You’re trying to figure out which project management tool will help your agency rank better in search results and manage client work efficiently. This decision impacts both your team’s productivity and how potential clients find you online in 2025.
Problem Summary
Choosing between Monday.com, Asana, and Trello for your agency isn’t just about features — it’s about finding the platform that helps you showcase your work online while keeping projects organized. The wrong choice can hurt your visibility in search engines and make client management harder than it needs to be.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Step 1: Run a quick SEO audit on each platform’s public project options
Start by checking which platforms let you create public portfolios or case studies. Open each tool and look for “Public View” or “Share Settings” options. Monday.com offers shareable boards with custom URLs, ideal for agencies wanting to showcase completed projects. Asana provides portfolio views that Google can index when set to public. Trello boards can be made public but offer limited customization for SEO purposes.
Step 2: Test the integration capabilities with your current SEO tools
Connect your existing SEO software to see which platform plays nicely with your stack. Monday.com integrates directly with Google Analytics and Search Console through their app marketplace. Asana connects through Zapier to most SEO tools but requires extra setup. Trello’s Power-Ups include basic analytics connections but lack depth for serious SEO tracking.
Step 3: Create a sample client project on each platform
Build a mock project to test real-world usage. Set up a typical client campaign with tasks for keyword research, content creation, and link building. Notice how each platform handles task dependencies and team collaboration. Monday.com’s timeline view works best for agencies juggling multiple SEO campaigns. Asana excels at breaking down complex projects into subtasks. Trello keeps things visual but can get cluttered with large campaigns.
Step 4: Check mobile responsiveness and loading speeds
Open each platform on your phone and tablet. Time how long it takes to load a project board. Google considers page speed when ranking sites, and if you’re sharing project views with clients, this matters. Monday.com loads fastest on mobile devices in 2025. Asana’s mobile app is smooth but the web version can lag. Trello performs consistently across devices but lacks some desktop features on mobile.
Step 5: Analyze the pricing structure for growing agencies
Calculate the real cost as your team expands. Monday.com charges per seat with unlimited guests, perfect for agencies with many clients. Asana’s free tier supports up to 15 users but limits advanced features. Trello offers the most generous free plan but becomes expensive when you need multiple Power-Ups.
Likely Causes
Cause #1: Your agency prioritizes visual project tracking over detailed reporting
This happens when your team prefers seeing everything at a glance rather than diving into analytics. Check this by asking your team how they currently track projects — whiteboards, sticky notes, or spreadsheets? If they’re visual learners, Trello’s card-based system feels most natural. The Kanban boards make it easy to drag tasks through stages. However, this visual simplicity means sacrificing deeper SEO campaign tracking features found in Monday.com or Asana.
Cause #2: You need extensive client permissions without extra costs
Many agencies struggle with client access pricing. Test this by counting how many clients need view-only access to their projects. Monday.com treats viewers as free guests, not recommended when you have fewer than 10 active clients. Asana charges for guest access beyond the basic tier, best used in agencies keeping client interactions minimal. Trello allows unlimited free viewers but they can accidentally move cards if permissions aren’t set correctly.
Cause #3: Your SEO workflows require heavy automation
Complex SEO campaigns need automated task creation and updates. Identify this need by listing your repetitive tasks — keyword tracking updates, monthly reporting, content calendar shifts. Monday.com’s automation recipes handle complex if-then scenarios without coding. Asana’s Rules feature automates basic workflows but needs technical knowledge for advanced setups. Trello requires third-party tools like Butler for meaningful automation, not ideal for agencies wanting everything in one place.
When to Call an Expert Help
Consider bringing in a project management consultant when your team spends more time managing the tool than doing actual work. If you’re constantly exporting data to create client reports, or if team members avoid using the platform altogether, you need professional setup help. A consultant can configure custom workflows, set up proper permissions, and train your team in about a week. This investment pays off when you stop losing billable hours to tool frustration.
Copy-Paste Prompt for AI Help
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I run a [SIZE] person SEO/digital marketing agency with [NUMBER] active clients. We need a project management tool that:
- Allows public sharing of completed projects for our portfolio
- Integrates with [LIST YOUR SEO TOOLS]
- Handles [NUMBER] of concurrent projects
- Stays within $[BUDGET] per month
- Lets clients view progress without editing access
Currently considering Monday.com, Asana, and Trello. Our team is [TECHNICAL LEVEL: beginner/intermediate/advanced] with project management software. We prioritize [CHOOSE: visual simplicity / detailed reporting / automation capabilities].
Which platform best fits these requirements and why? Please explain the SEO benefits of each option for an agency website.