should be a product

Let me just say it.

SEO should be considered a product since it is an acquisition channel to organic traffic and generate revenue.

SEO is largely a product.

• It understands that it works in a digital-first environment.
• It makes an effort to improve its digital properties (website and app, etc.). SEO-friendly.

When potential customers search online with their devices, they can look up digital properties through apps or initiate a voice search.

Product management, in a nutshell is the discipline of solving problems and fostering empathy with customers. Search engine optimization (SEO), is the more general consideration of being found by customers using connected devices to search for information, products, or services.

Humans have more places to “search” beyond traditional search engines such as Google, DuckDuckGo or Baidu. Prospects can search for their product online at Amazon, or YouTube if they are looking for a visual search.

All of this is based upon intent – What does the customer want?

This article does not address optimizing product detail pages for search engine optimization.

It focuses instead on the larger picture of how businesses can allocate product resources to increasing organic traffic and revenue. SEO should therefore be considered a product.

SEO as a product: What does it mean?

Let’s quickly highlight that this is an entirely new concept.

Google Trends searches for “product management”, show that interest has increased over time, with a peak in December 2022.

The search term SEO, on the other hand, shows a steady interest over time.

Similarity: SEO has been around for over a decade and continues to evolve. Product management is just beginning to gain momentum. It will take some time before the role of SEO product manger becomes more common.

What’s more important is the way organizations operate their SEO programs. SEO is an aspect of a business that drives revenue or customer acquisition.

SEO is product management. This applies to search engine optimization.

SEO was a lot about keywords. Especially how many to use and which ones. Google’s algorithms improved to detect bad actors.

Eli Schwartz proposes a product-led SEO approach in order to adapt and thrive in today’s digital world. In his book “Product-Led SEO,” Schwartz explains:

“A Product-Led SEO campaign is not something that works only with certain companies. It is a process that all websites working on SEO should use.

A Product-Led SEO strategy must be a product. It is an offering that is being developed. You should approach this product the same as any other product: with a product plan, a roadmap and project management, user feedback, and most importantly, a product strategy.

Unlike a keyword-research-driven SEO effort, Product-Led SEO strategy needs to have a product-market fit.”

This is largely about empathy for customers that bring profits to the company. SEO is web crawlers such as Googlebot or humans.

You have two primary customers as an SEO product manager – search engine and people.

Product managers tend to be focused on one segment of customers or market segments (as defined in the business), but they don’t realize that search engines like Google are customers as well, because they use the products and features created for the web.

The top 4 reasons SEO should be a product

These compelling reasons are why SEO should be considered a product.

• SEO is a product. This means that you should treat it as a channel for revenue and organic traffic. SEO best practices are integrated into online operations to ensure search engines “see” your site and people searching online find your brand website or social media pages.
• SEO product managers are familiar with the external factors, such as how search engines work, and what aspects of a website must be optimized to make it SEO-friendly. This will allow the site to earn organic traffic.
• SEO must have its own roadmap because search is fluid. It should address advancements in machine-learning, growth areas (e.g. producing useful content), and maintenance.
• There is no way for a business to have unlimited funding or capital in order to attract new customers by investing heavily in paid search. For new site visitors, organic traffic can be a reliable and compounding source for revenue. This source must be protected and developed in order for it to grow.

You can find a product manager for every other aspect of a business. So why not search?

There are some companies that have product managers who can help with search. However, they often deal with customers’ on-site searches and their experience in finding products.

Contrary to that, I am referring to an SEO product manger who is focused more on two primary customers externally – search engines as well as customers visiting the site from search engine results pages.

You’ll find the job description of any product manager position and that it is crucial for businesses to create a top-in-class app/ecommerce experience. This includes providing a consistent customer experience that drives sales, retention, and revenue.

This function requires strong consumer instincts and both creative and analytical chops.

Product managers are responsible for writing requirements that are included in tickets that are reviewed by engineers. Here SEO considerations or requirements can be considered.

Do you have a link? It should then be coded with an attribute to allow search engines to “read” it.

How to publish a visual product cartousel It should not be wrapped in JavaScript. If it is disabled by the customer, it will not be visible to them or search engines.

SEO is an ever-evolving discipline. It’s linked to Google’s search results and their understanding of user intent and queries. The ranking compositions will also change over time.

John Mueller discussed the fluid nature search in an episode on the Search Off the Record podcast. He noted that Google’s understanding of user intent and queries changes so does the ranking composition.

Our needs and nature are constantly changing. Businesses need to be aware of how organic search is changing in order to keep driving revenue and capturing new customers.

It is not enough to ask “What should we do about the most recent algorithm update?” Or “Which keywords do we rank for or not?” This is a narrow view of search.

It is more productive to ask, “First, my customer wants? How do we ensure Google knows that we offer this?

SEO is a product. The product framework helps to identify and implement important work. This allows teams to measure the results, learn from them, and then improve on them over time.

How SEO product management fits into an organization

Large organizations often have a manager who manages SEO. SEO is not usually located within the product vertical.

SEO is a tool that helps organizations navigate complexity and ambiguity.

SEO is often affected by a lack in resources, especially engineering resources, to make improvements and publish them.

Most SEO professionals don’t know how to understand the timeframe for completing work. Major technology companies like Apple, IBM and Microsoft use agile methodologies to deliver their work. This approach is becoming more popular as companies adopt iteratively to improve their work processes and implement strategic initiatives.

This is a fact that cannot be understated. Engineering teams use sprints in an agile approach. There are only a limited number of sprints per year. This is particularly true for ecommerce brands that operate with a “code lock” timeframe, which is usually between November and January. No updates to the code base are made.

There are only so many sprints. Planning requires that you work backwards from the “pencil’s up” timeframe in order to prioritize the roadmap items.

This also means that if you add new or ad-hoc work to an existing project, it will replace the original one. These are the tradeoffs that the SEO product manager makes and communicates to leaders.

In 2022, I spoke at a conference on the importance of product managers interacting with engineers during agile processes. This is something that SEO managers aren’t used to.

An SEO product manager can support cross-functional teams in delivering SEO work. It is similar to a “before,” “after” strategy.

The best place to find resources is for product

In order to be a source of acquisition, SEO should be resourced to maximize the company’s bottom line.

Product managers are able to access these resources and coordinate their use. Product managers are usually assigned engineering resources by discipline or vertical.

SEO would become a product if it was used by organizations.

• An owner of a product.
• A roadmap for SEO products.
• A specific allocation of resources for SEO initiatives.

Any compromises against the SEO roadmap would be detrimental to other product roadmaps or teams.

It is the difference between being able to plan work according to your own schedule and having to ask other teams if they can help you get (what is) your work done.

SEO is a product that drives organic traffic to your site and generates revenue.

When SEO is an actual product, the teams will have the power to do the best thing for their business by nurturing and growing a scalable channel of customer acquisition and revenue.

This is a continuous stream of technical improvements and overhauling of informational content across the entire spectrum of human needs, from information to purchase.

Search Engine Land first published the post Why SEO should not be a product.