Is My Manager Lacking in SEO Skills? A Newcomer’s Perspective
As someone who recently embarked on a career in SEO and content marketing, I find myself in a unique situation. Having been hired as a specialist just a few months after graduating, I’m eager to learn and grow in this dynamic field. However, I’ve begun to question the expertise of my manager based on certain practices I’ve observed in our team.
One major concern is our team’s complete reliance on free tools for SEO. We lack access to premium platforms like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Surfer, which are essential for comprehensive analysis and strategies. Given that we manage around 10 diverse accounts—some of which belong to significant national companies—this absence of robust tools feels like a missed opportunity for considerable growth and optimization.
When it comes to keyword research, our sole approach is the Google Keyword Planner. From my understanding, this tool is primarily designed for paid advertising, making it less effective for our seo needs. The data we gather isn’t necessarily reflective of organic search potential, which raises a red flag in our overall strategy.
Additionally, our approach to backlinks—or the lack thereof—is concerning. When I raised questions about developing a backlink strategy, my manager stated, “Backlinks are something we can’t control, so we shouldn’t focus on it.” This perspective seems to disregard the fact that backlinks play a pivotal role in search engine rankings and overall content authority.
Our content development process also raises eyebrows. We often enlist freelancers from platforms like Fiverr to produce articles, which we then “optimize” using the free version of Yoast. Unfortunately, we rarely revisit underperforming content, and most of our articles fail to break into the top 30 search results. When we do attempt content updates, these efforts are sporadic and lack a strategic approach to match current search intent, focusing only on adding basic updated information.
While I understand that I am still early in my seo journey, these practices lead me to question the effectiveness of our management strategy. Am I overreacting due to my inexperience, or are my concerns legitimate underpinnings of a flawed approach? I’m eager to gain clarity and insight to ensure that my foundation in this field is built on strong, effective practices moving forward.
Ultimately, it’s crucial for anyone in the seo realm—newcomers and veterans alike—to continuously evaluate their methods and seek improvement. As I navigate this learning curve, I hope to establish a clearer understanding of best practices and the importance of a well-rounded SEO strategy.
2 responses to “Is my manager bad at SEO?”
It’s understandable that you’re feeling a sense of concern regarding your manager’s approach to SEO, especially given the significant responsibilities your team holds in managing multiple accounts. Transitioning into a specialist role directly from college can be overwhelming, and it’s commendable that you’re seeking ways to deepen your understanding of the field.
From what you’ve described, there are several red flags regarding your manager’s SEO strategies that could potentially jeopardize the effectiveness of your team’s efforts. Here are some insights and practical advice on how to approach this situation constructively:
Assess the Current Strategy
Tool Usage: The absence of paid tools such as Ahrefs or SEMrush in a professional setting managing 50+ clients is indeed unusual. These tools provide invaluable insights into competitor analysis, keyword difficulties, backlink profiles, and overall SEO performance, which can be crucial for devising effective strategies. It may be worthwhile to voice your concerns and suggest starting with a trial of one of these tools. You could present data or case studies highlighting their benefits, perhaps comparing a few tasks that have proven effective compared to the limitations of free tools.
Keyword Research Limitations: While Google Keyword Planner is a decent starting point for understanding search intent, it’s true that its primary focus is on advertising rather than organic search needs. You might want to explore other keyword research practices, such as analyzing competitor keywords or utilizing free alternatives like Ubersuggest or AnswerThePublic to complement your efforts. Propose these alternatives in a team meeting to foster a more robust approach to keyword research.
Backlink Strategy: Your manager’s dismissal of backlinks signals a misunderstanding of their critical role in seo. Backlinks are a foundational element of most search algorithms and are important for achieving higher rankings. Educating your manager about the importance of quality backlinks—perhaps through data or examples of successful campaigns—might help. Consider proposing a low-budget outreach strategy or collaborations within your network to build backlinks organically.
Content Management Practices
Content Outsourcing and Optimization: While outsourcing can provide cost-effective solutions, it’s crucial that the content aligns closely with seo best practices. Relying solely on platforms like Fiverr without proper vetting can lead to subpar content that doesn’t meet your audience’s needs or search intent. One approach is to suggest creating a content style guide or seo checklist for your freelancers to ensure a baseline quality and effectiveness.
Regular Content Review and Updates: Ignoring underperforming content can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities. Regular audits and refreshes of existing content are essential. You might recommend implementing a content calendar that includes reviews of poorly performing articles to explore ways to improve them, whether through keyword optimization, adding new information, or enhancing user engagement metrics.
Communication and Professional Growth
Open Dialogue: While it’s important to express your concerns, framing them as suggestions for improvement rather than direct criticism will likely yield better results. Perhaps you can initiate a discussion about trends in SEO practices you’ve learned from your mentors or online resources, emphasizing how adapting to these could enhance outcomes for the agency.
Continuous Learning: Since you’re new to this field, continue to educate yourself about industry best practices. Consider certifications offered by reputable SEO training providers (like Moz or HubSpot) that can bolster your credentials and understanding. This will also give you authoritative talking points when discussing strategies with your manager.
Seek Mentorship: Since you’ve mentioned having friends in the SEO field, don’t hesitate to leverage their experiences and insights. Asking questions about how they handle similar situations can give you practical approaches and might provide you with strategies to implement in your current role.
Conclusion
In summary, while it’s legitimate to feel concerned about your manager’s practices, approaching the situation with a focus on collaboration and improvement rather than confrontation can lead to a more productive outcome. By fostering an environment of continuous learning and testing new tactics, you can contribute positively to your team’s evolution and effectiveness in SEO. Engaging your manager in discussions about updated strategies while demonstrating your proactive attitude may gradually encourage a shift in their approach to SEO.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences in your post! It’s commendable that you are taking a proactive approach to assess your team’s SEO strategies at such an early stage in your career. Your concerns about reliance on free tools are particularly valid. While they can provide a good starting point, they often lack the depth and functionality of premium tools that are crucial for competitive analysis and strategic keyword research.
You mentioned the exclusive use of Google Keyword Planner. It’s worth noting that while it offers some valuable data for paid campaigns, its capabilities in organic search optimization are limited. Integrating tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or others could dramatically enhance your keyword targeting and competitor analysis, providing a more rounded strategy that could yield better results.
Additionally, your point about the backlink strategy is spot on. Backlinks are indeed a critical ranking factor; instead of seeing them as uncontrollable, they should be approached as opportunities to build relationships and create shareable content that naturally earns links. Perhaps suggesting a collaborative workshop or training session on effective backlink strategies could be a constructive way to engage your manager in this discussion.
Regarding content development, the sporadic updates to underperforming articles can certainly diminish the overall effectiveness of your content strategy. Implementing a regular content audit schedule—where the team reviews and optimizes existing content based on current trends and performance metrics—might facilitate continuous improvement and help nudge those articles into higher ranking positions.
In closing, your perspective challenges the status quo and could serve as a catalyst for positive change