How to Manage Your SEO Team?

Published on 23 00:00:00-06-2022

Managing a **seo team** can be challenging just like managing a marketing team. It must be admitted that leading people who are both technical and creative (i.e., SEO specialists) is no easy feat.

Fortunately, with the right skills and strategies, you can optimize your SEO department the same way they can optimize a web page - smoothly and effectively. As long as you keep these tips in mind when overseeing your SEO department, you'll surely be headed toward success.

Select the right people for your organic search team

First, in order to properly manage an SEO team, you need to make sure you have the best people for the job in place. SEO is a complex process with several components. Therefore, time spent interviewing and prospecting people for specific positions is not time wasted. If you succeed in selecting the right people for the right positions, building a cohesive team, and aligning employees with department goals, you are already on your way to good SEO management.

Have a unified approach

Before diving into projects, it is essential that all members of your SEO team are on the same page regarding goals, objectives, and processes. In many ways, search engine optimization is one of the most interdepartmental channels in a company - with inputs and outputs affecting departments such as content, social media, paid media, and Web development. With so many people involved, it can be difficult to ensure that everyone understands what needs to be done. Holding regular meetings to ensure cohesion is essential to building a unified approach to SEO strategy.

Frequent Communications

The lynchpin of the unified approach is the importance of frequent communication between team members. After you’ve built your SEO dream team, we recommend holding a small pow-wow with all employees to discuss how each team member understands how their colleagues contribute to the overall SEO marketing efforts.

SEO is interdependent. The content marketing department <\/a> can’t start generating content until the SEO team has discovered the right keywords to target. Web developers can’t work on a site until SEO has identified existing issues and on-site optimization opportunities. There’s a lot to keep track of, which is why communication is key!

Set and Execute Goals

One management tactic that we at Ilyes SEO have found to be extremely effective is setting goals around digital marketing. Not only do we set annual and monthly goals for each department, but we also strongly encourage individual employees to set weekly goals. Setting achievable short-term goals creates a sense of direction and motivates employees to achieve them. What’s more, we also display these goals on public whiteboards in the office. Displaying them publicly holds each team member accountable and also fosters a sense of teamwork if the entire department executes all of its goals.

Provide Them With the Right Tools

All business departments rely on certain tools to get their jobs done. However, SEO in particular requires certain tools like seoClarity and Google Analytics to make their jobs much easier. Make sure you spend your department’s budget wisely and invest in software that your SEO managers can use to accomplish their tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible.

It’s also wise to invest in other tools that aren’t specific to SEO, such as project management and communication systems. it’s common to use Asana as our primary project management system because it allows us to easily share status updates, project files, and planned due dates. It’s also helpful to have an internal chat tool such as Brosix or Slack to streamline communication around various marketing strategies.

Have a Game Plan

We know what you’re thinking - isn’t this the same as setting goals? Not quite. This tactic is all about you as a manager. When building, developing, and managing your ideal SEO team, you should always have a master plan for the future of your department.

Do you want to hire more employees down the line? Outsource certain tasks? Set aside time at the beginning of each quarter to answer these questions and create a plan for what you’d like your department to look like in the coming months. This will help you prioritize your own goals and ensure that your department is executing its SEO marketing services to its fullest potential.

Give Praise Where Praise is Due

Recognizing someone for their efforts goes a long way! Especially in an SEO company where results typically aren’t apparent for a few months. Everyone loves receiving praise - even if they don’t act like you’re giving it to them. (You know that once you leave, they secretly sent a quick text to their significant other/best friend/parents to tell them all about it.)

Recognizing employees for their hard work reinforces the value of their individual abilities and typically results in increased engagement with their work. What’s more, it proves to other employees that you perceive this individual as a person of value, which motivates them to seek the same type of recognition.

Delegate – Don't micromanage!

As we've already mentioned, SEO specialists are just as technical as they are creative. They take pride in their work and like to own their individual processes. If you've been guilty of micromanaging employees in the past, it's time to make some changes to your management style.

SEO professionals are intelligent and, despite the interdependent nature of their work, are generally fairly independent people. Therefore, they probably won't respond well if you comment on their every move. Be aware of this and know when your staff can execute things to avoid any tension.

Encourage work-life balance

This one is easy to justify. If you take significant steps to encourage your employees to separate their personal lives from their professional lives, they will reward you time and time again with their hard work. It seems counterintuitive to think that letting the team out two hours early on Friday would result in more work. But it works and many companies can prove it! Rewarding your team members for their hard work with catered lunches and company-wide vacations such as seminars has been our best decision to date in order to keep employees motivated and engaged.

Lead by example

One of the most important techniques for properly managing your SEO team is to lead by example. If you expect your SEO team to stick to deadlines, manage conflicts effectively, and abide by company rules, you better adopt your best behavior as well. "Monkey see, monkey do" still applies beyond the kindergarten playground. Don't think you're off the hook just because you're leading a team of adults.