SEO Product Mindset: Bridge Gaps, Prioritize Initiatives
The Whiteboard Friday episode by Gus Pelogia introduces the “product mindset” as a crucial approach for SEOs to overcome common frustrations, such as technical SEO tickets being perpetually ignored by development teams. This mindset encourages SEO professionals to view their initiatives not merely as isolated tasks or recommendations, but as products that require strategic planning, validation, and continuous improvement, much like a software product. The core idea is to bridge the communication and prioritization gap between SEOs and developers by speaking their language and integrating SEO work into their existing agile development frameworks.
A primary benefit of adopting a product mindset is improved collaboration and prioritization. Instead of submitting individual tickets, SEOs are encouraged to participate actively in development processes like sprint planning and discovery meetings. This allows them to present SEO tasks as integral components of larger feature developments or product enhancements, rather than standalone requests. By bundling smaller, related SEO tasks into more substantial, well-defined projects, SEOs can demonstrate a clearer vision and greater impact, making their proposals more appealing and easier for developers to incorporate.
Furthermore, a key strategy within this mindset is the development of Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) for SEO initiatives. This involves launching a smaller, focused version of an SEO change or feature to quickly test its impact and prove its value. For instance, instead of requesting a full site-wide implementation of a new structured data type, an SEO might propose implementing it on a single category page to demonstrate positive results on traffic or visibility. This data-driven validation helps in securing buy-in for broader implementation and ensures that resources are allocated to initiatives with proven potential. Ultimately, this approach transforms SEO from a reactive troubleshooting role into a proactive, strategic function that contributes directly to product success and business growth, fostering a more effective and harmonious working relationship with development teams.
(Source: https://moz.com/blog/seo-strategy-with-product-mindset-whiteboard-friday)
