Agile X Digital Marketing: Is There a Way to Optimise Delivery for SEO Projects?
As many would attest, the complexities of SEO projects demand a smarter, more efficient approach to project management. As a result, we’ve seen the meteoric rise of Agile methodologies, like Scrum which has gained popularity for its adaptability, efficiency, and applicability in complex project environments.
In this article, we will delve into the application of Agile project management, with a focus on Scrum, to bring incredible outcomes for your SEO clients.
What Agile Can Bring to the Table
Agile methodology originated in the software development realm, when a group of software developers created the Agile Manifesto during a ski trip in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2001. The Agile Manifesto went on to become the North Star for how software teams perceive and organise their work through iterative and incremental development.
The Agile way of working prioritises flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback, enabling teams to respond swiftly to changes and deliver high-quality results efficiently. Most notably, Agile principles advocate for self-managing teams, continual improvement, and regular adaptation to evolving requirements during the course of the project.
Some of the benefits and principles of Agile applied to your SEO operations include the following:
FLEXIBILITY IN STRATEGY
Traditional SEO projects often adhere to rigid plans that may become outdated in the face of algorithm updates or shifting market trends. Agile SEO embraces flexibility, allowing teams to adjust strategies in response to real-time data and emerging opportunities. Also, by breaking down overarching SEO goals into smaller, manageable tasks, Agile methodology enables teams to pivot quickly and prioritise initiatives based on their impact and feasibility.
ITERATIVE APPROACH
Agile SEO adopts an iterative approach to project execution, dividing the workload into short, time-boxed periods known as sprints. Each sprint focuses on delivering specific tasks or features, which promotes a steady pace of progress.
Through regular sprint reviews and retrospectives, your team can assess its performance, gather feedback, and refine its plan for the next sprints. This iterative cycle ensures continuous improvement and alignment with client objectives.
COLLABORATION & CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS
Collaboration lies at the heart of Agile methodology. In the context of SEO projects, cross-functional teams comprising SEO specialists, content creators, developers, and marketers work together seamlessly. By fostering trust, open communication, and knowledge-sharing, Agile teams capitalise on diverse expertise to create innovative solutions and address complex marketing challenges.
OPTIMAL RESOURCE UTILISATION
By breaking down complex SEO projects into smaller, manageable tasks, Agile methodology promotes optimal resource allocation and minimises waste. Teams focus their efforts on high-impact initiatives, maximising efficiency and value delivery.
IMPROVED CLIENT SATISFACTION
The iterative nature of Agile SEO, coupled with regular client involvement, fosters transparency and trust. Your clients will have visibility into the project's progress, provide feedback iteratively, and see tangible results at the end of every sprint, and not at the end of the project.
How to Apply Agile-Scrum in SEO Projects
Scrum is one of the many frameworks under the Agile umbrella, however it is one that has gained mainstream following and application. It provides a structured approach to managing development work that emphasises the 3 pillars of empirical process control, namely: transparency, inspection, and adaptation. If you’re new to Agile-Scrum, here are ways you can apply Scrum to your future SEO projects.
SCRUM ROLES
The Product Owner is the Value Maximiser of the sprint. In an SEO project, the product owner will represent the client or stakeholders. For traditional SEO teams, the account manager or the project manager can stand in for the role of PO, as he/she will be tasked to define the project goals, prioritise tasks, and ensure alignment with client expectations.
The Scrum Master acts as the facilitator who can coach the team on Agile principles, remove impediments, and champion the Scrum process.
Developers are pretty much every contributor in the team that creates the valuable product increment at the end of the sprint. They can be your SEO specialists, writers, graphic designers, QA and web developers.
SCRUM EVENTS
A sprint comprises several sub-events. At the outset of each sprint, the team, guided by the Product Owner, selects items from the prioritised backlog to work on. These items are broken down into actionable tasks with clear acceptance criteria. This event is called Sprint Planning. This session enables the SEO team to estimate effort, discuss dependencies, and establish a mutual understanding of the sprint goals and deliverables.
The next event is called a Daily Scrum. Daily Scrums are 15-minute timeboxed meetings that provide an opportunity for the Developers to be transparent and inspect their progress toward the sprint goals and at the end, adapt to the next course of action, if there are changes to be done. It’s an avenue where they can synchronise their work, raise and remove potential roadblocks, and adjust the plan accordingly.
By maintaining regular communication and transparency, Daily Scrums facilitate collaboration and empower team members to address issues proactively.
The Sprint Review demonstrates the completed work to the client or stakeholders. It’s a meeting where they can gather feedback and validate assumptions. The last event is the Sprint Retrospective, which allows the team to reflect on their processes, celebrate successes, and identify areas for improvement. Insights gleaned from the retrospective meeting can serve as action items for the subsequent sprints.
Some Caveats and Considerations
As with all methodologies, you can meet some constraints and challenges along the way when you attempt to implement Agile. For example, clients who are used to traditional project management approaches may require education and buy-in to embrace Agile methodologies. To this, clear communication and ongoing collaboration are essential to align client expectations with Agile principles.
While the Scrum framework is simple and lightweight, you may find it hard to convert teams into cross-functional ones. Building a team with a diverse skill set can present its own challenges.
Lastly, because embracing change is a value inherent to Agile, frequent adjustments may throw off clients that may be comfortable with established workflows and ways of working. If you encounter resistance from stakeholders, work toward cultivating a culture of flexibility, resilience, and continuous improvement first.
In the realm of SEO, where success hinges on agility, innovation, and responsiveness, Agile methodologies offer a compelling framework for project management. By integrating Scrum principles into SEO projects, teams can harness the power of iterative development, collaboration, and adaptability to drive meaningful results and exceed client expectations. While challenges may arise along the Agile journey, the benefits of enhanced flexibility, transparency, and client satisfaction make Agile SEO with Scrum a formidable approach in today’s digital landscape.
