1. BUILDING FOR SEO WITHOUT
A DEDICATED RESOURCE
Missi Carmen
VP, SEO
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1. There is no way we can address all of your requests for go live?
2. I didn’t know you needed to be involved.
3. Do you need to be involved?
4. We didn’t have SEO include in the original project scope
5. I don’t know SEO so I didn’t include it in the project brief.
6. We went with that product name because it was “brand-right”. Who cares
what the customers call it?
7. I just don’t understand the value of SEO
8. Can you teach me quick SEO?
9. Can you put some numbers behind that?
10.They’ll never go for it.
11.This is how it’s always been done.
SEO BROKEN RECORD
Do any of these statements sound familiar?
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• Misconception:
– SEO is a job description, a person or a team.
• Reality:
– SEO is a process.
– SEO is a team culture.
– SEO is any input that engines use to rank
pages.
– SEO is anything that people or technology do
to influence ranking elements.
Ultimately, everyone is responsible for and can
contribute to SEO.
COMMON CHALLENGE FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONS
SEO is still the least understood area of marketing today
http://partnerwithsheena.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/internet-marketing-terms-glossary.png
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• My Background:
– Marketing meets IT.
– ESTJ (Extravert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)
• ESTJ is outspoken, a person of principles, which
are readily expressed. ESTJ is not afraid to
stand up for what he/she believes is right even
in the face of overwhelming odds.
• My Work:
– Construction Engineer
• Deals with the designing, planning, construction,
and management of infrastructures (highways,
bridges, roads)
– Detective
• Collects forensic evidence to solve crimes.
Interviews informants, suspects and witnesses.
• Keeps detailed records. Follow up on leads.
Prepare investigative reports.
MY STORY
Who is Missi? What is she really like?
http://milhouseinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Construction-Engineering-large-July-5.jpeg
http://s392.photobucket.com/user/DryKid/media/NoirDetective.jpg.html
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• Study*: Respondents asked to
identify all of the job functions
they were involved with.
• Findings: “Most search marketers
perform an average of five job
functions in addition to their core
responsibilities.”
Takeaway: Many SEO responsibilities
that are successful come with
increasing appreciation and
awareness within the organization.
WEARING MULTIPLE HATS
Have our responsibilities and priorities changed?
http://moz.com/blog/4-essential-seo-infographics
Fighting
for SEO
Channel,
Voice,
Budget,
65%
Surviving,
6%
Social
Media,
6%
SEO
Tactics,
25%
How SEOs Really Spend Their Time
*2006 Study by iProspect and Juniper Research
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SEO
Organization placement could impact SEO productivity and awareness.
http://chameleon.conductor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2011/08/SEO-in-the-org-350.png
http://www.conductor.com/blog/2011/08/thoughts-on-where-seo-belongs-in-the-organization/
http://ww2.conductor.com/rs/conductor2/images/Conductor-Why_2013_Year_SEO.pdf
• 2011: SEO in Marketing, Product,
Technology and Web Operations
— SEO on Product teams more successful
• 2012: SEO has matured in the
organization, with increased
resources, budget and technology
adoption
— 16% had SEO in its own department
— 65% say natural search is influences
revenue strategy
(SEW & Conductor study “Why 2013 is the
Year of the SEO”)
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1. Prepare monthly reporting (high-level)
2. Conduct keyword research
– Striking distance and emerging
3. Stay on top of duplicate content issues
4. Maintain good site structure & speed
5. Local SEO (if applicable)
6. Conduct or get a site audit
– Create an easy to read scorecard or roadmap
of current SEO on/off-page priorities
ATTACK THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT
High value things you can do in the least amount of time
http://magazine3.magazine3.netdna-cdn.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/SEO-tips.png
SEO maintenance
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1. SEO Office Hours: Great way for people to come and ask questions.
– Be the guru! Be the go-to person.
– HOW SEO impacts them and WHAT can be done about it collaboratively.
2. SEO News Resource: Filter relevant news, add your spin and tailor it
for team priorities or business goals.
– Send out SEO articles in-house.
– Outline HOW changes impact departments and WHAT can be done about it.
3. SEO Education Activities: Invest time in regular SEO activities to
keep the topic alive.
– Meetings with a Purpose, SEO Task Force (Seasonal), Training, SEO Coffee Talk
BUILD AN SEO EDUCATION PROGRAM
No introverts allowed! Start on an SEO quest.
SEO awareness
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Focus: Five Ws (who, what, where, when, why)
Schedule: Piggy back on existing team meetings
SEO Coffee Talk Agenda (example):
1. New “Pigeon” Algorithm (impacts to Retail, Social & Local SEO)
2. Foursquare to Swarm & Yelps New Video Feature (impacts Social & Retail)
3. Google Adds Images to Quick Answers (impacts Media, Investors, Social & Retail)
4. Paid Search Spend in Q2, Mobile Up 98% (by Covario) (impacts Marketing)
5. SEO Strategy: What Is Really Needed (impacts everyone)
SAMPLE SEO EDUCATION PROGRAM
SEO Coffee Talk: 15-minute download of what happened in the
world of Search and how those changes impact Teams.
SEO audience
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1. Get out of your chair!
2. Identify key stakeholders: Ask questions and listen.
– Share the SEO why behind the what, because understanding builds a sense of ownership.
3. Discover internal advocates: Those an interest can be your allies, eyes and ears.
– Make them co-trainers. Give them kudos and brag about a job well done to their boss.
4. Get SEO involved: Early in development process.
– Example: If UX/UI team has a style guide, ask if you can incorporate SEO guidelines for
internal linking, ALT text, and headlines.
5. Create department internal “aids”: Documentation or best practices early on to
avoid repeating mistakes.
– Jessica Bowman, founder and CEO of SEO In-House uses the word “aids” not checklists
because they are not always definitive.
BUILD AN INTERNAL ARMY OF SEO’S
Create goal alignment to help others understand and embrace the impact of SEO.
SEO impact
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1. Align with Department Goals:
– Know what matters to the business.
– Map projects to goals/KPIs by presenting SEO
techniques and initiatives that can help.
– Position projects that benefit the customer or
other teams before someone has a chance to
push back on a pure SEO project.
2. Align with Reporting:
– Know what matters to the business…again!
– Choose tools that give you actionable info and
show executives how SEO initiatives contributed
to the bottom line.
– Synch SEO reporting into other teams metrics.
Make your job easier not harder.
DON’T ALWAYS PITCH YOUR PROJECTS AS “SEO”
Building a case for that dedicated resource
http://seodoze.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/seo_1.jpg
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1. Great for Short-term projects:
— Wireframes, code review, copywriting, link building,
training.
2. Outsource Recommendations:
– Create a relationship with an agency that offloads
workload.
3. Outsourcing cons:
– Dependent on individuals and agency turnover.
– Limited access to full business scope or access based on
your availability.
Follow through: You’re going to get busy. Don’t
assume that just because you’ve hired them that
things are being handled well.
OUTSOURCING & CONTRACTORS
An extension of your SEO initiative.
“top three reasons for using
an outside provider for
search engine optimization as
opposed to doing it in-house
are lack of in-house skills
(44%), too-time consuming
(41%) and lack of in-house
tools and technology (38%).”
SEMPO’s 2011 State of Search
Marketing Report
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1. Executive sponsorship
for building SEO team
– Educate and empower
your Executive Sponsor
with high-level SEO
insights that are or will
direct impact a project, a
team or a campaign.
– Their initial impression
with you and SEO is key
to the success of the
program sponsorship.
EXECUTIVE BUY-IN: 5 KEYS TO CREDIBILITY
Gaining the channel recognition for the needed SEO resource
SEMPO’s 2011 report: Challenges for Managing SEO
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2. Use objective measures for comparisons (Goobly-gook!)
– Score campaigns or business lines with a search score using measurements
based on competitive research, geo, site performance, pre & post.
– Prove the SEO impact to the business by translating SEO initiatives into
revenues or success metrics
3. Establish concrete milestones throughout the project/campaign
– Provides team and executives with paced channel performance against
established objectives. If SEO succeeds, attention is gained.
– Visible progress and success measurement are critical to communicate
expectedly, on a consistent basis; not by request.
EXECUTIVE BUY-IN: 5 KEYS TO CREDIBILITY
Gaining the channel recognition for the needed SEO resource
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4. Make SEO part of the regular workflow with ease
– Understand current workflow within other departments and merge SEO
activities into their existing process.
– Incorporate your SEO reporting with their dashboard for an all up
executive view.
5. Create a sense of SEO comradery
– A little competition never hurt anyone! SEO achievements that gain the
recognition of a C-Suite with a little fun can go a long way.
– Even weekly report cards on performance with gold stars for top
performing business units brings a new take on weekly reports.
• Example: Zebra report card
EXECUTIVE BUY-IN: 5 KEYS TO CREDIBILITY
Gaining the channel recognition for the needed SEO resource
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1. SEO Success
– Much of SEO success lies in the perception of the current SEO program and
the current resources at play… evaluate yourself
2. Uphill Battle
– Embrace that SEO is never easy. Many teams face a battle when looking to
add a dedicated resources.
– Reach out to your SEO community for feedback and support.
3. Structure and Workflow
– Make SEO part of everyone’s jobs. Get SEO involved early and find your
internal army (product managers, developers, key stakeholders).
4. Avoid SEO Pitfalls
– Not speaking up. Not communicating wins & losses. Spread the love to
those who have helped you succeed!
ESTABLISHING THE CASE FOR A DEDICATED RESOURCE
Summing up the components to build a case.
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5. Be Aware of Politics!
– Be aware of it and either try to avoid the conflict OR…
– Bring organization to the table and merge ideas.
6. Align with Departments Goals
– How they are measured? Don’t forget to explain the opportunity SEO
offers.
7. SEO Channel Contribution
– Focus on the HOW, the approach taken, the impact and WHAT was done.
– Show traffic improvement can be attributed to particular tasks or projects,
give those teams credit when it’s appropriate publicly.
8. Executive Perception
– Show management the opportunities and competition in natural search.
EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS NUMBERS
Building a case for that dedicated resource
22. MISSI CARMEN, VP OF SEO
mcarmen@mtb.com
linkedin.com/in/missicarmen
@missmktr
