As someone deeply involved in technical SEO, I’ve realized that our projects thrive when I effectively communicate their value to both executives and developers.
What sets a great SEO professional apart from the rest is their knack for managing stakeholders. This skill is crucial in technical SEO, where projects often involve numerous teams, making it challenging to convey the importance of our work.
At the core of stakeholder management is the perceived value of our work. In technical SEO, this can be especially tricky. People outside the SEO realm might not immediately grasp the significance of optimizing a site’s internal linking or implementing schema markup.
The most successful technical SEO projects aren’t merely seen as SEO enhancements; they are viewed as vital to business outcomes like revenue growth, better conversion rates, and operational efficiency. By strengthening this connection, I find it easier to gain stakeholder support and showcase long-term value.
Why Aligning Technical SEO Work with Business Impact Is Essential
For most executives and development teams, technical SEO isn’t at the forefront. That’s why I ensure our technical SEO recommendations are directly linked to measurable business goals.
Take, for instance, a scenario where a company modifies its website’s CMS. The SEO implications of such a change are often overlooked on a project manager’s long list of priorities. It’s not until I clearly demonstrate the risks and their potential impact that SEO is properly emphasized.
Technical SEO initiatives can be inherently complex. They require a strong grasp of the company’s systems and teams, coupled with excellent communication and management skills.
Even though I might see this work as pivotal to the site’s SEO health, others might not appreciate its value if I’m talking in terms of crawl budget or index management. Drawing parallels to core business goals helps make our work more comprehensible and valuable.
Aligning technical SEO initiatives with business performance and goals is the best way for me to secure buy-in and highlight their impact.
Business Outcomes That Drive SEO Buy-In
Understanding the metrics and business goals is crucial for demonstrating how technical SEO can impact performance. Most organizations set corporate goals like expanding reach, boosting revenue, or entering new markets.
Revenue
For many businesses, whether a charity or a multinational, the bottom line is revenue. Connecting technical SEO efforts to revenue growth is a surefire way for me to secure support and illustrate its value.
Conversion
I can also show the value of technical SEO by linking it to conversion optimization. Studies indicate that a one-second delay in page load speeds can slash conversions by up to 7%.
Looking at core web vitals scores is important, but framing it as potential conversion loss grabs more attention from stakeholders.
Cost Reduction
I often notice that the potential for cost reduction is overlooked in SEO. Website visits incur hosting, infrastructure, and security costs that add up quickly with large sites.
Highlighting how technical SEO can reduce unnecessary expenses is key.
Dig deeper: How to prioritize technical SEO fixes by business impact
How to Strengthen Buy-In for Technical SEO Work
These four strategies help stakeholders better understand, support, and prioritize technical SEO projects.
1. Determine the Value of the Work
I never assume an SEO activity is worthwhile just because it’s a “best practice.” Every task I undertake ties directly to a business benefit and a core KPI.
Even if the immediate result is not new revenue, the activity should support revenue growth, conversion enhancements, or cost efficiency.
When I review and optimize internal site structures, I aim for improved rankings and increased organic traffic, translating to more conversions and revenue.
2. Identify How the Work Will Impact Company Goals
Once I understand the value of my technical SEO tasks, I align them with broader company or project goals to gain stakeholder approval.
For instance, if my goal is increased profitability in a certain region, and the task involves optimizing hreflang tags, I focus on how this supports the company’s goals, rather than technical specifics.
3. Communicate Effectively
Communicating SEO work’s impact is challenging, but breaking it down into ‘who, what, where, why, when, and how’ makes it understandable for stakeholders at all levels.
My goal is to make even the most technical aspects digestible by linking tasks back to business metrics everyone understands and values.
4. Prove the Impact Over Time
By consistently showing the positive results of technical SEO, I align our efforts with business objectives and make future conversations with stakeholders simpler.
After completing a project, I regularly review the outcomes to understand the impact, allowing for better future planning and adjustments.
Business Impact Matters More Than Technical Best Practices
Assumptions of what might enhance performance can sometimes miss the mark. Without revisiting previous implementations, I might not know what actually worked.
Just because something is hailed as “best practice” doesn’t confirm it will fit my site. Continually evaluating technical SEO outcomes helps reaffirm their business value.
Dig deeper: Advanced technical SEO tips: 14 technical SEO issues you’re missing
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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