{"id":172589,"date":"2024-02-29T10:58:54","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=172589"},"modified":"2024-07-17T06:54:49","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T11:54:49","slug":"seo-buy-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get SEO Buy-In: 7 Actionable Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><\/p><div class=\"intro-txt\">For many SEOs in agency, in-house, or enterprise roles, 20% of their job is actually doing SEO, the other 80% is about soft skills like getting buy-in.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p>I always say that 20% of my job is actually doing the SEO, and 80% of communicating, getting buy-in, and moving the boulder so that [stakeholders] can succeed<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tom Critchlow\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tim-critchlow.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Tom Critchlow,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theseofreelancer.com\/p\/tom-critchlow\" target=\"_blank\">The SEO Freelancer Podcast<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>At Ahrefs, multiple team members have worked in these roles, so we\u2019ve compiled a list of our top tips to help you get more buy-in for SEO projects.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Find decision-makers\" data-section=\"find-decision-makers\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_79ssiow63ouu\"><\/a>1. Find decision-makers: Discover who calls the&nbsp;shots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by identifying all the key influencers and decision-makers within the organization. You can check out the company\u2019s org chart to figure out who\u2019s who and who calls the shots on projects that impact SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The executive team will likely be at the top of your list. But, we recommend working your way up to getting buy-in from executives by first working cross-functionally with decision-makers in engineering, product, editorial, marketing, or web accessibility teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can each help you implement small parts of SEO that together can be a sizable contribution to the overall <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/orchard-seo-strategy\/\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-strategy\/\">SEO strategy<\/a>. They can also support your requests for funding or initiatives you pitch to executives later&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To build relationships with decision-makers in these teams, consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Who\u2019s in charge of budgets and projects?<\/strong> \u2192 Learn what they\u2019re working on and how you can help each other with specific projects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What do they care about?<\/strong> \u2192 This is the \u201cwhat\u2019s in it for me\u201d factor. Align your SEO recommendations and requests to these things.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How can they help implement your SEO recommendations?<\/strong> \u2192 Identify the 20% of SEO they can easily help with using current resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of what that might look&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-287\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-287 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\"><\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Who\u2019s in charge?<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">What do they care about?<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">How can they help implement SEO?<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Engineering<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Jane Doe, Head of Engineering<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Jane cares most about rolling out new features on time and minimizing bugs.&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Jane\u2019s team can resolve many high-priority <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/technical-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo\/\">technical SEO<\/a> errors if she sees them as&nbsp;bugs.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Editorial<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Joe Blogs, Senior Editor&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Joe cares most about publishing quality, brand-relevant content that leads to&nbsp;sales.<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Joe\u2019s team can create or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-optimize-blog-posts-for-seo\/\">optimize SEO content<\/a> with buying intent to maximize traffic on commercial queries.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-287 from cache -->\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. Adapt your language\" data-section=\"adapt-your-language\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_pw3glz8x8b5q\"><\/a>2. Adapt your language: Opportunities excite, orders irritate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Too often, SEOs lead with \u201cI need X\u2026\u201d and end with \u201c\u2026for SEO\u201d. Cue dramatic groans that echo company-wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adapting your language and how you communicate is a minor action that can lead to big results in your mission to get buy-in for SEO. Communicating only what <em>you<\/em> need can often come across as an order and feels like extra work for someone else. Plus, it gives them no sense of why they should care or what\u2019s in it for&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try this instead\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Highlight opportunities<\/strong>: \u201c<em>There\u2019s an opportunity<\/em> to do X that helps with your goal of&nbsp;Y\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Leverage FOMO:<\/strong> \u201cIf we don\u2019t do X, <em>you\u2019ll miss out on<\/em> Y\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 When speaking to executives:<\/strong> \u201c<em>I intend to<\/em> achieve X by doing&nbsp;Y\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> \u201cI intend\u201d is one of my favorite takeaways from the book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Turn-Ship-Around-Building-Breaking\/dp\/1591846404\">Turn the Ship Around<\/a>. I highly recommend the&nbsp;read!<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It also helps to give your project a fancy name. Every time you talk about the project, mention the name, repeat key facts, and highlight the most exciting opportunities the project opens&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repetition is gold as it helps non-technical stakeholders tie goals and results to an otherwise intangible initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Modify your metrics\" data-section=\"modify-your-metrics\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_api61jfyo5qt\"><\/a>3. Modify your metrics: Go from SEO-specific to MBA-level<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Most executives and department heads have no context for understanding <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-metrics-to-track\/\">SEO metrics<\/a> like search volume, share of voice, or even organic traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They don\u2019t have an existing mental model to connect these numbers to. Therefore, when we start sharing SEO-specific numbers in meetings, many non-SEO stakeholders can\u2019t easily approve specific actions or know how to make the right decisions\u2014all because they can\u2019t connect the numbers they\u2019re already familiar with to the conversation about&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Easy fix. Modify the metrics and actions you talk about to those that non-SEO stakeholders already understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, executives are likely churning over and obsessing about MBA-style metrics. CEOs think about things like revenue, market share, and profitability. Sales managers care about MQLs, SQLs, and so&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some examples of how to translate SEO lingo for non-SEO stakeholders. These are inspired by Tom Critchlow\u2019s interview on <a href=\"https:\/\/voicesofsearch.com\/episode\/present-seo-to-your-ceo-tom-critchlow-seo-mba\/\">Voices of Search<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Monthly traffic \u2192 Lifetime traffic value <\/strong>e.g., \u201cBy creating X content, we <s>can get Y monthly traffic<\/s> predict Y lifetime traffic value.\u201d <em>HINT: Multiply Ahrefs\u2019 Traffic Value metric by 60 to get a 5-year estimate, a common timeframe for calculating lifetime metrics.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1116\" height=\"321\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex.png\" alt=\"Example of Ahrefs' traffic value metric in Site Explorer dashboard.\" class=\"wp-image-172590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex.png 1116w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-680x196.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-768x221.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1116px) 100vw, 1116px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Share of voice \u2192 market share<\/strong> e.g., \u201cBy doing X, our <s>share of voice<\/s> SEO market share has grown Y%. We\u2019d like funds to do more of&nbsp;X.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Traffic growth \u2192 revenue growth<\/strong> e.g., \u201cWe <s>can grow organic traffic<\/s> predict Y% revenue growth from SEO if we hit X traffic targets. These are the project milestones that will get us&nbsp;there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It depends \u2192 forecasts<\/strong> e.g., CEO asks \u201cWhat\u2019s it going to get us?\u201d\u2026 \u201c<s>It depends.<\/s> I made a model that forecasts approximately X% growth in Y months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter what specific metrics are used in your organization. You can adapt SEO metrics to the ones everyone in the company is already thinking about. The main goal of doing this is to take SEO from being a mysterious \u201cblack box\u201d activity to something measurable and relatable to non-SEO stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1836\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/how-to-demystify-seo-for-executives-.png\" alt=\"How to demystify SEO for executives.\" class=\"wp-image-172591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/how-to-demystify-seo-for-executives-.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/how-to-demystify-seo-for-executives--370x425.png 370w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/how-to-demystify-seo-for-executives--768x881.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/how-to-demystify-seo-for-executives--1339x1536.png 1339w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Debug SEO\" data-section=\"debug-seo\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_qq45lh34g9wx\"><\/a>4. Debug SEO: Use language engineers understand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Devs and engineers are essential SEO allies within any organization. And while you can often skip the lengthy relationship-building phase and jump straight into tech fixes, how you frame your requests still matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t be the kind of SEO that constantly gives them extra work \u201cbecause it\u2019s good for&nbsp;SEO.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, tie in your requests to what they care about. Fixing bugs is an easy approach to take here because devs already understand and care about these things for reasons unrelated to&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/mozcon-2023-initial-agenda\">Jackie Chu\u2019s 2023 MozCon presentation<\/a> outlined this brilliantly. A bug typically:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Delivers a confusing brand experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Impacts customers (humans and&nbsp;bots)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Impacts other channels, like&nbsp;SEM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If pages can\u2019t render, that\u2019s a bug. If there are content differences between mobile and desktop, that\u2019s a bug. Anything that needs improvement in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a> is, you guessed it, a&nbsp;bug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, not all bugs are created equal. If you bother devs with a load of super minor or unimportant issues 24\/7, they\u2019ll learn to ignore you. So, make sure to prioritize and only ask for bug fixes that matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can easily do this by filtering your Site Audit results by importance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1466\" height=\"732\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ahrefs-site-audit-tool-showcasing-the-ability-to.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Site Audit tool showcasing the ability to prioritize tech fixes.\" class=\"wp-image-172592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ahrefs-site-audit-tool-showcasing-the-ability-to.png 1466w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ahrefs-site-audit-tool-showcasing-the-ability-to-680x340.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ahrefs-site-audit-tool-showcasing-the-ability-to-768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ahrefs-site-audit-tool-showcasing-the-ability-to-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1466px) 100vw, 1466px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Submit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Errors as high-priority<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Warnings as medium-priority<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notices as low-priority<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also show your dev team how to interpret each issue listed and find the steps they can take to fix them by clicking on the \u201c?\u201d next to specific issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1872\" height=\"772\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-a-tip-for-how-to-fix-hreflang-issues-in.png\" alt=\"Example of a tip for how to fix hreflang issues in Ahrefs' Site Audit.\" class=\"wp-image-172593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-a-tip-for-how-to-fix-hreflang-issues-in.png 1872w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-a-tip-for-how-to-fix-hreflang-issues-in-680x280.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-a-tip-for-how-to-fix-hreflang-issues-in-768x317.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-a-tip-for-how-to-fix-hreflang-issues-in-1536x633.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1872px) 100vw, 1872px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"5. Gather intel\" data-section=\"gather-intel\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_r6uetdg7197w\"><\/a>5. Gather intel: Scope first, then&nbsp;pitch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Too many SEOs pitch projects without considering everything that\u2019s needed to make them happen. You\u2019re more likely to get buy-in if your pitch is specific and shows decision-makers the exact details around things like the project\u2019s cost, resources required, and expected timelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, say you need 100 articles published within three months. Make sure you chat with your editorial and development teams first. See if they can fit this project in and what resources they need to make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, build those resources into your&nbsp;pitch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Instead of<\/strong>: \u201cI\u2019d like to publish 100 articles on the blog within three months and estimate I\u2019ll need $X per article\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Try this: <\/strong>\u201cTo get 100 articles on the blog, which we estimate will contribute to $X in lifetime traffic value, we\u2019ll need to hire a freelance writer and dedicate two development sprints to the project within the next three months. Jane from engineering and Joe from editorial are collaborating on this with me, and we estimate a cost of $Y.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Need to convince the Jane\u2019s and Joe\u2019s in your organization to partner with you? No worries. Check out the next&nbsp;point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"6. Create funding partnerships\" data-section=\"create-funding-partnerships\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_trwnom7xc0xz\"><\/a>6. Create funding partnerships: Help other teams get more resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is chronically underfunded and underresourced\u2026 but so are most other teams. You can become an ally and help other teams get more resources <em>because<\/em> they\u2019re helping implement your SEO strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They get more of whatever they need (people, money, resources). You get their help with SEO tasks, and they get prioritized. Win-win for you and your new&nbsp;BFF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get the ball rolling by pitching a small test or project that is easy for the other team to get on board&nbsp;with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Avoid this<\/strong> \u2192 \u201cI need 10 of the articles you\u2019re working on each month to do X for&nbsp;SEO\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Try this instead<\/strong> \u2192 \u201cThere\u2019s an opportunity for us to do X, and it will allow you to meet Y KPIs. Can we run a small test (and build a case for the execs) so you can hire another writer to work on this project?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Small tests are a great way to warm up a new contact within your organization, especially if there\u2019s a clear benefit they\u2019ll receive if the test&nbsp;works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Test results are also very helpful when pitching to executives down the track. If you can demonstrate small-scale success in one area, it\u2019s much easier to get funding for bigger projects that can piggyback on those early&nbsp;wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if the initial pitch is for another team to get funding, you\u2019re getting your foot in the door for bigger projects. Plus, you\u2019re essentially getting free SEO if you can leverage the other team\u2019s resources for your benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"7. Elevate your approach\" data-section=\"elevate-your-approach\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_wzpxmk7xkywv\"><\/a>7. Elevate your approach: Position SEO as strategically valuable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A good habit for every SEO to develop is to link <em>everything<\/em> to strategic objectives. We need to get better at pitching the strategic value that our projects deliver instead of the actual work we need to&nbsp;do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No one cares about the hundreds of technical fixes we need to work on. But everyone cares about revenues dropping if we don\u2019t get support for technical fixes that affect conversions (and SEO, of course, but they don\u2019t need to know&nbsp;that).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key note here: strategic objectives go beyond metrics. They include things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Entering international markets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Becoming the market leader<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expanding X division<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You get the&nbsp;idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the tactics we\u2019ve found that help position SEO as strategically valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_arxg7myl7juw\"><\/a>Compare against competitors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This tactic has a very high success rate in our team\u2019s experience. When ideating this blog post, Tim, Patrick, Chris, and Mateusz all cited great success with this approach, and my own experiences echo&nbsp;this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It works for literally any SEO activity you\u2019re pitching, especially if you\u2019re in a fierce market with SEO-savvy competitors who are already doing the thing you\u2019re recommending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you could try the following different pitch angles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Closing the gap:<\/strong> \u201cIf we did X, we\u2019d be able to close these gaps with our biggest competitor in Y months\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Reverse engineering:<\/strong> \u201cOur biggest competitor did X. If we dedicated Y resources, we could close the gap and outpace them within Z months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Becoming a pacesetter: <\/strong>\u201cThere\u2019s a gap in the market and none of our competitors are leveraging it. X resources would allow us to take Y actions that give us a competitive edge and make it difficult for competitors to catch&nbsp;up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter your angle, an easy place to start is in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/how-to-use-ahrefs\/site-explorer\/site-structure\">Site Structure<\/a> report. Here, you can see what strategies your competitors are using along with high-level performance metrics, like organic traffic and the number of referring domains that different website segments get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"730\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-site-structure-report-.png\" alt=\"Example of Ahrefs' site structure report.\" class=\"wp-image-172594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-site-structure-report-.png 730w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-site-structure-report--680x391.png 680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_k1x1sm83qo6n\"><\/a>Compare against internal departments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another great approach is to bring your pitch back to what\u2019s going on in other areas of the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a great tactic to benchmark the value of SEO in a way that is immediately apparent. It\u2019s also a great way to get easy buy-in if your company\u2019s strategic objectives focus on specific divisions or products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some pitching angles you can&nbsp;try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Expanding a division:<\/strong> \u201cWe need X resources to help division A expand to the level of division B.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Improving KPIs:<\/strong> \u201cProduct A has a high cost per acquisition. We were able to lower CPA by X% for product B using SEO. If we had access to Y resources, we could repeat these actions for product A.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2192 Learning from mistakes:<\/strong> \u201cWe learned lessons A, B, and C from a past product launch. If we had X resources, we could help launch the new product for division A without repeating past mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_si14mr55m7om\"><\/a>Forecast opportunity costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Opportunity costs are the lost benefits you experience when choosing an alternative option. When it comes to getting buy-in for SEO, it can help to show what the opportunity cost would be if decision-makers chose not to invest in&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s super easy to do this using Ahrefs\u2019 traffic value metric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1116\" height=\"321\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-1.png\" alt=\"Example of Ahrefs' traffic value metric in Site Explorer dashboard.\" class=\"wp-image-172595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-1.png 1116w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-1-680x196.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex-1-768x221.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1116px) 100vw, 1116px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This metric shows you how much you\u2019d be spending on paid ads to get the same traffic you do through SEO. It has opportunity cost baked right into&nbsp;it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use it in a few different ways. My favorite method is to look at a successful segment of the website and use its metrics to forecast potential success for a new segment you want to optimize or build-out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, here you can see how the French segment of our site compares with the Spanish segment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1465\" height=\"645\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/comparing-two-website-segments-using-ahrefs-compe.png\" alt=\"Comparing two website segments using Ahrefs' competitor comparison features.\" class=\"wp-image-172596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/comparing-two-website-segments-using-ahrefs-compe.png 1465w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/comparing-two-website-segments-using-ahrefs-compe-680x299.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/comparing-two-website-segments-using-ahrefs-compe-768x338.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1465px) 100vw, 1465px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to launch into a new international market? Use these metrics to build a case of what you\u2019d be missing out on by not expanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to improve an underperforming segment of your site? Show that segment vs a segment that\u2019s skyrocketing to your executive team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My second favorite method is to use the Traffic Value metric to pit SEO against Google Ads or other marketing channels and showcase how SEO compounds over time and costs less in the long&nbsp;run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Realistically, if there\u2019s a marketing budget to be had, and it doesn\u2019t go to SEO, these are the alternative channels it will likely go to. So, positioning SEO as a worthwhile channel to invest in can get you a bigger slice of the budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, you could pitch something like, \u201cOur forecasts show that we could reduce our cost per click to $X (traffic value \/ traffic) by investing Y resources into SEO instead of [another channel].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your website is fairly new or you don\u2019t have existing successes to leverage, you can do both of the above by using a competitor\u2019s website as a proxy until you start getting some results that you can use in future forecasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, your pitch would be more like: \u201cX competitor is saving up to $Y (traffic value) in Google ads costs by using SEO. We\u2019re leaving money on the table by not investing in&nbsp;SEO.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-172589-_mb36ah1b1l5c\"><\/a>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Good SEO is about giving people what they want. Getting buy-in is the same, just for a different audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more you help others in your organization get what they want, you\u2019ll also get what you&nbsp;want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to collaborating with other departments, it comes down to helping them meet their KPIs <em>because<\/em> they\u2019re working with you. It builds a positive relationship where they feel happy to help you out in the future and are more likely to prioritize SEO projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for getting buy-in from executives, understanding where they spend most of their mental energy and aligning your projects to those things can go a long&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve got any questions or cool tactics to share, reach out on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/seomeetsdesign\">X<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/despina-gavoyannis\/\">LinkedIn<\/a> any&nbsp;time!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Ahrefs, multiple team members have worked in these roles, so we\u2019ve compiled a list of our top tips to help you get more buy-in for SEO projects. Start by identifying all the key influencers and decision-makers within the organization.<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":195,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[458],"class_list":["post-172589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Get SEO Buy-In: 7 Actionable Tips<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For many SEOs, 20% of their job is actually doing SEO, the other 80% is about soft skills like getting buy-in. Here&#039;s how to do it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Get SEO Buy-In: 7 Actionable Tips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Soft skills are important.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-29T15:58:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-17T11:54:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Despina Gavoyannis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Despina Gavoyannis\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/143d08bacfea1ed0736d76ad138ce704\"},\"headline\":\"How to Get SEO Buy-In: 7 Actionable Tips\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-29T15:58:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-17T11:54:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2697,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/how-to-get-seo-buy-in-7-by-despina-gavoyannis-general-seo.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General SEO\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Get SEO Buy-In: 7 Actionable Tips\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-buy-in\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/example-of-ahrefs-traffic-value-metric-in-site-ex.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-29T15:58:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-17T11:54:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"For many SEOs, 20% of their job is actually doing SEO, the other 80% is about soft skills like getting buy-in. 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