Selling SEO to C-Suite Level Executives

SEO is an essential marketing tool that can be utilized by any company. Pitching the idea of SEO services to C-Suite level executives can prove to be daunting, but it does not have to be challenging. There are steps you can take to ensure you make the most out of your presentation and convey your ideas effectively to outline the benefits of SEO services for their company.

Finding the Right Time

C-Suite level executives have many objectives to meet and many responsibilities within the company. Presenting and selling SEO may feel like it will never happen because you are struggling to find the time to talk to them. Carolyn Jenkins, CEO of Khorus Software, states in regards to becoming a CEO, “Time becomes more precious than ever”. The key to pitching SEO services is finding the right time. They are goal-oriented and results-driven professionals with little time to spare, so make sure you make it count when it matters most. 

Plan the meeting accordingly. Did you notice a shift in their rankings? Have they expressed interest in boosting their traffic? Offer the right solution at the time that makes the most sense. This means that the CEO is more likely to understand the benefits of implementing an SEO strategy. Be prepared for pushback, objections, and general confusion. Do not meet these with silence. Instead, garner up your ideas and push forward your data. 

Utilize Data

C-Suite level executives are results driven. However, it is important to inform the CEO that results depend on the tactics being used and even then, it is a prediction. This is because there are so many layers and variables that go into making SEO effective. It needs to be viewed as a long-term solution versus a short-term bandaid. Although current measurements may be difficult to provide, utilize the knowledge you have acquired from past projects to make informed predictions. Showing previous results and returns on revenue will help to prove your valuableness to the company.

Compare multiple different structures and provide different solutions. Remember that SEO is comprised of many different tactics that could be unique to a certain company. This may be the only shot you have to sell SEO to this particular company before they ditch the idea, so you will want to provide them with multiple solutions. As part of these strategies, make sure to include different scenarios and comparisons. For instance, compare a model with the company utilizing a strategy over a year’s span versus them not using the strategy over a year’s span. Include other scenarios as well as part of your presentation.

Although SEO can be a complicated process to understand, it is essential for implementing into a quality marketing strategy. SEO professionals should work to understand the goals from the C-Suite level executives’ point of view and make recommendations accordingly. Find value in what you are providing and convey how you can streamline their marketing process.

Explaining SEO

SEO provides an essential connection of brands and businesses to consumers. However, the concepts and terminology surrounding SEO may be challenging for a C-Suite executive to understand. SEO experts may stumble may trying to figure out how to convey the benefits of SEO to company executives. The most important thing to remember is that you should try to eliminate any technical barriers. This not only helps in conveying information properly, but also helps to limit mistakes due to miscommunication.

You want to be able to resonate with management, so use terms that they are more familiar with. The focus on C-Suite level executives is on the results. This means that data driven metrics and predictions are the most appealing. How SEO will impact their profitability as a company is what they will most likely be interested in. Bogging them down with the finer details could cause them to tune you out and even disregard the idea completely.

Inform them that you plan on keeping them as connected as possible during the process. Although they may be unaware of certain terms, it could still be possible that they are implementing similar practices. Use these connections to your advantage to help them understand the full scope of the project. Keeping the C-Suite level executives informed, as well as other various members of the team, will help to instill a connective environment that fosters growth within the company.

How Does Organic Search Play a Role?

Having a plan for organic traffic is essential for any SEO marketing strategy. Organic traffic encompasses a large aspect of SEO. Organic traffic arrives at a business’s website without the use of paid advertisement. This means that a user happened upon a website through search, allowing search result ranking the ability to influence organic traffic. In short, organic traffic is free traffic.

SEO has many layers, including visibility metrics, mobile optimization, and ranking. While Google’s algorithm is seemingly complicated and always evolving, ranking has a heavy hand in how much organic traffic a website could potentially see. When a user enters a search query into the search box, Google will generate pages of results according to that query.

The search engine works to provide that user with relevant, as well as helpful, content to help coincide with what they were searching. A lot of C-Suite executives will be wondering, “How do I get on the first page?”. According to Tomaz Zaman who writes for Codeable, “You can’t, because you’re asking the wrong question.” The question that an SEO expert is actually concerned about is how they can help a company get on the first page for certain keywords. This helps a business provide relatable content to their audience, which is more valuable.

Utilize Data

C-Suite level executives are results driven. However, it is important to inform the CEO that results depend on the tactics being used and even then, it is a prediction. This is because there are so many layers and variables that go into making SEO effective. It needs to be viewed as a long-term solution versus a short-term bandaid. Although current measurements may be difficult to provide, utilize the knowledge you have acquired from past projects to make informed predictions. Showing previous results and returns on revenue will help to prove your valuableness to the company.

Compare multiple different structures and provide different solutions. Remember that SEO is comprised of many different tactics that could be unique to a certain company. This may be the only shot you have to sell SEO to this particular company before they ditch the idea, so you will want to provide them with multiple solutions. As part of these strategies, make sure to include different scenarios and comparisons. For instance, compare a model with the company utilizing a strategy over a year’s span versus them not using the strategy over a year’s span. Include other scenarios as well as part of your presentation.

Although SEO can be a complicated process to understand, it is essential for implementing into a quality marketing strategy. SEO professionals should work to understand the goals from the C-Suite level executives’ point of view and make recommendations accordingly. Find value in what you are providing and convey how you can streamline their marketing process.