SEO/CRO consultants: end approval delays with a single client portal

Growth work stalls when decisions live everywhere: audit decks in Drive, copy in Docs, experiments in Sheets, dashboards in Looker/GA4, and approvals scattered across email/Slack. Timelines slip, variants go stale, and the “final copy?” message hits your inbox… again.

Clortal fixes this with one portal link per engagement—deliverables, approved assets, messages, a timeline/calendar, and a clean path to sign-off. Clients don’t need another login.

Why the usual mix breaks down

Email approvals get buried; the “go live” is unclear.
Shared folders sprawl; teams use old logos/copy or the wrong UTM sheet.
Dashboards are great—but stakeholders don’t know where the plan lives.
Sheets for experiments track status, but feedback is still in threads.
PM tools are for your team; clients don’t want to learn them.

Result: slower launches, missed windows, and fuzzy accountability.

What clients actually need (and will use)

A simple engagement checklist with statuses (audit → plan → build → launch → report).
One place to see only the approved assets (copy, creatives, tags, UTM sheet).
Comments in context (Starter+) for copy/creative or a project thread for decisions.
A timeline/calendar for experiment windows, content drops, and reporting.
A single secure link they can share internally.

That’s the portal.

How Clortal maps to an SEO/CRO workflow

Deliverables & milestones

Turn your scope into clear deliverables: Technical audit, Content audit, Quick wins, Tracking/consent setup, Experiment plan, Variant mockups, Dev handoff, Launch window, 14-day readout, Monthly report. Mark progress; clients see status at a glance.

Approved files only

Upload PDFs, images, CSVs, or link out (Drive/Docs/Sheets, Figma, Looker/GA4). Toggle Approved to expose the right version—keep WIP internal.

Messages & file comments (Starter+)

Keep copy edits and variant feedback where they belong—on the project or file—so decisions don’t hide in email/DMs.

Activity log & notifications (Starter+)

Automatic trail of uploads, approvals, and status changes. Optional email nudges (e.g., “Variant B approved—launch window tomorrow”).

Timeline/Calendar view

Show experiment windows, content publish dates, and report deadlines next to the list.

Branding

Your logo/colors theme the portal—clients feel it’s your workflow.

One shareable portal link

No client accounts. Revoke or expire the link anytime.

10-minute setup blueprint

Create your organization and add logo/colors (used on the portal).
Add the client (name + email).
Create the project (e.g., Q4 CRO Sprint — ACME).
Add deliverables with dates:
- Technical SEO audit (due: Oct 10)
- Content audit (due: Oct 12)
- Quick wins batch (range: Oct 13–15)
- Tracking/consent setup (due: Oct 16)
- Experiment plan v1 (due: Oct 18)
- Variant mockups (A/B) (due: Oct 20)
- Dev handoff (due: Oct 22)
- Launch window (Oct 23–24)
- 14-day readout (due: Nov 7)
- Monthly report (due: Nov 30)
Upload/link assets: audits (PDF), copy docs, Figma mockups, UTM sheet, Looker/GA4 dashboards.
Approve items ready for client eyes.
Share the portal link.
Use Timeline/Calendar to visualize launches and reports.

Weekly habit: post a short “What shipped / What’s next / Client action” note in Messages so decisions are obvious.

Sample sprint template: homepage CRO (4 weeks)

Week 1
- Tech & content audit — Approved
- Experiment plan v1 — In review
Week 2
- Variant mockups A/B — Approved
- Copy package — Approved
- Dev handoff — Ready
Week 3
- Launch window — Wed–Thu
- QA & tracking validation — Done
Week 4
- 14-day readout — Scheduled
- Next steps — Backlog prioritized

Clients open one link and see the plan, the right files, and what you need from them.

Keep your internal tools—add a clean client layer

Internal layer (for your team)

Use it for: task boards, production, deep analytics
Typical tools: Asana/Trello/Jira, Figma, GA4/Looker, Sheets/BigQuery, GitHub

Client-facing layer (Clortal)

Use it for: deliverables & statuses, approved copy/variants/UTMs, high-level updates, sign-off, timeline
Tool: Clortal portal (one shareable link)

You’re not replacing your stack—you’re eliminating the chaotic client surface.

FAQs

Can clients comment on copy or variants?

Yes on Starter+: comment on files or use the project thread. Keep the final “Approved” in the portal.

Where do reports live?

Upload PDFs or link dashboards. Add a “14-day readout” and “Monthly report” deliverable; mark Approved when final.

What about big spreadsheets (keyword sets, UTM lists)?

Link Sheets or upload CSVs. Expose only the Approved version in the portal to avoid “which sheet?” confusion.

Can we show a content calendar?

Yes—add dates to deliverables and use the Timeline/Calendar view.

Try it on your next engagement

Create the project, add deliverables with dates, link assets, and send the portal link. Expect faster sign-offs—and fewer “status?” emails.

Start free → clortal.com