How to Convince Your Boss to Do SEO: Objection 6: "We're already ranking well. We don't need SEO."

1. Objection 1: What is SEO?
2. Objection 2: SEO is a scam.
3. Objection 3: We can’t afford SEO!
4. Objection 4: It will take too long.
5. Objection 5: SEO won’t give us the results we want.
6. Objection 6: But we’re already ranking well.
7. Objection 7: Why do you need help?

In your mind, the best way to alleviate the strain on your workload and further improve your site is to hire a professional. But your boss shot down your pitch with objections of “you’re doing fine” or “you don’t need help.”

How do you convince your boss that your company’s website would benefit from the knowledge and experience of an SEO company? Here are a few ideas.

Explain the Benefits of Scaling Your SEO

Right now, you may be performing a few tasks that have resulted in moderate gains for your company’s website in search engines. For example, you may have built a few links that have helped your site rank better for certain keywords, or you may have identified the keywords that are actually worth targeting. But you don’t have the time or resources you need to take your SEO to the next level.

The best way to convince your boss to make an investment in additional SEO might be by showing them the benefits of what further optimization could do. For example, you might share the difference in traffic between the #1 and #2 spots. Or you might explain that with additional SEO resources, you could outrank your competitors for highly competitive keywords that you haven’t been able to make a dent in on your own.

Your boss already knows that SEO works. But if you can show them that scaling your SEO can increase your revenue and visibility even further, they may be more eager to give it a shot.

Shuffle Your Budget Around

If you want something badly enough, sometimes it’ll be up to you to find a way to get it. Your boss might be more receptive of your request for SEO help if you can find a way to work it into your budget.

Take a look at the current budget for your marketing activities, and think about the ones that are most effective. If you’re spending thousands of dollars on billboards, could you take down the advertising in just one location? That would more than cover the cost of hiring an SEO agency.

If you can go back to your boss and say “we’re going to reduce this program by this much, which will have no negligible impact on our revenue but give us room in our budget to hire an SEO agency,” they’re more than likely going to say yes. After a few months of seeing what the agency can do, they’ll be happy they gave you the OK!

Admit You Need Help

No one wants to look weak in front of their boss. It’s hard to admit when you’re in over your head, or when you don’t have the time or experience necessary to properly juggle all your assigned tasks… but if you’re struggling to make time for SEO, you need to get some help before your rankings slip.

The best way to approach this situation might be to use honesty. Your boss might be appreciative if you explain that you want to spend more time improving your SEO, but you also don’t want your other marketing activities to suffer. You can also share how more advanced SEO strategies like link building could actually be more efficiently handled by an agency. Something that takes you four hours might only take an expert one – which would end up saving you time and money.

This isn’t always the right strategy, and whether or not you use it depends on your boss. But if you show true thoughtfulness and genuine concern for your marketing efforts, and do the legwork to find ways that you can make them better, they’re more likely to consider your request for SEO help.