How To Structure An SEO Team For Maximum Efficiency

Is your SEO team feeling disjointed, with scattered efforts and underwhelming results? A poorly structured team could be the culprit. It doesn’t have to stay that way, though.

Let’s restructure your SEO team, dominate search, and watch as the online money printer goes BRRR.

Is Your SEO Team Underperforming? Common Signs and Causes

It’s time for a hard truth: An underperforming SEO team isn’t just frustrating; it’s plain old bad business. But before you pick up the phone to HR, the issue is likely the team’s structure, not individual performance.

Here’s how to spot if it’s time for a shake-up:

1. Has the website in question’s organic traffic slowed to a trickle? Seeing fewer visitors coming from search engines can be a symptom of many things, a less-than-perfect SEO team structure being one of them.
2. Okay, so maybe traffic isn’t the problem, but what about conversions? True, conversion rate optimization (CRO) is its own discipline, but SEO shouldn’t exist in a silo. A restructuring may just be what’s needed to drive conversions, not just clicks.
3. Can’t prove SEO’s worth? Without clear ROI tied to your team’s efforts, justifying the investment gets harder every day. Restructuring helps you track the metrics that prove SEO drives business growth.

Sound familiar? Onward then. Let’s find a structuring model that works for your business.

In-House vs. Outsourced SEO: Which Model Drives the Best Results?

Should you assemble your own squad, outsource to experts, or go for the best of both worlds?  There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, so let’s break down the pros, cons, and those hybrid setups worth considering.

In-House SEO Teams

In-house teams—you know, people you hire directly, not through another marketing agency.

The Pros:

1. Your team works exclusively on YOUR goals, with strategy fully aligned to your business.
2. In-house experts develop a deep understanding of your niche, tailoring SEO accordingly.
3. Collaboration with other departments (from web dev to sales) is (usually) easier with everyone under one roof.

The Cons:

1. Salaries and benefits add up. Small businesses might not have the budget for a full team.
2. Hiring takes time. If you need a sudden SEO boost, an in-house team might not be able to ramp up fast enough.
3. If there’s one constant in SEO, it’s change. Keeping your in-house team’s knowledge up-to-date requires investment.

Outsourcing SEO

Yup, just as the heading says. Outsourcing is employing the services of a marketing agency.

The Pros:

1. Agencies and freelancers have access to niche expertise you might not be able to hire in-house.
2. You can scale up or down quickly or bring in specialists for specific projects as needed.
3. Outsourcing avoids the fixed costs of in-house employees.

The Cons:

1. You’re putting your SEO success in someone else’s hands. Finding a partner who cares about your results as much as YOU do is the key to success.
2. Agencies juggling multiple clients risk spreading themselves thin. Will yours be a top priority or an afterthought?
3. Time zone differences and agency red tape can slow things down. Expect some back-and-forth before major SEO moves.

The Hybrid Approach

Imagine your content team cranking out quality blog posts while outsourced specialists handle tricky backlink outreach, or vice versa. That’s the hybrid approach.

So, which is right for you? The right mix depends on your specific needs. Ask yourself:

• How much budget do I have to play with?
• How complex is my industry, niche, and website?
• How urgent is my need for results?

Your answers will steer you in the right direction.

High-Impact SEO Team Roles

Choosing the right SEO team members is like picking your starter Pokemon. Do you need a well-rounded powerhouse? A speedy specialist? A…Squirtle? While team structures vary, here are the key roles you’ll want to consider:

SEO Team Leader

SEO team leaders are the Saurons of website optimization, casting an ever-watching eye over the SEO landscape to identify new opportunities and vulnerabilities. Armed with a battle plan crafted for those coveted top rankings, they guide the troops relentlessly forward.

Bonus: If you can find yourself a data-obsessed SEO team leader, you’re in the money. These specialists turn analytics into actionable strategies.

Link Building Specialist

Link-building specialists are the charmers of the SEO world. They hunt down authority websites (think high traffic and trust), forging connections that boost your website’s reputation. Forget spammy pitches—they nurture genuine relationships that pay off in sweet, sweet backlinks. Hmm-mmm.

SEO Analyst

The SEO analyst feasts on Google Analytics data, finding hidden patterns within website traffic trends, search behavior, and competitor tactics that others miss. They’re masters of keyword research, unearthing the long-tail search terms your ideal customer is using and that your competitors overlook.

SEO Content Manager

An SEO content manager is part strategist, part writer, and part crazy (it’s a job requirement). They craft a content plan of attack. That way, every blog post, product description, or landing page is a potential traffic magnet. They sprinkle keywords into content, so naturally, search engines think it’s organic, not optimized.

Technical SEO Specialist

Your technical SEO specialist is the website whisperer, fluent in fast load times, mobile-friendliness, and squeaky-clean code. With a mastery of HTML, CSS, Javascript, and the latest in Core Web Vitals optimization, they crush those pesky technical glitches that could derail your rankings.

Finding the Right Fit: SEO Team Structures Explained

Do you need an iron-fisted hierarchy for those epic SEO campaigns? Or agile task forces to crush the competition? Let’s dive into the most common setups so you can conquer the search results.

Hierarchical

The OG SEO structure. There’s a clear chain of command, everyone has their defined role, and processes are (usually) set in stone. This approach works well for large teams or companies where everything needs layers of approval.

But beware: it can be slow to adapt, and different SEO specialists might end up feeling siloed, not collaborating as much as they should. Ideal for big corporations with lots of red tape or companies who need super predictable SEO workflows.

Pod Squad

Picture these as your mini task forces. Each pod is a small, cross-functional team dedicated to a specific project, product, or even a market segment. Need to react to a sudden algorithm change? Pods can pivot way faster than a big hierarchical structure.

The downside is that it’s easy for pods to duplicate work if they’re not communicating well, and finding people with the full range of SEO skills can be a challenge. Best for companies in fast-changing industries or those with a very diverse range of products or services.

Brand/Product/Market

This setup is for companies where different products have totally different audiences or you’re laser-focused on specific geographic markets. Teams become experts in their niche, which is great for truly understanding search behavior in those areas.

But, it’s inefficient for smaller product lines or markets that change frequently. There’s also a risk of teams not sharing knowledge and missing out on potential wins.

Hybrid

Maybe you centralize your core SEO functions (like keyword research) while deploying specialists to pods for specific campaigns. Think of it like an RPG party: You’ve got your core fighters, but depending on the quest, you bring in specialized mages or healers. There’s no right answer; it all depends on your company’s specific needs.

Your Action Plan: Restructuring Your SEO Team for Success

Okay, you’re convinced a restructure is the way to go. But before you start tossing org charts around like confetti, let’s get strategic. Think of this as your pre-battle prep, making sure your SEO forces are equipped to dominate the rankings.

Step 1. Conduct an SEO Audit: Know Thine Enemy

An SEO audit that weighs up on your current SEO performance is a great place to start. What’s working? What’s an absolute dumpster fire? Identify those weak spots your team structure needs to address. No sugarcoating. Get brutally honest with yourself here.

Step 2. Define Goals and KPIs: Victory Looks Like…

“Improve SEO” is super vague. Do you want increased traffic? More leads? Boosted eCommerce sales? Get specific, and define the metrics that prove your restructure was a success.

Step 3. Hiring vs. Retraining: Build or Borrow?

Do you have team members with untapped SEO potential? Investing in training could be smart. But if you’re missing core skills, it’s time to recruit new troops for your SEO cause.

Step 4. Tools and Collaboration: Gear Up

The right tech stack will streamline your SEO efforts post-restructure. From keyword research tools to collaboration platforms, make sure your team isn’t fighting with sticks when the competition has lasers.

Important Note: This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Restructuring is the start, but ongoing monitoring and tweaking will ensure long-term victory.

Conclusion and Next Steps

By now, you get it: SEO team structure isn’t just about who reports to who. It’s about having the right players with the right skills, working in a way that drives your business goals forward.

But what if…

1. You don’t have the time or budget to build an in-house?
2. You’re overwhelmed by trying to find skilled SEO specialists?
3. You just want results, not another project to manage?

Our white-label services seamlessly integrate with your existing team, providing the expertise and resources to level up your SEO game.

🚀 Clickety-click over to our white-label services, and together, let’s build an SEO A-team. 🚀