The Search Economy: How to Gain Executive Buy In for SEO with Crystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications at Wix

Understanding Your Audience

Securing executive buy-in for SEO can often feel like an uphill battle, but it doesn't have to be. The key lies in understanding your audience – the decision-makers you're trying to win over. Crystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications at Wix, knows this all too well. With a wealth of experience working with clients and executive teams, she shares invaluable insights on how to bridge the gap between the technical world of SEO and the business-driven mindset of those at the top.

Finding Relatability with Executives

"One of the things that I find is really, really important is to find the relatability," Crystal emphasizes. It's all about making connections – whether it's through shared interests like sports or finding common ground through metaphors and anecdotes. The goal is to make your message resonate on a personal level, cutting through the noise and capturing their attention.

Speaking Their Language: Avoiding Marketing Jargon

As SEOs, we often get caught up in the jargon of our industry, but that's a surefire way to lose your audience.

"Just because they don't know all the ins and outs of SEO or technical SEO or JavaScript or whatever it is, doesn't mean they don't know their business,"

Crystal reminds us. The key is to translate your expertise into terms they understand, without overwhelming them with unnecessary details.

Connecting SEO to Business Objectives and Revenue

At the end of the day, executives care about one thing: the bottom line. "If you can find common ground to make things more relatable with metaphors, with common things that you understand, then that's all great," Crystal advises. "But you cannot pay your bills with clicks. You can pay your bills with money, though." It's crucial to tie your SEO efforts directly to the business's revenue goals and demonstrate how your work contributes to their success.

Building a Case for SEO Investment

Once you've established a connection with your audience, it's time to build a compelling case for investing in SEO.

Here's how Crystal suggests approaching it:

1. Identifying Quick Wins and Green Shoots

Even the most skeptical executive will sit up and take notice when they see results. That's why Crystal recommends focusing on "quick wins" and "green shoots" – small victories that demonstrate the potential of SEO. "If you can get some good impact on something like that, then they're more likely to get the SEO buy-in further on," she explains.

2. Highlighting Competitor Advantages (The FOMO Factor)

Nothing motivates like a little fear of missing out (FOMO). "If you say your competitors are getting this much traffic, your competitors are getting these beautiful search results and you're not... That can be a very, very big impetus," Crystal notes. By showcasing how your competitors are benefiting from their SEO efforts, you can tap into that FOMO mindset and compel action.

3. Tying SEO Efforts to Measurable Business Impact

Ultimately, your SEO efforts need to translate into tangible, measurable business impact. Crystal stresses the importance of tying your work to key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter to the executive team. "If we continue on that path, it will have this result for your business," she advises. "Like, we this blog got this many views. And as a result, these many this many people signed up."

Communication and Reporting Strategies

Even with a solid strategy in place, effective communication is crucial for maintaining executive buy-in. Here are Crystal's tips for keeping your stakeholders informed and engaged.

Tailoring Reporting Style to Executive Preferences

Every executive has their own communication preferences, and it's essential to tailor your approach accordingly. "Listen to the people you're talking to," Crystal advises. "If they're the kind of people that write long emails, they probably want long emails. If they're the kind of people that write short emails, they probably want short emails."

Balancing Detail and Conciseness

While some executives may appreciate in-depth reports, others prefer concise summaries. Crystal recommends striking a balance by providing an executive summary with the key takeaways and details, while also offering more comprehensive information for those who want to dive deeper.

Leveraging Visual Aids and Executive Summaries

Visual aids can be a powerful tool for communicating complex information in a digestible format. Crystal suggests using tools like Looker Studio dashboards to provide live data and visual representations of your SEO progress. Additionally, a well-crafted executive summary can help capture the essential points in a clear and concise manner.

Strategic Approaches and Tactics

Winning executive buy-in isn't just about communication; it's also about executing a strategic approach that delivers tangible results. Here are some of Crystal's go-to tactics:

1. The Layered Approach: Balancing Implementation and Planning

Crystal advocates for a "layered approach" that combines ongoing implementation with strategic planning. "In each month, you should have some implementation stuff that you're doing, and you should have some stuff that you're building," she explains. This approach ensures continuous progress while also laying the groundwork for future initiatives.

2. Utilizing Technical SEO Quick Wins

Technical SEO can be a goldmine for quick wins, as it often involves optimizations that can be implemented relatively quickly and yield immediate results. From improving crawlability to implementing structured data and rich results, these technical tweaks can showcase the value of SEO and build momentum for larger initiatives.

3. Leveraging Content and Repurposing Opportunities

Content is often an easy sell for executives, as most recognize its importance. Crystal recommends using content as a "Trojan horse" to introduce SEO optimizations. "If they like the content, if they're loving the content experience, and you've got a good content creation workflow... technical SEO is a great one for this," she explains. By optimizing existing content or repurposing it in new formats, you can demonstrate the power of SEO while working with assets the executive team already values.

Determining Resource Requirements

As your SEO efforts gain traction, the question of resource allocation will inevitably arise. Crystal offers insights on when to bring in dedicated resources and how to align those investments with your overall goals.

Assessing Digital Maturity and Capacity

Before determining resource needs, Crystal emphasizes the importance of understanding your organization's digital maturity and capacity. "It's really important to understand where you are with your digital maturity because, like, sometime, whenever I do audits and stuff, I always always say, okay. Who's implementing this?" she explains. This assessment will help you gauge the level of support and expertise required.

When to Engage Agencies or Hire In-House SEO Expertise

Depending on your goals and the complexity of your SEO needs, you may require external support or dedicated in-house resources. Crystal suggests starting with an agency for their flexible service offerings and expertise, which can help you test the viability of SEO as a channel. As your efforts scale, hiring in-house SEO specialists may become a more cost-effective and strategic option.

Aligning SEO Efforts with Business Goals and Market Landscape

Ultimately, your resource allocation should align with your business goals and the competitive landscape. "If you're in a different space where it's not so mission critical, then I think it's a question of looking at the the, the size of the market, looking at, you know, what the like, how serviceable is it, how many people are searching for it, and whether or not you have room for growth," Crystal advises. By understanding these factors, you can make informed decisions about the level of investment required.

Building Lasting Executive Buy-In

Securing executive buy-in is just the beginning – maintaining that support and trust over the long term is equally important. Here's how Crystal suggests nurturing that relationship.

Demonstrating Continuous Improvement and Green Shoots

"SEO is like it's like working out. Like, you just you just keep going. Right? You just keep going, and you will see improvement," Crystal notes. By consistently demonstrating progress and "green shoots" – those early indicators of success – you can reinforce the value of your SEO efforts and keep executives engaged and invested.

Fostering Transparency and Collaboration

Transparency and collaboration are essential for building trust and buy-in. Crystal recommends involving stakeholders in the process, whether it's through regular check-ins, collaborative planning sessions, or shared dashboards that provide visibility into your progress.

Establishing Yourself as a Strategic Growth Partner

Ultimately, your goal should be to position yourself as a strategic growth partner, rather than just an SEO expert. By tying your efforts directly to business objectives and demonstrating your ability to solve problems and drive revenue, you'll cement your position as an invaluable asset to the executive team.

In today's digital landscape, the power of SEO cannot be overstated – but unlocking that power requires winning over the key decision-makers. With Crystal Carter's insights and strategies, you now have a playbook for navigating the executive buy-in process, building lasting support, and cementing SEO as a core pillar of your organization's growth strategy.

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