I work as an in-house SEO specialist, but it feels like my input and advice are ignored. It’s especially frustrating with the developer. He always insists that he knows what’s best and tries to justify his actions while subtly implying that I don’t know as much. It’s making me feel demotivated, and I’m honestly considering leaving.
How are you explaining things to him? I’ve been in-house for a while, and one thing that’s helped me is communicating in a way that developers get. Developers care about the site running smoothly and without technical issues. Try not to make them feel like they’re the problem, or they might get defensive. It’s about collaborating with their expertise.
Here’s a helpful approach:
- Point out the issue or challenge (avoid saying ‘error’ as it sounds like an attack).
- Explain why fixing it benefits the site.
- Offer your suggestion, but leave space for them to suggest their own solution.
Don’t forget, developers have a lot on their plate, and you might just be another task for them. If things keep going wrong, get your manager involved to mediate.
@Alexander
Another idea is to offer to handle some of the deliverables yourself.
Sometimes, developers lock everything down on the backend, which is frustrating. SEO people should be able to adjust things like meta tags, content, Schema markup, and redirects—stuff that’s crucial for SEO to work properly.
@Alexander
Yeah, I’m curious about what exactly you two are debating. I’m a developer and I keep up with SEO, so most developers I know at least get the basics and care about it.
@Alexander
That’s a good point. Developers are often very logical, and they like to follow a process. Try to figure out how you can fit into their process. Document everything, especially conversations, and keep a record. If your advice keeps getting rejected, you’ll want proof of your efforts.
Also, make sure you know who’s accountable for your performance. If another team is stopping you from progressing, show the conversations that explain why nothing’s getting done.
Developers are logical
That’s too broad a statement. Everyone uses logic to justify their emotions, so developers aren’t always logical. People have different personalities and approaches.
I agree, without shared goals with the engineering team, it’s tough to make progress in-house.
I’m in the same situation. They prefer traditional or even black hat SEO methods, and they don’t realize how fast search is changing with AI. I’ve been trying to focus on SEO for voice and branded terms, but every time I suggest it, they look at me like I’m crazy. I might have to leave soon.
You should just build your own site, rank it, and show the traffic it brings in. That way, people will have to listen. You can do it in your spare time while working at a company that doesn’t get it.
Haha, I’m dealing with the same thing. I started a company with an engineer, and I’m about to quit after a year of messing around and building a tank instead of doing a simple market test for the project.
It really depends on how you communicate. Developers need to understand why your suggestions are good for the business as a whole. Sometimes you need to educate them by showing best practices and explaining SEO basics, because not every developer understands SEO. If something impacts the numbers (like indexing issues), show how fixing it brought in more traffic.
Just explain why your solution is the best. If they don’t follow it, it’s not on you. Just take the paycheck and start looking for a new job.
That sounds really frustrating, especially when you’re just trying to do your job and make things better, but your suggestions are being ignored.
Oh, man. Maybe working at an agency would be better. That way, you’re working with multiple clients, and the developer issues get spread out. They will always be there. Trust me, I’ve got stories.
A six-pack used to help…maybe a nice bottle of bourbon on sale at Costco now.
Lol, you just summed up my day. This is just the new normal, I guess.
I get it. SEOs often point out areas that need improvement, but not everyone is open to feedback. It happens more than you think.
I’ve actually had better luck working with developers than marketers. Marketers tend to talk a lot, but developers are usually more willing to listen when you explain things well. My advice is to learn how to communicate your technical needs clearly and show why things like SEO improvements will help both users and crawlers.
Don’t let it get you down. This is just another challenge that will help you grow. Out of curiosity, what exactly are you asking them to do?
Yeah, my company hasn’t decided on what direction they’re taking in 2025, and the higher-ups are all fighting over it. So every time I pitch ideas for content or optimizations, they just shoot them down. It’s been a stressful time, and I’m wondering if I’ll get fired for not delivering.
Have you tried attaching a monetary value to your suggestions?
You probably already know what your site’s average order value (AOV) and conversion rate are from organic traffic.
If you calculate how much new traffic or improved conversion could help, it’ll show them the value of your ideas.