the (mostly) little things in seo team building that matter most
Post on 17-Oct-2014
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This presentation on SEO team building focused on how to build a best-in-class SEO team from insights learned while assembling the team from Rasmussen College US Search Awards Best In-House SEO Team Finalist. Originally presented at C3 New York on 9/18/2013.TRANSCRIPT
#C3NY
THE (MOSTLY) LITTLE THINGS IN SEO TEAM BUILDING THAT MATTER MOST
Josh Braaten, Associate Director of Inbound Marketing, Collegis Education
#C3NY2
JOSH BRAATEN
Associate Director of Inbound Marketing
@JLBraaten
CollegisEducation.com
Facebook.com/JoshBraaten
Collegis Education
#C3NY3
I RECENTLY NEEDED HELP WITH MY FENCE
#C3NY4
THE CLASSIC “ASK A FRIEND” FOR HELP
Hey there fellas…
Mind coming over and helping me paint my fence all day
Saturday?
I’ll play some tunes, order a jumbo pizza, and load up a cooler full of refreshments.
#C3NY5
WOULD THIS APPROACH WORK BETTER?
Hey there fellas…
Mind coming over and helping me paint my fence all day
Saturday?
I will give you a share of $37.29.
#C3NY6
THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER WITH FRIENDS
#C3NY7
TURNS OUT, THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER WHEN BUILDING A CRACK SEO TEAM, TOO.
#C3NY
A CHANGE IN THE WORK FORCE REQUIRES A CHANGE IN THE WAY WE MANAGE IT
#C3NY9
GODIN: COGS VS. ARTISTS
• 20th Century Required Compliance • Consistency was critical to success• Top-down management drove results• Free-thinking discouraged
• 21st Century Requires Independence• Creativity and independence critical to success• Individual-level performance and ideas drive results• Free-thinking and entrepreneurialism encouraged
#C3NY10
THEN: OBEDIENCE AT SCHOOL AND WORK
Image credit: flickrImage credit: flickr
#C3NY11
NOW: ARTISTS CRAVE FREEDOM AT WORK
Fully-loaded staff snack area at Google NYC complete with nutritional values
#C3NY12
THEN: WORK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WORK
Employees worked where they could and got social fulfillment/actualization somewhere else.
Self ActualizationEsteem Needs
Social Needs
Safety Needs
Basic Needs
#C3NY13
NOW: ARTISTS WANT MORE THAN MONEY
Today’s employees look to their careers to provide fulfillment on many different levels.
Self ActualizationEsteem Needs
Social Needs
Safety Needs
Basic Needs
#C3NY14
THEN: COMMODITY WORKERS & WAGES
Wages and margins were defined by a simple employee supply curve based on fiscal accounting
$-
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
$100.00
$120.00
Available Workers in the Market Place by Wage
#C3NY15
NOW: ARTISTS CRAVE FIT ALONG WITH PAY
Social accounting perks like benefits, culture, and spirit can help shift the supply curve.
$-
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
$100.00
$120.00
Available Workers in the Market Place by Wage
The employee supply curve can be augmented
#C3NY
PUTTING THE GAURDRAILS ON
#C3NY17
WORK SHOULD BE FUN, NOT A VACATION
#C3NY18
START WITH A HIGH BAR FOR “SPECIAL”
• David McCullough, Wellesley High• 2012 commencement speech• “You are not special”• “By definition there can be only one
best. You’re it or you’re not.”• Start with this expectation for artists
#C3NY19
FREEDOM REQUIRES “B&W GOALS”
• “Black & White Goals”• Are tied directly to business outcomes• Easy-to-define key performance indicator (KPI)• Clearly measureable and available in reports• Leave no room to question success/failure
• Not a B&W Goal: “Let’s increase leads”• B&W Goal: “We’ll increase leads by 50% in Q4
to 1,224 total leads• B&W Goals support building a team of artists
#C3NY20
SEARCHLIGHT HELPS TRACK KPIS
#C3NY21
SEARCHLIGHT KEEPS US ACCOUNTABLE
#C3NY22
TRELLO DOCUMENTS OKRS AND KPIS
OKRs: objectives, and key results; KPIs: Key performance indicator(s), or how you’ll measure
#C3NY
HOLDING TODAY’S TEAMS ACCOUNTABLE
#C3NY24
YOU’RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO HIT GOALS
…but admitting when you’ve lost is important to make the victories means something
#C3NY25
TRADITIONAL FEEDBACK IS STRESSFUL
Image credit: SystemsJournal
#C3NY26
USE A SCARF TO AVOID POOR FEEDBACK
Know these neuro triggers and be sensitive to them when delivering feedback.
Status
Certainty
Autonomy
Relatedness
Fairness
S
C
A
R
F
#C3NY27
INSTEAD, BE A COUNSELOR
The most effective feedback is the kind you don’t have to even give.
#C3NY28
THINKERS THINK WHEN THEY FEEL SAFE
This approach promotes oxytocin and dopamine, neuroplasticity, and greater creativity and art
#C3NY
MAKING THINGS FUN
#C3NY30
LITTLE THINGS CAN ADD EXCITEMENT
#C3NY31
GAMIFY YOUR TEAM’S WORK WITH TRACKER
#C3NY32
VIRTUAL PERSONAL ASSISTANTS FOR ALL
#C3NY33
INVEST MORE IN LINE WITH YOUR “WHY”
#C3NY34
GETTING PAID TWICE TO GO ON HOLIDAY
• Moz has a “Paid/Paid Vacation”• Proactively avoid burn-out• Up to $3,000 expenses reimbursed• On top of existing paid vacation• Resets every year• Fantastic recruiting tool• “Too good to be true” feeling• People get engaged, eloped, and have the time
of their lives, thanks to Moz
#C3NY35
– LEAH CANDELARIA HEAD OF TEAM HAPPINESS, MOZ
“IT’S OUR WAY OF BEING ROMANTIC WITH OUR PEOPLE.”
#C3NY36
GREAT COMPANIES DON’T THINK TWICE
• Zappos generously invests in their staff • Monthly contest for best service:
• Winner receives $150• Parking spot• Parade in winner’s honor• Complete with a cape
• Breakfast, lunch and snacks• Nap rooms and “laughter yoga”• Up to $6,000 in adoption-fee reimbursement
#C3NY
GO HOME AND TRY SOME LITTLE THINGS
#C3NY38
…OR AT LEAST START WITH A PIZZA
#C3NY39
THANK YOU
Josh Braaten
@JLBraaten
CollegisEducation.com
Facebook.com/JoshBraaten
Collegis Education – Higher Education Marketing & More