Search engine optimization can be complex and challenging. It can be tempting to compromise your efforts to achieve the best results possible for your client while working hard.

This approach can be very effective at times, but it can also lead to more work down the road. You can avoid any future problems that could impede your progress or cause headaches for the client by taking the time to do thorough research.

Let’s talk about a range of ways you can think more creatively to make your work easier.

Before you begin your SEO project, make sure you have all the necessary materials

It’s happened to all of us: When you start working on an SEO project, you discover that you have missed a crucial part of the project’s success. You may have to deal with international brands and large teams. This issue can be prevented from recurring.

It is important to make sure that all parties involved in client projects understand the consequences of client material if you are dealing with complex projects.

It may be worthwhile to spend some time creating a roadmap for your client that they can refer to throughout the project. This way they will have it available for future reference. The road map should be created before the project launches. Refer to it when you request materials from the client.

The roadmap should outline the materials that you may need from clients and when they will need them. It should also include basic SEO education to help clients understand why you require a certain item at a specific time. Non-SEOs may find it difficult to remember dynamic URLs, project requirements, and client-side information.

Even if the timeline is slower than the client prefers, it should be realistic.

I get it. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that SEOs are responsible for client satisfaction and can get distracted thinking, “Man, we have to beat Competitor 1, so we need y and z in much less time.” “I will tell my client that, and they will be thrilled!”

Too often, clients are not satisfied with the speed of progress. They expect poor quality project deliverables, unmet expectations and unrealistic expectations for the next time. It can be awkward to have to explain to clients that the initial project timeline wasn’t right due to things like project scoping.

Even though you might be able to take the fastest route and turn in every project 100 per cent, mistakes will still happen and make your project less effective.

Also, ask yourself: Will everyone be happy with this project schedule (me the most, by keeping my sanity),? Or will the project timeline lead to a client who is unhappy because they didn’t get everything they wanted?

For SEO managers, 15 minutes of detail is better than two hours of shouting

Let’s look at this situation. It’s your first day as a new employee in an SEO company. You take a few moments to explain the rules of your department to them since it’s their first day. He smiles and nods as if he understands.

Everything is perfect for eight months. When you take a look at the project completion times, it becomes apparent that something is not right. Although he is supposed to be fast, the project is way behind schedule and his hours are high. What went wrong?

The employee says that he did everything exactly as you had explained. He thought so. You get angry. You yell. You spit. You might even curse. This problem could have been avoided if the instructions were explained clearly at the beginning.

Always ask yourself this question: Have I properly explained our SEO processes? Can someone misunderstand what I said? If instructions are not clearly explained, even long-term employees can misinterpret them.

When you look at the instructions, think about this: Does everyone need to know more detail in order to perform at their best? If this is true, it is better to spend 15 minutes on the details than two hours cursing an employee for making a mistake in giving those instructions.

Always ask yourself: Is this for my benefit (less work) and for the benefit of the employee (greater understanding).

Avoid falling into the trap of long-term industry rot

Even the most successful people can suffer from industry rot. This happens when someone has been in the industry for a prolonged period. It happens when we forget that not everyone knows as much as us. We then overlook crucial details that could be vital to the success of a project.

This is something I have done myself. Aside from the obvious industry problems, I also make sure that I only provide the essential information necessary to answer the inquiry. I also ensure that my communication is not condescending to anyone who might read it.

Communication between employees and clients can be delicate. It is important that everyone is aware of what they are saying so that the project can be executed properly. A little bit too much detail can lead to industry rot. Unclarity in detail can cause a project not to reach its final resolution stage, where it should all come together.

There are some SEOs who have problems with industry rot. Our assumption that the new client or associate in the industry is an expert on everything we do leads us to overlook details that are vital to the project’s success. We don’t care enough to do a detailed assessment of the current state of the client’s website.

There are some issues that could arise from the industry rot banner:

  1. It is difficult to know what deliverables are required for a particular project. We are unable to identify any sections that may take longer or shorter than expected without reviewing the SEO status or website details of our client. Perhaps a site widget generates dynamic URLs for parts of your site when you expected static URLs. As you attempt to work around or with this widget, optimizing these URLs may take longer than expected.
  2. Use technical terms that are simple to use, but complex to the client. Meta descriptions. Alt text for images. These concepts are well-ingrained in even the most experienced SEOs. It is possible for important details to be overlooked if your client assumes they understand these terms. How much should you explain? This can be an important decision to make if you are familiar with the client. It is best to explain the industry terminology to a client if it is a new client. This will ensure that they are aware of any potential impacts on the project’s deadlines and final outcome.
  3. Understanding what is required to obtain client materials. Let’s say you have a client who needs legal approval to approve website copy optimizations because of advertising regulations. This is common in the legal, financial, and pharmaceutical industries. Late materials can have a significant impact on the project’s deadlines, so it is important to factor in legal reviews.

It can cause problems if you don’t communicate well with clients or go through the details of the project thoroughly. This can cause awkward conversations with clients about needing to extend deadlines due to a lack of oversight. It can also lead to poor work by the SEO and a team dynamic that forces push-back to get the proper timelines for the SEO evaluation.

Get out of your comfort zone to learn.

Going to industry conferences, learning more about SEO, and building relationships with industry partners are all necessary steps in taking your SEO work to the next stage. To grow, you must step out of your comfort zone to explore the rabbit hole. Expand your thinking beyond the conventional.

Keep up-to-date with the industry by reading regularly, learning new tools, attending webinars, and taking part in conferences. You can learn from both your successes and failures, by creating case studies about projects that you have completed. This will help you be more confident in your communications with clients and your work.

You will not be able to lead SEO leaders if you stay within your comfort zone. You can reach your goals outside of your comfort zone. Develop new goals and surpass the existing ones.

What else can you do to elevate your work?