Navigating Unrealistic SEO Expectations: A Call for Perspective in E-commerce
As an SEO Manager with over six years of experience, I find myself in a challenging situation at my current role within a prominent e-commerce company in the electronics sector. Lately, I’ve been facing increasing criticism from upper management regarding our search engine optimization efforts, particularly concerning our declining performance metrics. Despite our year-over-year conversions remaining robust, there appears to be a disconnect in understanding the nuances of SEO.
One of the primary concerns raised by the executives has centered around our product page URL structure. I’ve explained that our URLs adhere to established SEO best practices, a viewpoint echoed by our SEO vendor, who is knowledgeable about industry trends and standards. Yet, that doesn’t seem to assuage the concerns at the top.
The leadership’s demand for a “100% organic growth year-over-year” is another source of contention. This target is simply not feasible, especially considering that such goals are typically more realistic for newly launched websites rather than established ones. I struggled to articulate this point during our recent discussions, leading to feedback that undermined my expertise, humorously suggesting that I lacked understanding of the topic altogether.
The absence of my usual support system has compounded the challenge. Both my SEO director and senior manager have departed from the company earlier this year, and despite the pressing need, the organization has hesitated to fill these vital roles. As a result, I’ve been navigating meetings with the C-suite more frequently, which has introduced a considerable amount of stress and anxiety, particularly given my limited experience in high-stakes discussions.
The company’s aggressive aspirations for the current year and the upcoming 2025 fiscal period emphasize a desire to leverage SEO as a primary driver of revenue. While I’m dedicated to improving our site’s organic performance, I recognize that my capacity as a solo SEO practitioner is limited.
It seems imperative to shift the prevailing mindset among upper management regarding how they perceive SEO. Treating it as an aggressive push channel rather than understanding SEO as a pull channel creates an unrealistic framework for expectations. A consistent demand for 100% year-over-year growth is not only daunting but borderline impractical.
As I contemplate the best approach to educate the powers that be, I recognize that translating SEO efforts into financial impact is a skill I need to develop further. This feeling of helplessness is daunting, and to anyone who has experienced similar frustrations, I would greatly appreciate your advice and insights on how to bridge this knowledge gap and
One response to “The higher ups in my company have very unreasonable expectations for SEO – what do I do?”
Thank you for sharing your experiences; it’s clear that navigating the expectations of upper management can be incredibly challenging, especially in a field as nuanced as SEO. One approach that might help in bridging the knowledge gap is to provide upper management with a clear, data-driven presentation that illustrates the realistic timelines and benchmarks for SEO success.
Consider using case studies from similar e-commerce companies that detail how long it typically takes to see significant results from SEO efforts; this can help contextualize your current performance metrics. You might also want to set up regular reports that not only display the progress towards your SEO goals but also highlight the long-term value of these efforts, especially in relation to customer lifetime value and retention rates.
Additionally, facilitating workshops or inviting external experts for introductory sessions on SEO could be beneficial; this may foster greater understanding and appreciation among the leadership team. Empowering them to see SEO as a long-term investment rather than a quick win could cultivate a more realistic and supportive environment for you to work in.
Ultimately, reinforcing the need for collaboration across departments can also be key. Engaging teams in discussions about the role of SEO in overall strategy and depicting how various functions contribute to organic search success can help break down silos and create a more unified approach to achieving common goals.
Stay strong, and remember, communication is as imperative as technical expertise when it comes to aligning expectations!