
SEO vs Web Developer: Who Should Lead the Implementation?
The relationship between an SEO professional, the IT department and the web developers of a website can be complicated.
Web developers and IT departments have different priorities than SEO professionals; They focus on the appearance and stability of the site rather than its functionality.
Developers and IT departments also usually don’t have enough time or resources to implement changes.
These challenges can cause conflict between the two groups.
Let’s discuss the challenges SEO professionals face when working with web developers and IT professionals and the benefits of an SEO-guided implementation.
The challenges: SEO professionals vs. web developers
Web developers often need assistance to understand the importance of SEO, which is a significant hurdle for SEO professionals.
They may also focus more on the website’s visual elements, such as design and layout, than on its functionality and technical SEO aspects.
As a result, developers can forgo changes that are required for SEO, or they can make changes that negatively impact SEO.
Web developers may also need the technical knowledge needed to implement SEO changes.
They may need to become more familiar with the latest best practices, or they may need to learn how to implement changes in a way that is effective for SEO.
These challenges can cause frustration for both the SEO and the developer; Web developers may feel overwhelmed by the technical requirements of SEO, which can make SEO professionals feel undervalued for their expertise.
The challenges: SEO experts vs. IT
IT professionals are often responsible for the technical aspects of a site, such as: B. Server maintenance and software updates.
Although they are aware of the importance of SEO, they may need more time or resources to implement changes promptly.
IT people can also refrain from making changes that might affect the stability of the website or the underlying IT infrastructure.
Another challenge is that SEO changes can affect IT systems in unforeseen ways. For example, changes to site architecture or URL structure can cause caching or load balancing issues.
This can lead to delays in implementation and additional work for the SEO and IT teams.
The benefits of an SEO-guided implementation
With their knowledge and expertise in SEO strategies, SEO professionals are well-equipped to guide the implementation process.
You can ensure changes are made correctly the first time by taking the lead. Additionally, they can guide web developers and IT teams to help them understand the implications of SEO changes and how to implement them effectively.
SEO professionals can also prioritize SEO changes and ensure timely implementation. This is especially important for websites undergoing significant changes or updates, as delays in implementing SEO changes will significantly impact search rankings and traffic.
SEO professionals are usually great at translating complex technical information into usable data.
Hiring the SEO pro to implement all search-related changes saves time on all fronts, especially on the communication front—as long as they’re at the boardroom table.
A more important problem arises in defining what is search related and what is not.
This unclear definition of what constitutes search is a major reason why SEO professionals should both implement and define the search engine marketing program.
Many SEO professionals have previously worked as IT professionals or web developers. In fact, in some cases, SEO professionals take on IT and developer roles while also running search engine marketing programs.
There’s a definite overlap in skills, which can be challenging; It’s hard to say where SEO begins and where it ends.
For example, website speed is vital to all aspects of a website, especially for SEO professionals.
Web developers typically don’t have the technical knowledge to significantly improve a website’s speed. IT pros can speed up a website, but usually at a cost in performance elsewhere.
Skilled SEO professionals can improve a website’s speed without sacrificing essential functionality. And in almost all cases, they implement site speed changes faster and more efficiently than a web developer or IT pro.
Cooperation between departments
Collaboration between the SEO, web developer and IT departments is essential for larger technical SEO projects.
By working together, these teams can ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal.
While the SEO professional guides and supports the two teams, the web developer ensures that the changes are consistent with the website’s design and user experience. The IT team, on the other hand, ensures that the changes are compatible with the site’s underlying infrastructure.
It’s important to understand that while I advocate for the SEO team to implement any changes related to an SEO program, I am not suggesting that changes be made in a vacuum.
The changes made by the SEO team should be reviewed. If the IT team or a web developer thinks a change is wrong, they should speak up.
I don’t know of any SEO pro who hasn’t made a mistake. I also don’t know many SEO professionals who aren’t happy to talk about their work with someone who will listen.
Both the IT department and web developers should have some veto power over the changes made, but not absolute veto power.
Any issues with proposed changes are ideally resolved through discussion as long as all teams, especially the SEO team, can keep their egos in check.
Sometimes SEO is about compromises – and some SEO pros don’t like to hear that.
But in a discussion, problems related to SEO can have solutions that come from IT or the development team.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who did the work as long as the results are in—but it’s easier when the SEO team implements the SEO changes.
Diploma
Letting SEO professionals lead the implementation process can speed up changes and ensure they’re done right the first time.
For larger technical SEO projects, collaboration between SEO experts, web developers and IT departments is crucial. This ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal.
By working together, these teams can create a visually appealing and functional website while also ranking well in search results.
Ultimately, this can result in more traffic, improved user engagement, and a better overall experience for site visitors.
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