By now, it’s no secret: SEO is crucial for online success. But have you ever felt like you’re stranded, watching organic traffic barely budge despite your best optimisation efforts? If so, you’re not alone. Many of our SEO clients come to us feeling adrift, having worked with previous agencies who managed SEO silently and in silo. This challenge often crops up when search is acting independently, and other teams do not have the bandwidth to support.
Below I’m talking about why SEO is not an island, and why multiple departments and specialisms need to be on board for organic search success.
How SEO collaborates with other departments
For SEO to truly thrive, it needs to be woven into the fabric of the entire business—not a lone activity. When every department keeps SEO top of mind, it doesn’t just improve search rankings, it strengthens the entire digital strategy. By aligning efforts, sharing insights, and working in sync, each team can contribute to the bigger picture of boosting organic visibility and driving growth.
Let’s dive into how SEO is the result of different activities and outputs that cover many disciplines and skillsets.
Content creation
The SEO team supports content creators by providing data-driven content recommendations based on extensive keyword research. They will also make suggestions on how to optimise existing website content to improve visibility. It might be that the SEO team even writes briefs for content creators or provides training on how to write website content that is optimised for both users and search engines.
Web development
Developers will implement the technical aspects of SEO, as defined by the SEO team. This will include updates to website structure, site speed optimisation, sitemaps and link redirections, amongst others. As I’ve discussed in a previous article, both development and SEO teams want the same outcome for client websites, but they both have different skillsets on how to achieve those outcomes. For this reason, it’s incredibly important for developers and search specialists to have a good working relationship. It is also paramount that if you are a business investing in SEO services, that you also have development time to implement the updates requested.
User experience design
Good user experience is a crucial factor for organic search success, and user experience designers create user-friendly websites which directly impact organic search performance. These design decisions directly impact search engine rankings by improving engagement metrics like bounce rate and time on site. Search engines prioritise websites that provide value to users, which makes this collaboration crucial for organic success. We’ve recently shared an article about the importance of SEO and UX working together.
Marketing
Marketing plays a crucial role in promoting your brand and content—and it’s a big player in SEO success. Being a well-known brand can boost those all-important click through rates on the search engine results page. Plus, marketing teams will often collaborate with other websites and influencers which can help to improve visibility and drive traffic to your site.
PR
Incoming links from high-quality, reputable sources are a cornerstone of SEO success. Search engines see these backlinks as a vote of confidence, signalling that your website is trusted and authoritative. PR activity plays a big role here, as it often leads to backlinks from respected news outlets, industry publications, and other high-authority sites. These backlinks not only improve your site's visibility in search results but also drive referral traffic, further boosting your online presence.
How do I reinforce SEO collaboration within my business?
SEO isn't a lone wolf. For it to truly make an impact, SEO teams need to actively reinforce collaboration across the organisation. By building on your relationships with other departments and aligning on the larger goal at-hand, your SEO strategy will thrive and drive more organic traffic. At Logic+Magic, we know how important it is to bring all teams together and will work alongside all departments. Here’s how SEO teams can strengthen collaboration and drive better results:
Clear communication: We help bridge the gap between teams by explaining how SEO impacts business goals, ensuring everyone understands its value.
Set shared goals: By aligning SEO objectives with marketing, content, and development teams, we make sure everyone is working toward the same target—like boosting organic traffic.
Build relationships: We work closely with content creators, UX designers, and web developers, ensuring everyone is on the same page and collaborating effectively.
Offer actionable insights: We provide teams with clear, practical SEO recommendations they can immediately apply, making it easy to integrate SEO best practices across the board.
Celebrate wins together: We believe in recognising SEO wins as a team effort, celebrating the collective impact of your marketing, content, and SEO teams.
By focusing on clear communication, shared goals, and a collaborative mindset, SEO teams can create an environment where all departments contribute to driving organic success. Ready to drive more organic traffic and grow your online presence? Let’s chat!
Head of SEO
