| Many companies are not aware of the different roles | | | | addressed these issues on our website. |
| that various departments in their organization will fill | | | | Marketing: Here are all of our existing articles, |
| when they begin to work with an outside SEO firm. | | | | whitepapers, and everything else that is still current. |
| What follows is a demonstration, in play form (bear | | | | IT: We hate you, but here's what we have decided |
| with me), of which internal departments are involved | | | | can be changed on the site, and here's all the |
| in a typical SEO campaign and why. It also | | | | technical information about how it is built, even |
| demonstrates some of the resistance that may be | | | | though you can't possibly comprehend it. |
| felt by those departments as well as what valuable | | | | SEO Firm: Thanks. We'll get back to you with some |
| contributions a company can make to help its SEO | | | | proposed structural changes to the site to maximize |
| firm craft a successful campaign. | | | | your search engine exposure. |
| The Players | | | | Sales: Sweet. |
| Sales - These folks are the front line of the | | | | Marketing: Sweet. |
| organization. They know how prospects speak, and | | | | SEO Firm: No problem. |
| they are generally very useful when it comes to | | | | IT: Since you seem like you're listening to us, we'll |
| keyphrase suggestions. Most of the salespeople are | | | | probably also try to implement at least a good |
| out for themselves, but they will gladly participate in | | | | majority of your suggestions. Please note that we |
| a joint initiative if it means that they will have more | | | | did say "try." |
| targeted leads. The Sales team has an uneasy | | | | Act 3: Content |
| relationship with Marketing and often questions | | | | Marketing: Here are all of our current marketing |
| exactly what it is that Marketing does, since they do | | | | materials. |
| not believe that Marketing is helping them in the least. | | | | SEO Firm: Thanks. |
| They generally cannot stand IT people, a feeling | | | | Marketing: Also, as you requested, we've made our |
| which is reciprocated with gusto. | | | | production people available for some quick interviews. |
| Marketing - These people are in charge of the | | | | SEO Firm: Thanks. We'll put together some new |
| company message and finding more leads for Sales. | | | | content that targets the keyphrases we've decided |
| They are generally creative and are in charge of | | | | are important. These new pages will be written in the |
| seeing campaigns, such as SEO, through from | | | | same style as your current marketing materials and |
| beginning to end. As a result, they usually initiate an | | | | will make the job of your Sales team easier, since |
| SEO campaign and are responsible for its ultimate | | | | they'll be able to spend more time on customers who |
| success. They may also be the ones to find an SEO | | | | are already educated and ready to buy. |
| firm with which to work. They view Sales as a | | | | Marketing: Excellent. |
| necessary evil, but feel that they are greatly | | | | Sales: Excellent. |
| underappreciated by the department. They have a | | | | SEO Firm: No worries. |
| better relationship with IT than Sales does, primarily | | | | IT: We hate you. |
| because they have to work with IT on the | | | | Act 4: The Plan in Action |
| corporate website. This does not mean that the two | | | | SEO Firm: We've worked with your IT department |
| departments are best friends, however -- they rarely | | | | and gotten all of the changes to your site |
| have nice things to say to each other unless they are | | | | implemented. We've also done our best to make sure |
| in the same room. | | | | that more sites with authority in your industry are |
| IT - The people in this department are a legend in | | | | linking to you. We should be seeing some great |
| their collective mind. The IT team fails to see the | | | | results shortly as the search engines recognize the |
| need for any other departments besides their own - | | | | changes and reward you accordingly. |
| according to them, salespeople are arrogant and | | | | Marketing: Awesome. |
| marketing people are ignorant. On the other hand, | | | | Sales: Awesome. |
| they think that IT people know everything that | | | | IT: Your foolish plan will never work. |
| there is to know. They feel that SEO is an IT issue, | | | | Act 5: The Ongoing Campaign |
| so they are sullen with the outside SEO firm and | | | | Sales: Hey, Marketing? It's been two months since |
| sometimes downright hostile. It is the job of the SEO | | | | we started this project and we aren't getting any |
| firm to gain their cooperation in order to make the | | | | new leads. We think that either you didn't listen to us |
| campaign a success. | | | | or that you're not doing what you're supposed to do. |
| SEO Firm - The hero of our story...of course. | | | | Marketing: Oh yeah, Sales? Well we're working as |
| It should be noted that the above are, by necessity, | | | | hard as we can, and we've talked to the SEO firm |
| stereotypes. We have worked with more than a | | | | several times this week already. We have already |
| few companies that all seem to be on the same | | | | started seeing some preliminary results and the SEO |
| page and who do not have much interdepartmental | | | | firm keeps reassuring us that we have just begun. |
| conflict, but those seem to be the exception rather | | | | We're tired of your attitude. |
| than the rule. We have also worked with some | | | | IT: We knew this would happen. Why are these guys |
| excellent IT departments who were extremely open | | | | even here? They keep wasting time when all we |
| to new ideas and were nothing but helpful (and were | | | | really want to do is update the site, of course. It's |
| also, believe it or not, reasonably humble). However, | | | | not our fault, don't look over here. |
| such experiences are also fairly rare. | | | | SEO Firm: As we told you at the outset, it can take |
| And so, without further ado: | | | | about three to six months to start seeing results |
| Act 1: Building Blocks | | | | from your SEO campaign. Sales, if you are patient |
| Sales: Here's a list of the terms we hear our | | | | we will be able to show you some solid numbers in a |
| prospects using all the time. We also called many of | | | | few more weeks. Marketing, please make sure that |
| our recently landed customers and asked them what | | | | you are available to set up appointments with us so |
| terms they would use to search for us. | | | | that we can continue to write you copy that adheres |
| Marketing: We've looked the list over and added | | | | to your messaging and so that we can cut down on |
| some ideas of our own, and we eliminated phrases | | | | the number of edits you need to make. IT, thank |
| that we definitely cannot use due to our marketing | | | | you for your patience - we'll have some things for |
| and messaging. | | | | you to do shortly. |
| SEO Firm: Thanks. We'll check out the phrases, add | | | | Sales: OK, fine. Sorry, Marketing. |
| some others you may not have thought of, and | | | | Marketing: Yeah, same here Sales. |
| work with you all to finalize the phrases. | | | | IT: (Mumbles something unintelligible) |
| Sales: Cool. | | | | Epilogue - 1 year later |
| Marketing: Cool. | | | | SEO Firm: As you can see from this graph, you are |
| SEO Firm: You bet. | | | | now crushing your competition, search traffic is up |
| IT: We have no idea why an SEO firm was hired - | | | | over 1,000 percent, and the results are still improving |
| we already put meta tags on the site. | | | | each month. |
| SEO Firm: We have a few more things we'd like you | | | | Sales: Thanks to you guys, we all have new yachts, |
| to change. Just be patient with us. | | | | summer homes, and fancy cars. |
| IT: Well, since you put it nicely...maybe. | | | | Marketing: Thanks to you guys, we all got raises and |
| Act 2: The Master Plan | | | | our resumes are stacked. |
| Sales: Here's a list of questions that we are always | | | | IT: Thanks for nothing - we're taking all the credit. |
| asked by new prospects. It could save us time if we | | | | After all, we did the hard part! |