The SEO Elevator Pitch - Best of Whiteboard Friday

This week, we're revisiting an necessary subject for SEOs in every single place: the way to present your worth. Within the wake of every part that is occurred just lately with COVID-19, having the ability to describe your price to potential shoppers or stakeholders is an integral talent. On this favourite episode of Whiteboard Friday, Kameron Jenkins shares the way to successfully and succinctly construct an search engine optimisation elevator pitch that highlights the worth you convey to a enterprise and three warnings on what to not do.

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Video Transcription

Hey guys, welcome to this week's version of Whiteboard Friday. My identify is Kameron Jenkins. In the present day we will be speaking about creating an search engine optimisation elevator pitch, what's it, why we want one, and what sort of prompted this entire thought for an search engine optimisation elevator pitch.
So basically, I used to be on Twitter and I noticed John Mueller. He tweeted, "Hey, I meet with a variety of builders, and a variety of instances they do not actually know what SEOs do." He was genuinely asking. He was asking, "Hey, search engine optimisation group, how do you describe what you do?" I am scrolling via, and I am seeing a variety of completely different solutions, and all of them I am resonating with.
They're all issues that I might in all probability say myself. Nevertheless it's simply attention-grabbing what number of completely different solutions there have been to the query, "What do SEOs do and what worth do they supply?" So I type of thought to myself, "Why is that? Why do we have now so many alternative explanations for what search engine optimisation is and what we do?" So I considered it, and I believed that it could be a good suggestion for myself and perhaps different SEOs for those who do not have already got an elevator pitch prepared.

What's an search engine optimisation elevator pitch?

Now, for those who're not aware of the idea of an elevator pitch, it is principally — I've a definition right here — a succinct and persuasive speech that communicates your distinctive worth as an search engine optimisation. It is known as an elevator pitch basically as a result of it ought to take in regards to the size of time it takes to experience the elevator with somebody. So that you need to have the ability to shortly and concisely reply somebody's query once they ask you, "Oh, search engine optimisation, what's that?I believe I've heard of that earlier than. What do you do?"

Why is that this so exhausting?

So let's dive proper in. So I discussed, to start with, how there are such a lot of completely different solutions to this "what do you say you do right here" kind query. I believe it is exhausting to type of give you a concise clarification for a couple of completely different causes. So I wished to dive into that a bit of bit first.

1. A number of specialties inside search engine optimisation

So primary, there are many specialties inside search engine optimisation.
Because the trade has superior over the past two plus many years, it has turn into very numerous, and there are many completely different aspects in search engine optimisation. I discovered myself on fairly a rabbit path. I used to be on LinkedIn and I used to be type of looking search engine optimisation job descriptions. I wished to see principally: What's it that individuals are searching for in an search engine optimisation?
How do they describe it? What are the traits? So principally, I discovered a variety of various things, however I discovered a couple of themes that emerged. So there are your content-focused SEOs, and people are individuals which can be your key phrase analysis aficionados. There are the those who write search engine optimized content material to drive visitors to your web site. You might have your hyperlink builders, those who focus nearly solely on that.
You might have your native SEOs, and you've got your analysts. You might have your tech SEOs, those who both work on a dev crew or intently with a dev crew. So I believe that is okay although. There are many completely different aspects inside search engine optimisation, and I believe that is superior. That is, to me, an indication of maturity in our trade. So when there are a variety of completely different specialties inside search engine optimisation, I believe it is proper and good for all of our elevator pitches to vary.
So when you've got a specialty inside search engine optimisation, it may be completely different. It ought to type of cater towards the distinctive model of search engine optimisation that you simply do, and that is okay.

2. Totally different audiences

Quantity two, there are completely different audiences. We're not at all times going to be speaking to the identical type of individual. So perhaps you are speaking to your boss or a consumer. To me, these are extra revenue-focused conversations.
They wish to know: What is the worth of what you do? How does it have an effect on my backside line? How does it assist me run my enterprise and keep afloat and keep worthwhile? Should you're speaking to a developer, that is going to be a barely completely different dialog. So I believe it is okay if we type of tweak our elevator pitch to make it a bit of bit extra palatable for the those who we're speaking to.

3. Algorithm maturity

Three, why that is exhausting is there's been, clearly, a variety of adjustments on a regular basis within the algorithm, and because it matures, it'll seem like the search engine optimisation's job is totally completely different than final yr simply because the algorithm retains maturing and it appears like our jobs are altering on a regular basis. So I believe that is a actuality that we have now to reside with, however I nonetheless assume it is necessary, regardless that issues are altering on a regular basis, to have a baseline type of pitch that we give individuals once they ask us what it's we do.
In order that's why it is exhausting. That is what your elevator pitch is.

My elevator pitch: search engine optimisation is advertising, with serps

Then, by the use of instance, I believed I would just provide you with my search engine optimisation elevator pitch. Perhaps it would spark your creativity. Perhaps it offers you some concepts. Perhaps you have already got one, and that is okay. However the level is to not use mine.
The purpose is basically to type of take you thru what mine appears like, hopefully get your artistic juices flowing, and you may create your personal. So let's dive proper into my pitch.
So my pitch is search engine optimisation is advertising, simply with serps. So we have now the funnel right here — consciousness, consideration, and resolution.

Consciousness: Rank and appeal to clicks for informational queries.

To begin with, I believe it is necessary to notice that search engine optimisation may help you rank and appeal to clicks for informational queries.

Consideration: Rank and appeal to clicks for analysis queries.

So when your viewers is looking for data, they wish to remedy their ache factors, they are not prepared to purchase, they're simply looking out, we're assembly them there with content material that brings them to the location, informs them, and now they're aware of our model. These are nice assisted conversions. Rank and appeal to clicks for analysis queries. When your viewers is beginning to examine their choices, you wish to be there. You wish to meet them there, and we will do this with search engine optimisation.

Choice: Rank, appeal to clicks, and promote conversion for bottom-funnel queries

On the resolution part, you may rank and appeal to clicks and type of promote conversions for backside of funnel queries. When individuals are of their "I wish to purchase" stage, search engine optimisation can meet them there. So I believe it is necessary to comprehend that search engine optimisation is not type of like a value heart and never a revenue heart. It is not like a backside of funnel factor. I've heard that in a variety of locations, and I believe it is simply necessary to type of draw consideration to the truth that search engine optimisation is built-in all through your advertising funnel. It is not relegated to 1 stage or one other.

However how?

We talked about rank and appeal to clicks and promote conversions. However how can we do this? That is the what it does.
However how can we do it? So that is how I clarify it. I believe actually, for me, there are two sides to the search engine optimisation's coin. We now have driving, and we have now supporting.

1. Driving

So on the driving facet, I might say one thing like this. When somebody searches a phrase or a key phrase in Google, I be certain that the enterprise' web site reveals up within the non-ad outcomes. That is necessary as a result of lots of people are like, "Oh, do you bid on key phrases?"
We're like, "No, no, that is PPC." So I at all times simply throw in "non-ad" as a result of individuals perceive that. So I do this via content material that solutions individuals's questions, hyperlinks that assist serps discover my content material and present indicators of authority and recognition of my content material, and accessibility. In order that's type of your technical basis.
You are ensuring that your web site is crawlable and it that it is index the best way that you really want it to be listed. When individuals get there, it really works. It really works on cell and on desktop. It is quick. So I believe these are actually the three large pillars of driving search engine optimisation — content material, hyperlinks, and ensuring your web site is technically sound. In order that's how I describe the driving, the proactive facet of search engine optimisation.

2. Supporting

Then two, we have now supporting, and I believe that is type of an underrated or perhaps it is usually seen as type of an interruption to our jobs.
However I believe it is necessary to really name it what it's. It is a large a part of what we do. So I believe we should always embrace it as SEOs.

A. Be the Google Magic 8-ball

For one, we will function the Google Magic 8-Ball. When individuals come to us in our group they usually say, "Hey, I will make this transformation, or I am fascinated by making this transformation.Is that this going to be good or unhealthy for search engine optimisation?"
I believe it is nice that individuals are asking that query. All the time be obtainable and at all times make your self able to reply these forms of questions for individuals. So I believe on the reactionary facet we will be that type of individual that helps information individuals and perceive what will have an effect on your natural search presence.

B. Help advertising

Two, we will help advertising. So on this facet of the coin, we're driving.
We will drive our personal advertising methods. As SEOs, we will see how search engine optimisation can drive all phases of the funnel. However I believe it is necessary to notice that we're not the one individuals in our group. Typically SEOs perhaps they do not even reside within the advertising division. Perhaps they do they usually report back to a advertising lead. There are different initiatives that your advertising lead may very well be investigating.
Perhaps they are saying, "Hey, we have simply carried out some market analysis, and this is this plan." It may very well be our job as SEOs to take that plan, take that technique and translate it into one thing digital. I believe that is a very necessary worth that SEOs can add. We will really help advertising in addition to drive our personal efforts.

C. Repair errors

Then quantity three right here, I do know that is one other one which type of makes individuals cringe, however we're right here to repair errors once they occur and prepare individuals in order that they do not occur once more. So perhaps we are available in on a Monday morning and we're able to face the week, and we see that visitors has taken a nosedive or one thing. We go, "Oh, no," and we dive in.
We attempt to see what occurred. However I believe that is actually necessary. It is our job or it is a part of our job to type of dive in, diagnose what occurred, and never solely that however help and be there to assist repair it or information the fixes, after which prepare and educate and make it possible for individuals know what it's that occurred and the way it should not occur once more.
You are there to assist prepare them and information them. I believe that is one other actually necessary method that we will help as SEOs. In order that's basically how I describe it.

Three ideas for developing with your personal pitch

Earlier than I am going, I simply wished to say some ideas if you're developing with your personal search engine optimisation elevator pitch. I believe it is actually necessary to simply type of avoid sure language if you're crafting your personal "that is what I do" speech.

So the three ideas I've are:

1. Steer clear of jargon.

Should you're giving an search engine optimisation elevator pitch, it is to individuals that do not know what search engine optimisation is. So attempt to keep away from jargon. I do know it is very easy as SEOs. I discover myself doing it on a regular basis. There are issues that I do not assume are jargon.
However then I take a pair steps again and I understand, oh yeah, that is not layman's phrases. So avoid jargon if in any respect doable. You are not going to profit anybody by complicated them.

2. Keep away from policing.

It may be straightforward as SEOs I've discovered and I've discovered myself on this lure a few instances the place we type of act as these visitors cops which can be ready across the nook, and when individuals make a mistake, we're there to wag our finger at them.
So keep away from any language that makes it sound just like the SEOs are simply the police ready to type of punish individuals for wrongdoing. We're there to assist repair errors, nevertheless it's in a guiding and educating and supporting, type of collaborative method and never like a policing kind of method. Quantity three, I might say is type of related, however a bit of completely different.

3. Keep away from Supermanning.

I name this Supermanning as a result of it is the kind of language that makes it sound like SEOs are right here to swoop in and save the day when one thing goes improper. We do. We're superheroes a variety of instances. There are issues that occur and thank goodness there was an search engine optimisation there to assist diagnose and repair that.
However I might keep away from any type of pitch that makes it sound like your complete job is simply to type of save individuals. There are different individuals in your group which can be tremendous good and gifted at what they do. They in all probability would not prefer it for those who made it sound such as you have been there to assist them on a regular basis. So I simply assume that is necessary to remember. Do not make it seem to be you are the police ready to wag your finger at them otherwise you're the superhero that should save everybody from their errors.
So yeah, that is my search engine optimisation elevator pitch. That is why I believe it is necessary to have one. Should you've type of crafted your personal search engine optimisation elevator pitch, I might love to listen to it, and I am positive it might be nice for different SEOs to listen to it as effectively. It is nice to data share. So drop that within the feedback for those who really feel comfy doing that. If you do not have one, hopefully this helps. So yeah, that is it for this week's Whiteboard Friday, and are available again once more subsequent week for an additional one.
Thanks, everyone.
Video transcription by Speechpad.com

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