Managing Stakeholders in SEO Projects

🏢 Enterprise SEO has additional layers of complexity and difficulty. It's not just about tactics; it's about navigating complex organizations, managing a diverse range of stakeholders, and securing buy-in and support throughout the organization. It is not just about knowing what needs to be done, but also about how to manage and lead SEO as a channel. The biggest misconception about enterprise SEO is that it's simply "doing more of the same thing." In reality, you're operating in an entirely different environment where technical complexity meets organizational politics, and success depends more on stakeholder management than keyword research. 🌈 Petra Kis-Herczegh from Kameleon Journal shared a framework for thriving at the enterprise level in her free enterprise SEO course with Sitebulb. Her approach addresses the gap between traditional SEO education and the realities of implementing search strategies in large organizations. Think of the difference between cooking for friends versus running a Michelin-starred restaurant kitchen. Both involve cooking, but the systems, planning, and stakeholder management are completely different beasts. At enterprise scale, your SEO plan becomes table stakes. What determines success is understanding who makes decisions, who blocks them, and how to communicate effectively with them. Three Critical Success Factors 🥇 Listen First, Execute Second: Before building your SEO roadmap, map the organizational landscape. Who drives website decisions? What are their priorities and constraints? Your technical SEO expertise means nothing if you can't navigate the internal politics. 🥈 Speak the language of your audience: Stop pitching "page speed for SEO rankings." Start pitching "conversion rate optimization through faster load times." Use their language and frameworks. EEAT becomes tone of voice guidelines, and technical improvements become user experience enhancements. 🥉 Less is More: Focus on 3-5 core projects that align with the business strategy and existing roadmaps. If everything is important, nothing gets done. The maturity analysis becomes your secret weapon, as it enables you to understand the company's existing processes, tool stack, and culture before proposing any changes. Check out the link in the comments for our full conversation!

A PM at Google asked me how I managed 30+ stakeholders. 'More meetings?' Wrong. Here's the RACI framework that cut my meeting load by 60% while increasing influence. 1/ 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 Most PMs drown because they invite everyone who's "interested." Instead, split your stakeholders into: - R: People doing the work - A: People accountable for success 2/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥 Stop asking for approval from everyone. Create two clear buckets: - C: Must consult before decisions - I: Just keep informed of progress 3/ 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 > 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 For "Informed" stakeholders, switch to documented updates. They'll actually retain more than in another recurring meeting. 4/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚 "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲." Use this in every email. Watch the right people emerge. 5/ 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 Build your approval flows around your R&A stakeholders only. Everyone else gets strategic updates. --- This isn't about excluding people. It's about respecting everyone's time while maintaining momentum. If you found this framework helpful for managing stakeholders: 1. Follow Alex Rechevskiy for more actionable frameworks on product leadership and time management 2. Bookmark and retweet to save these tactics and help other PMs streamline their stakeholder management

I was once working on a project where one key stakeholder was… let’s say, not easy to work with. Constant last-minute changes, strong opinions, minimal responses on Jira or emails — and feedback always came in after we moved ahead. At first, I felt frustrated. I mean, as a Business Analyst, all I want is clarity, alignment, and moving forward together. But here’s what I did differently: 1) I scheduled short weekly syncs just with them — no agenda, no pressure, just a space to talk. 2) I stopped expecting structured feedback. I let them speak freely, took notes, and turned their thoughts into proper user stories. 3) I started sending back short summaries after every call — just to confirm, reduce misunderstandings, and track evolving requirements. 4) I noticed they weren’t active on Jira or long email chains, so I casually asked how they prefer to communicate. Turned out, they liked WhatsApp and quick voice notes — so I adapted. 5) I collaborated with the dev team to create quick mockups and visuals. They responded much better to that than documents. 6) Instead of defending timelines, I started showing how their feedback was shaping the product — and how it helped the end user. 7) I even built a “wish list” backlog for their ideas — not everything made it to the roadmap, but they felt heard. It wasn’t overnight. But slowly, they became more engaged, more trusting, and less reactive. One day, they said: “Thanks for your patience — I know I haven’t made this easy.” And honestly? That meant more than any formal feedback ever could. Lesson learned: Tough stakeholders aren’t always difficult — sometimes, they just need someone to translate their thoughts and make them feel heard. Ever been in a similar situation? Would love to hear how you handled it. #BusinessAnalysis #StakeholderManagement #ProjectLife #ProductDevelopment #RealTalk #LessonsFromTheField #Opentowork #UnitedArabEmirates

A designer once told me, “This is amazing…but I already committed to a solution.” That’s when it clicked: Research doesn’t drive change. Alignment does. The best researchers I’ve worked with? They’re not just insightful. They’re influential. Here are 6 habits of researchers who consistently get buy-in and how to start using them today: 1. They never say “users were confused” They say: “This issue is costing us 12% of conversions.” ↳ Take one insight you’ve already shared and rewrite it using this format: Problem + Impact + Recommendation Then send it to one stakeholder as a Slack message, not a deck. 2. They don’t deliver research. They facilitate decisions They ask: “What’s the decision this team is stuck on right now?” ↳ Before every project kickoff, ask your PM: “What’s the riskiest assumption behind this decision?” Then shape your study around that. 3. They translate like hell Not “delight,” but “adoption.” Not “friction,” but “drop-off.” ↳ Pick 3 insights from your last study and rewrite them using business terms. Drop them into a meeting and watch who starts paying more attention. 4. They time it perfectly Not a 30-slide deck on a Friday. A one-sentence quote right before a roadmap review. ↳ Look ahead to next week’s big decision-making moment. Pick one insight and share it 24 hours before the meeting. Not during. Not after. 5. They repeat themselves intentionally They plant insights until someone else says it back to them. ↳ Pick one finding you want to stick. Mention it once in Slack, once in a retro, and once in a 1:1 this week. Different formats. Same message. Let it echo. 6. They stop trying to “educate stakeholders” They listen. They co-create. They shift the power dynamic. ↳ Instead of sending research after it’s done, invite a stakeholder to help design one question before it starts. You’ll double your buy-in before you even begin. You don’t need stakeholders to love research. You just need them to feel what it protects them from. If your insights are strong but your impact is quiet, making these into habits is your next step. Which of these habits are you building right now? Or what’s one you’d add to the list?

Poor planning or bad execution isn't always why projects fail or derail isn’t. Sometimes, the real culprit is inadequate stakeholder involvement. When stakeholders are disengaged, slow to respond, or absent from critical conversations, the project starts to lose its grip on reality. The project manager is then left in an impossible situation often expected to deliver strategic results without the strategic alignment to back it up. You start seeing the signs: →Delayed feedback →Unclear or shifting requirements →Last-minute interventions that disrupt months of work And when the project doesn’t land as expected, all eyes turn to the project manager. But here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud: No matter how skilled or experienced you are as a PM, you cannot carry the weight of a disengaged stakeholder on your back. 📌 You may be able to control the process, the communication, the rhythm but you can’t control people’s priorities, their availability, or their level of interest. And yet, when things go wrong, the burden falls on you and this is where it gets deeper. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Remember the best project managers aren’t just taskmasters, they’re strategic connectors. 📍They map out who matters early. 📍They tailor how they engage each voice. 📍They stay relentlessly proactive about keeping people in the loop even when it feels one-sided. 📍They document the silence. 📍They escalate when necessary. 📍They build trust with those who do show up. And when they do this consistently: ✅ Their projects land closer to business needs ✅ Their teams are protected from unnecessary chaos ✅ They earn a reputation for driving real, measurable impact That’s where the career shift happens because because organizations take notice. The PM who understands stakeholder dynamics isn’t just seen as a doer, they’re seen as someone who understands the business. And that’s the difference between managing tasks and leading outcomes. So if you’re a project manager navigating low stakeholder engagement, know this: It’s not a reflection of your worth or ability. But how you respond? That’s where your power lies. Stakeholder involvement isn’t always within your control but managing its impact is. And when you master that, you’re not just saving projects but shaping strategy, building credibility, and making your mark where it matters most. Think about one project where stakeholder disengagement nearly cost you success. What would you do differently now with the experience you have today? Follow 👉 Benjamina Mbah Acha for insights that help you plan, execute, and deliver projects with confidence.

Your stakeholder register is lying to you. Because you can’t spreadsheet your way out of sabotage. PMs love stakeholder registers ✔️ Name ✔️ Title ✔️ RACI role ✔️ Comms plan ✔️ Influence level It looks like alignment. It feels like control. But it’s fantasy. And completely out of touch with how power actually moves. Because your spreadsheet doesn’t capture: – The VP who nods in meetings but blocks you behind closed doors – The “low influence” engineer who derails everything with one Slack thread – The exec who only listens when the request comes from his favorite lead – The silent skeptic who’s secretly lobbying against the project – The director who delays initiatives to protect their turf – The architect quietly blocking progress because they weren’t consulted – The sponsor who “supports you” but vanishes when things get political – The “neutral” stakeholder who’s been quietly rallying dissent – The teams that pretend to align, then stall in silence This isn’t project management. This is political warfare, & most PMs are walking into it unarmed. Stakeholder maps lie. They ignore power that isn’t on the org chart. They reduce human complexity to color-coded rows. And here’s the truth: If you’re not actively managing workplace politics, they are actively managing you. ✅ Real stakeholder management means – Reading body language in meetings – Anticipating objections before they’re voiced – Knowing when to elevate & when to backchannel – Earning trust before you need it – Navigating ego and insecurity – Building coalitions before pushback happens – Reading the org chart & the shadow org – Knowing who to ask, who to influence, & who to stay the hell away from 📌 Because not every stakeholder wants you to succeed. 📌 Not every decision is made in meetings. 📌 Power is emotional. 📌 Influence is earned, & lost, off the record. 📌 And not every title equals real power. So how do you navigate the politics? ✅ Map the shadow org: Who really makes decisions? Who can block you informally? ✅ Pre-align before meetings: The real work happens in 1:1s, not in the room. ✅ Identify “ego risks”: Who needs to feel heard, respected, or “right” to stay cooperative? ✅ Speak their language: Translate your project goals into their priorities. ✅ Build alliances early: You don’t win power by asking for it, you earn it through trust. ✅ Know when to go around, not through: Not every fight is worth having head-on. Politics aren’t a side quest. They’re the main event. This is the game behind the Gantt chart. And no spreadsheet will play it for you. If you don’t know who’s holding the real levers, You’re just project managing in the dark. Influence isn’t captured in rows & columns. It’s built in quiet conversations, earned trust, & power you don’t see on the slide deck. Lead the people. Not the list. ♻️ Repost to help other #PMs navigate #officepolitics 🔔 Follow Elizabeth Dworkin for more on #strategicvisibility #TechPM #projectmanagement

SEOs: stop speaking SEO to non-SEOs... Ever watch eyes glaze over at “canonicalization” in a meeting? Or tried explaining a strategy to the C-suite only to realize you’ve lost them at “SERP volatility”? Here’s the thing: The way SEOs talk to SEOs should not be the way SEOs talk to in-house marketing teams. Or developers. Or UX designers. Or copywriters. Or executive teams. SEO is already seen as a mysterious black box to many. And when communication breaks down, buy-in crumbles. So what’s the fix? 👉 Speak their language, not yours! - Marketing teams don’t need a lesson in crawl budgets—they need to understand how SEO drives conversions. - Developers don’t need a deep dive on indexation theory—they need to know which technical adjustments will improve speed & crawling. - Copywriters don’t need a lecture on keyword cannibalization—they need guidance on balancing brand voice with search visibility. - C-suite executives don’t care about backlink profiles—they want to see how SEO impacts revenue. Adapting your messaging to your audience isn’t just a communication skill—it’s marketing. And here’s the bonus: If your stakeholders truly understand 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆 behind your SEO recommendations, they can confidently advocate for them when you’re not in the room. Clarity = buy-in. Buy-in = action. And action = results. If SEO teams focused as much on how they communicate as they do on what they communicate, adoption wouldn’t be such an uphill battle. How do you tailor your SEO conversations to different teams? Would love to hear your approach👇

They Weren’t Even on the Project… But They Still Had Opinions. Ever had a stakeholder who feels involved but technically isn’t? Here’s how I handle “perceived stakeholders” who influence projects without official decision-making power, and how you can too (in 3 steps that take less than 10 minutes a week). A few years ago, I led a cross-functional project that spanned ops, finance, and IT. One department leader wasn’t in the official stakeholder group, but they thought they were. They chimed in during meetings, sent “approval” emails, and gave feedback that confused the team. The tension? Real. The confusion? Costly. The fix? Surprisingly simple. Here’s what I learned (and what I still do today): ✅ Step 1: Classify Every Stakeholder (Yes, even the “unofficial” ones) Use a RACI matrix or stakeholder mapping tool. I always tag these folks as “Interested, not Accountable”. That distinction lets me clarify their role without stepping on egos. ✅ Step 2: Pre-Frame Communication with a Purpose I say: “You’re a valued voice in the org and I wanted to keep you in the loop, but I also want to respect your time and clarify that this is more FYI than action-required.” It signals respect and sets boundaries. ✅ Step 3: Create a “Perception of Involvement” Without Adding Risk Send curated updates biweekly. One slide. One summary. No decisions needed. People want to feel included, not responsible, and this gives them that, without derailing the project. Why this works: 🔹 It reduces scope creep 🔹 It clarifies accountability 🔹 It protects team morale and timeline I’ve repeated this across organizations, cross-departmental projects, and it’s reduced stakeholder conflict by over 70%. If you’re managing change, cross-functional initiatives, or digital transformation, this simple strategy protects your timeline and your relationships. Because let’s be honest—every stakeholder is a potential roadblock or a future ally. How you handle them today determines which one they’ll be tomorrow. Want more frameworks for stakeholder alignment, project clarity, and leading with influence? 👉 Subscribe or follow for weekly leadership tips that cut through the noise and help you lead smarter in real time. #ProjectManagement #StakeholderEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment

Stakeholder management isn't about managing stakeholders. It's about managing expectations. Most PMs get this backwards. They spend their time trying to please everyone. Sending endless updates. Attending pointless meetings. Putting out fires all day. But here's what's really happening... Your stakeholders aren't difficult people. They're people with unmet expectations. Think about it. When was the last time someone got angry because a project was delayed? Never. They got angry because they found out about the delay at the worst possible moment. Or they thought "done" meant something completely different than what you delivered. Or they assumed they'd have input on decisions that'd already been made. The solution isn't more communication. It's better expectation setting. 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: Define what success looks like. Not just deliverables - decision rights, communication frequency, and what "emergency" actually means. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥): Reset expectations immediately. Don't wait for the next status meeting. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Protect those expectations like they're gospel. When someone tries to expand the scope, remind them what we agreed to. Here's what happens when you do this right: • Stakeholders stop micromanaging. • Meetings become productive. • Surprises disappear. Your job isn't to make everyone happy. Your job is to make sure everyone knows what to expect. When you manage expectations, the project manages itself.

A perfect plan won’t save you if people don’t trust you. I wish someone had told me that when I started. Instead, I learned it the hard way. When I started as a project manager, I made a big mistake... → I only focused on my team. → I thought they were all I needed. → I assumed stakeholders were already on my side. That assumption hit me hard in a meeting. When a stakeholder asked me: "Why am I hearing about this delay from someone else and not you?" That question told me everything. → My updates didn’t meet their needs. → They didn’t feel connected to the project. → They didn’t trust me enough to ask earlier. Even though my team was happy with me, the project struggled. It got so bad my manager had to step in. That mistake taught me an important lesson Trust doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to build it. But why did I ignore the stakeholders? I might call it naivety, but the truth is: → Talking to my team felt easy. → Staying in my comfort zone felt safe. → Talking to stakeholders felt tough and a little intimidating. But here’s what I learned: → Projects don’t move without stakeholders' trust. → Teams can’t succeed without outside support. → Relationships are everything. When I led my next project, I did it differently: → I listed all stakeholders during the kickoff. → I spoke to them frequently → I focused on goals. → I shared updates with more clarity and specificity. The result was transformational: → I built a stronger team. → I ran into fewer problems. → I got full support from my stakeholders. → I received honest feedback and it was good. → I learned one of the biggest lessons of my career. Now, I build strong rapport with everyone: → Team members. → Stakeholders. → Vendors. → Anyone who is part of the project. P.S. What’s one lesson you learned from a mistake in your projects?