What’s the ideal level of involvement I should have in our SEO strategy?

The ideal level of involvement in your SEO strategy is to stay actively engaged without micromanaging. Understand the basics, set clear goals, and regularly review progress with your team or agency. This balance ensures you’re informed and can make strategic decisions while allowing experts to handle day-to-day tasks.

Why Your Involvement Matters

SEO isn’t some mystical art. It’s a blend of technical know-how, content creation, and strategic planning. As a business owner or marketing manager, your involvement is crucial because SEO impacts your bottom line. It’s not just about getting traffic; it’s about attracting the right audience that converts.

Let’s say you’re in the B2B SaaS space. You need your SEO efforts to align with your overall business goals, like increasing demo requests or reducing churn. If you’re too hands-off, you might miss opportunities or misalign priorities. On the other hand, if you’re too involved, you might stifle creativity and slow down progress. Balance is key.

Steps to the Right Level of Involvement

You don’t need to be an SEO expert, but understanding the landscape helps. Here’s how you can strike the right balance:

• Educate Yourself: Learn the basics of SEO. Understand terms like keywords, backlinks, and on-page optimisation. This knowledge enables meaningful conversations with your team.

• Set Clear Goals: Define what success looks like. Is it more traffic, higher conversion rates, or better rankings? Clear goals guide your team and keep efforts focused.

• Regular Check-ins: Schedule monthly or quarterly reviews. Discuss progress, challenges, and opportunities. This keeps you in the loop without being overbearing.

• Trust Your Team: Whether you have an in-house team or work with a search engine optimisation expert, trust their expertise. Provide input but avoid dictating every move.

• Stay Updated: SEO evolves. Keep an eye on industry news and trends. This helps you make informed decisions and adapt strategies as needed.

By following these steps, you maintain a healthy level of involvement, ensuring your SEO strategy aligns with your business objectives.

Finding Your Balance

It’s easy to get caught up in the details. You might feel the urge to tweak every meta tag or obsess over each ranking fluctuation. Resist. Instead, focus on the bigger picture.

Remember, SEO is a long game. Results take time, and algorithms change. Your role is to steer the ship, not row it. Let your team handle the technicalities. You focus on strategy and vision.

Think of SEO as part of your overall marketing strategy, not a separate entity. This mindset helps you integrate SEO with other channels, like social media and paid advertising, for a cohesive approach.

In the end, your involvement should empower your team, not hinder them. Stay informed, set clear goals, and trust the experts. That’s the sweet spot.