You're facing pushback from web developers on SEO changes. How can you get them on board?

SEO isn't magic! It's making websites user-friendly for search engines too. We need to guide them clearly about impact of changes on traffic. Imagine Google as a librarian – clear titles, fast loading times, and a well-organized site (like a good library!) help them find & rank your content. This means more happy visitors who find what they need quickly. Let's work together to build websites that win on search and user experience!

The biggest hurdle in SEO? Developer resistance. They see it as unnecessary complexity slowing down their code. But an invisible site helps no one. Developers cut SEO corners, sacrificing search performance for their vision. Result? Unfindable websites. Nothing "advanced" about that. The fix? Education. Break down SEO into dev-friendly concepts. Show how search engines crawl sites - it's algorithms, their language. Link load times to user experience. When devs see SEO as best practices, not marketing fluff, they're on board. Who doesn't want their code seen and appreciated? Make SEO a technical challenge, not a marketing burden.

To handle this pushback effectively, you need to present the benefits. This is so that you would be able to show the value of SEO changes. You need to stand from the perspective of web developers. This is because certain changes might seem unnecessary for their liking. You need to explain how SEO improves visibility. This is so that you would be able to show increased traffic potential. You need to highlight how it leads to more conversions. This is because developers care about site performance. You need to stress how SEO makes code efficient. This is so that you would appeal to their professional pride. You need to demonstrate better site performance. This is because it reflects well on their technical skills.

Collaboration is key! To get web developers on board with SEO changes, foster partnership by: . Involving them from the start . Sharing SEO goals and rationale . Encouraging their input and ideas . Addressing concerns proactively . Highlighting mutual benefits . Providing necessary resources and support . Celebrating joint successes By embracing this collaborative approach, you'll create a unified team that seamlessly integrates SEO best practices, driving better results and smoother implementations across all projects.

In your digital team it’s worth deciding whether your mission and client’s success depends on performance/results or design/dev/pretty pictures first. If it’s to be performance/results focused, then the SEO Team need to steer the conversation with input from data and performance colleagues and the design and dev teams should work to that. Eg in our agency our SEO Team has specified an SEO-heavy “standard operating procedure” for web builds such that when building websites our devs work to that.

Work with project managers to integrate SEO checkpoints into the development process. Add SEO criteria to code review checklists or include an SEO sign-off before major releases. By making SEO a standard part of the process, it becomes a natural consideration rather than an afterthought.

There are a few key strategies that can help get web developers on board with SEO changes, such as offering the right tools and resources (this is a big one). Providing developers with SEO-focused plugins and platforms can significantly streamline their workflow and reduce resistance. Tools that automate keyword analysis, generate sitemaps, or monitor page load speeds make implementing SEO practices less daunting. In addition, these resources help developers feel what I call the 3 C's: confident, comfortable, and competent when working on SEO tasks. Equipping your team with the right tools not only simplifies the process but also integrates SEO seamlessly. This approach minimizes disruption and helps developers.

Invest in tools that make implementing SEO best practices easier for developers. This could include plugins for their preferred IDEs that flag SEO issues in real-time, or automated testing tools that check for SEO compliance. Create a comprehensive, easily accessible resource library with SEO guidelines, best practices, and FAQs tailored specifically for developers.

When SEO improvements lead to positive outcomes, explicitly credit the developers involved. Create case studies that highlight how specific development changes led to SEO wins. For example, if a site speed optimisation resulted in better rankings, showcase this success story, and call out the developers who made it possible.