#pubcon

Assessing and driving SEO

Maturity

Alex Volkalex.volk@microsoft.com

@alexvolk

www.linkedin.com/in/alexvolk

@alexvolk

#pubcon

A Brief Background

• 11 years at Microsoft (digital marketing)• 7+ years in SEO• Founded Central SEO team• 10th consecutive Pubcon

@alexvolk

#pubcon

Office

Windows

Support

Dynamics

TechNetSMB

MSFT

Online Store

Windows Phone

XBOX

Overlapping Content

Inconsistent UX

Domains/Subdomains

Product Versions

Internal Kywd Comp

MSN

Yammer

MSDN

Surface

Content Types•Pre-sales•Post-sales•Ecommerce•News/Blogs•Search

Global Markets•1-140+

CMS Platforms•Over 12 in use

Analytics •Webtrends•Omniture•MDA•Other

Stakeholders •IT (OPS)•Design/Dev•Writers•Site Managers•Subsidiaries•Agencies/Vendors•Executives

All-up SEO Challenges

@alexvolk

#pubcon

Assessing organizational readiness

Established goals, KPIs

Dedicated SEO resources and budget

Clear roles and charter

Pervasive reporting and analysis

Investment in platforms and capabilities

Cross team commitment

SEO training & events

Effective opportunity analysis

@alexvolk

#pubcon

The “Hybrid SEO” approacho Assigned designated SEO leado Defined and reporting SEO targetso Categorized lists of targeted keywordso Prioritized technical SEO opportunitieso Adopted our social sharing strategyo On-boarded with Bright Edgeo Utilizes iCrossing or other SEO agency

Central SEO Team

Office

Windows

Support

Dynamics

MSDNSMB

MSFT

Online Store

Windows Phone

XBOXSkype

MSN

Yammer

STB

Surface

@alexvolk

#pubcon

The SEO maturity model across Microsoft

Associated

• SEO as a thought• Few dedicated

resources / budget• KPIs?• Reactive approach

• SEO plan• Agency / 1 FTE• Budget allocated• KPIs.• Table stakes

• SEO strategy• Multiple resources• ROI on spend• KPIs!• Continuous

improvement

• Leading others• Best practice

delivery

Connected Dynamic Innovative

@alexvolk

#pubcon

Assessing your own SEO maturity

@alexvolk

• Org-level maturity vs individual maturity

• Benchmark against other groups/companies

• Willingness and momentum matter

• The curve steepens; not everyone will make it

• Give away 100% of the credit to your “thoroughbreds”

• Place bets strategically; maximize return

#pubcon

#pubcon@alexvolk

Have a solid set of “wins”…

Documented

Attributed

Promoted

#pubcon@alexvolk

No one wants to be responsible for this!

…and losses that you share often

#pubcon

Package and share content for your community

https://moz.com/blog/category/basic-seohttp://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo Microsoft internal Yammer Community

#pubcon

Always be scanning the horizon

#pubcon

Tools matter for scaling

@alexvolk

#pubcon

Use common tools in uncommon ways

@alexvolk

Competitive Audits

Keyword Variant Analysis

Internal Cannibalization

#pubcon

Reporting Accountability

@alexvolk

#pubcon

alex.volk@microsoft.com@alexvolkhttp://www.l inkedin.com/in/alexvolk