If you’re reading this then you’re likely having a difficult time trying to justify investing in SEO to your boss, despite the fact that you know how important it is for your business. In this article we are going to pretend that your boss is a stubborn old dinosaur and is refusing to get on board with hiring an SEO agency or in-house specialist to get your campaign up and running. We’ll explore a few ways that you can broach the subject with your boss and monetise it for them so that they can give you the go ahead.

1 – Help Them Understand the Technical Jargon

 

This is the most crucial step towards convincing your boss that SEO is a worthwhile investment. Of course, we would be more than happy to sit down and have a conversation with your boss, though once the technical terms start flying around, they will invariably feel agitated and switch off. It is paramount that you coach them, and give them a basic understanding of the terminology, so that they can begin to process the idea properly.

Clarifying, defining and discussing the various components of SEO is an excellent place to begin when trying to help your boss to understand the basics of SEO, which will in turn, aid them in discovering its true value.

Start off with the basics: ‘Search Engine Optimisation’

“That’s that thing where we pay and get first place on Google or something? Not interested, it’s too expensive and it’s all a big scam!”

“Well, no, not exactly. Search Engine Optimisation is so much more than simply climbing higher on various search engine results. In fact, it’s about improving the overall functionality of our website, presenting our content in a clear and user-friendly fashion and ultimately making our business relevant and reliable in the eyes of Google and so on.”

Be creative in your approach and try to empathise with older people who have little understanding of SEO. They may be an expert in their field, but if you want to bring your company in line with modern marketing techniques, then you’ll have to explain in a way that they understand.

 

2 – Explain That it Takes Time

 

There’s no school like the old school, but times have changed. If you want your superiors to get on board with a paid SEO campaign, then you’ll need to explain to them that it’s not something that happens overnight. If you want your boss to give you the green light on investing in an SEO campaign, or hiring some in-house SEO specialists, then they’re going to need to see light at the end of the tunnel.

It is important that you paint the bigger picture on their behalf and assure them that it isn’t a simple transaction. In order for SEO to truly be effective it has to be seen and handled as an on-going affair. You don’t just ‘do a bit of SEO’ and then reach the top, you have to work hard and fight to maintain that position. But of course, you already know that.

 

3 – Craft an Appropriate Explanation for All Audiences

Remember that it’s not just your boss that you’ll need to convince, but your IT and Marketing departments as well. This can be difficult as certain people may feel at risk of losing validity and potentially losing their jobs, which is of course, ridiculous. An effective SEO campaign is about working closely with the IT and Marketing departments, so that the best possible results can be achieved.

By hiring an SEO company to manage your campaign, you’ll be able to free up more time for individuals to focus on other important tasks. For example, the IT department will be able to dedicate more resources to improving the in-house functionality of various software and systems, and your Marketing team will be able to dedicate more time to other forms of advertising.

Your job is to find a way to present the idea to your employees so that they can see the benefit of investing in SEO, and how it will have a number of benefits for the company besides bolstering their online presence.

 

4 – Back it Up

 

It’s easy to sit in front of people and chew their ears off with facts and figures and promises of what you can achieve. Back it up! Document your strategy, build your reports, gather quotes and present them with as much information as possible. If all you have is words, well, it doesn’t matter how charming you are, most people will switch off and lose interest. At least with some back up and plenty of clear, concise information, you’ll be able to construct a better argument and increase your chances of winning them over.

 

5 – Do Your Bit

Simply telling your boss that your business needs SEO is not enough. If you want to be taken seriously then you need to demonstrate your worth and show that you know exactly what you’re talking about. Be a leader in your business and use your initiative. Start by writing various articles which are tailored towards answering customers questions and concerns. Outreach using social media and demonstrate the power of content and social interaction with your target audience. Then use certain tools such as Facebook Insights and Google Analytics so that you can clearly indicate how much of an impact you’ve been making on your own. If you do that, then they’ll have no choice but to jump on board and back you up.

It is that level of commitment which will contribute not only towards your company’s success, but your own as well. Good luck!