos here look sloppy.

Heads up: White-labeling is nice, but it’s not worth upgrading plans just for a logo. Most clients care more about the insights than your letterhead.

Step 5: Set Up Automated Scheduling and Delivery

Now for the magic. SEMrush lets you schedule reports to go out automatically.

  1. In your report, click “Schedule.”
  2. Choose frequency: Most folks go with monthly or weekly. Don’t overdo it—nobody wants daily reports.
  3. Enter recipient emails: Your client, your team, or both.
  4. Customize the subject line and message: A short note (“Here’s your monthly SEO update,” etc.) is better than nothing.
  5. Save and activate. You’re done.

What works: Monthly reports, sent automatically, with a short custom message. Follow up separately if there’s big news or problems.

What doesn’t: Sending giant PDFs to clients who never open their email. If your client prefers a quick Slack message or phone call, use the report as backup, not as your main communication channel.

Step 6: Test Your Reports Before Clients See Them

Don’t assume everything looks perfect just because SEMrush says it does. Run a test send to yourself.

  • Open the PDF: Check for broken widgets, missing data, or ugly formatting.
  • Read it like a client: Is it clear what’s important? Or is it just a wall of numbers?
  • Fix errors: SEMrush sometimes chokes if you haven’t connected integrations or if a tool hasn’t collected enough data.

Pro tip: Put yourself in your client’s shoes. If you can’t see what matters in under a minute, cut more fluff.

Step 7: Keep an Eye on Reports (But Don’t Babysit Them)

Automated reports are great—until something breaks. SEMrush updates features, APIs change, Google Analytics disconnects, or weird data glitches happen.

  • Set a calendar reminder to review outgoing reports at least once a quarter.
  • Ask clients occasionally if the report is helpful. If they’re not reading it, change it.
  • Update report widgets if your client’s focus shifts (like after a site redesign or new campaign).

Don’t: Assume “set and forget” means “never think about it again.” Automation is a time-saver, not a substitute for actual communication.

What to Ignore (Most of the Time)

  • Overly technical sections: Most clients don’t care about crawl budget, HTTP status codes, or canonical tags in their monthly report. Save that for technical audits.
  • Every SEMrush widget: Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you should include it.
  • Daily or super-detailed reports: Unless your client is obsessed with data (and paying for it), keep it high-level.

Honest Pros, Cons, and Gotchas

Pros: - Saves a ton of time. - Keeps clients informed (and off your back). - Reduces risk of mistakes.

Cons: - White-labeling costs extra. - Reports can break if integrations disconnect. - SEMrush’s design options are… limited. You won’t win design awards.

Gotchas: - If you change tracked keywords or site settings in SEMrush, it can mess up your report widgets. Double-check after any changes. - If your client wants CSVs or Google Data Studio dashboards, SEMrush isn’t the tool for that.

Wrapping Up: Don’t Overthink It

Automated SEMrush reports are supposed to save you time, not create more work. Start simple, focus on the metrics that actually matter, and don’t be afraid to tweak your reports as you go. It’s better to send a one-page summary that your client actually reads than a 30-page monster nobody opens.

Set it up, check it now and then, and move on to the parts of SEO that actually move the needle.