Continuing the series of articles on management methodologies in the context of SEO, it is worth looking at another interesting approach: Agile and Scrum. Previous articles have already discussed the Deming cycle (PDCA), Six Sigma, Lean and Kaizen. The Agile approach, and the Scrum framework in particular, can be a valuable alternative to the standard OKR and PDCA methods used in NON.agency.
What is Agile and Scrum?
Agile is a set of values and principles for software development that is revolutionizing the way we create and deliver value. It was created in 2001 when 17 IT industry experts met in Snowbird, Utah and developedthe "Agile Manifesto," which defines 4 key values:
- People and interactions over processes and tools
- Working software over extensive documentation
- Working with the customer beyond contract negotiation
- Responding to change over following a plan
Scrum, on the other hand, is a concrete project management methodology based on Agile values. It was developed by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland in the 1990s and is based on an iterative and incremental model, where work is divided into short cycles (sprints), usually 1-4 weeks.
The key elements of Scrum are:
- Product Backlog - A structured list of all tasks to be performed
- Sprint Backlog - A subset of tasks from the Product Backlog selected for execution in the current sprint
- Daily Scrum - Short, daily team meetings
- Sprint Review - Presentation of completed work at the end of the sprint
- Sprint Retrospective - Process analysis and identification of areas for improvement
How do Agile and Scrum fit into SEO?
At first glance, SEO and Agile may seem incompatible. After all, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint, with results often visible after months of work, while Agile emphasizes quick iterations and tangible results.
But a deeper analysis shows that Agile values and practices can bring significant benefits to SEO projects. Here's why:
1. SEO requires adaptation to changing algorithms
Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, and what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Agile, with its emphasis on flexibility and rapid response to change, perfectly addresses this need.
2. complexity of SEO projects
SEO projects involve many interdependent elements: technical SEO, content, links, UX.... Scrum helps manage this complexity by breaking the work into manageable chunks.
3. need for regular validation
In SEO, you often don't know 100% what will work best for a particular site. Agile's iterative approach allows for frequent testing and adjustment of strategies based on real data.
Agile and Scrum in SEO practice: Potential applications
Here's how elements of Agile and Scrum can be applied to SEO projects:
1. sprints in content marketing campaigns
Case study: For a client in the education industry, 2-week sprints can be implemented to manage a content marketing campaign:
Sprint 1 (Research & Planning):
- Keyword research for 3 main topics
- Competitor content gap analysis
- Preparation of content structure for 6 articles
Sprint 2 (Create & Optimize):
- Writing and SEO optimization of 3 articles
- Preparation of graphics and multimedia
- Internal linking
Sprint 3 (Publication & Promotion):
- Publication of articles
- Social media promotion
- Link building for published content
Sprint 4 (Analysis & Iteration):
- Analysis of the first indicators (CTR, time on page)
- Identification of areas for improvement
- Planning improvements for the next cycle
Potential results: With a Scrum-based approach, you can increase the efficiency of content production by 30-40% while maintaining high quality. In addition, regular sprint retrospectives allow you to quickly identify and resolve issues in the process.
2. daily scrum in the SEO team
Introducing a 15-minute Daily Scrum (stand-up) for the SEO team:
- What did I do yesterday?
- What do I plan to do today?
- What obstacles have I encountered?
Potential results: Better communication, faster problem solving and increased transparency in work. The team begins to function more as a unit rather than a group of individual specialists.
3. product backlog for SEO projects
Organization of SEO tasks in the form of Product Backlog, prioritizing them by:
- Business value
- Implementation effort
- Risks/uncertainties
- Relationships
Example: A backlog of more than 100 SEO tasks can be created for an e-commerce client. Instead of executing them sequentially according to an arbitrary order, prioritizing them according to the above criteria allows starting with meta tag optimization for the top 20 traffic-generating sites (high value, low effort), and spreading the complex migration to HTTPS (high value, high effort, high risk) into smaller tasks executed over several sprints.
Potential result: Faster organic growth by focusing on tasks with the highest value-to-effort ratio.
Scrum Framework adapted for SEO
Here's how traditional Scrum elements can be adapted to SEO projects:
1. roles
- Product Owner - The person responsible for maximizing the value of an SEO project, often an SEO manager or strategist
- Scrum Master - Facilitator of the process, supports the team in self-organization
- Development Team - An interdisciplinary team consisting of SEO specialists, content writers, developers, analysts, etc.
2. artifacts
- Product Backlog - List of all SEO tasks with priorities.
- Sprint Backlog - SEO tasks selected for execution in the current sprint
- Increment - Realized SEO improvements ready for implementation
3 Events
- Sprint Planning - Planning SEO tasks for the next sprint.
- Daily Scrum - Daily synchronization of the SEO team.
- Sprint Review - Review of completed SEO tasks and analysis of metrics
- Sprint Retrospective - Identification of Process Improvements
Case Study: Complex SEO project in Scrum model
The following is a hypothetical case of applying Scrum methodology to a complex SEO project for a fintech client:
Challenge: The client needed a thorough SEO optimization of its platform, which had numerous technical issues, poor content structure and a low number of inbound links.
Scrum approach:
- Initiation:
- Detailed SEO audit
- Creation of Product Backlog with more than 120 SEO tasks
- Prioritize tasks by value/effort/risk
- Sprint structure:
- 2-week sprints
- Interdisciplinary team (SEO, content, development)
- Daily 15-minute Daily Scrum
- Sprint Review with the customer at the end of each sprint
- Example structure of the first four sprints: Sprint 1 (Technical Foundations):
- Repairing critical crawl errors
- Optimize page load speed
- Implementation of schema markup for main sections
- Sprint 2 (On-page Optimization):
- Meta tag optimization for top 50 sites
- Rebuilding the header structure
- Improve internal linking
- Sprint 3 (Content Enhancement):
- Expansion of main category pages
- Creation of a FAQ section
- Thin content audit and expansion
- Sprint 4 (Authority Building):
- Preparation of link building strategy
- Develop content marketing for links
- Optimize social media profiles and linking
Potential outcomes:
- Increase organic visibility by 40-50% in 3 months
- Increase in organic traffic by 60-70% after 6 months
- Reduction of technical errors by 90%
- Core Web Vitals improved from an average rating of "Poor" to "Good"
Interestingly, customers who are initially skeptical of "going outside the scope of the contract" often become enthusiastic about the Scrum approach. A regular demo at the end of each sprint gives them a sense of control and the satisfaction of quick, visible progress.
Agile SEO: Benefits and Challenges
An analysis of the potential applications of Agile and Scrum in SEO projects identifies the key benefits and challenges of the approach:
Benefits:
- Faster adaptation to change - ability to adjust strategy in response to algorithm updates or competitor actions
- Better transparency - both the team and the customer have a clear picture of what is being implemented and what progress is being made
- Increased flexibility - ability to reprioritize between sprints based on latest data and results
- Deliver value faster - implement improvements regularly instead of waiting a long time for a "big release"
- Better risk management - early identification of problems and ability to quickly correct the course
Challenges:
- Expectations of quick results - SEO takes time, which may conflict with the expectation of immediate results after each sprint
- Maintain consistency - constant strategy changes can make it difficult to build long-term authority
- Fragmentation of activities - some aspects of SEO (e.g., link building) are difficult to break down into 2-week chunks
- Measuring progress - difficulty in determining sprint success when key SEO metrics (positions, traffic) change slowly
Agile SEO vs. PDCA: A comparison of the approaches.
Comparing the Agile/Scrum methodology with the PDCA cycle used at NON.agency, there are both similarities and differences:
Similarities:
- Both focus on continuous improvement
- Both emphasize the importance of data and measurement
- Both assume an iterative approach
Differences:
- Structure - PDCA is a simpler, more flexible cycle, while Scrum has a more defined structure
- Timeboxing - Scrum requires rigid time frames (sprints), PDCA is more flexible
- Roles - Scrum defines specific roles, PDCA does not impose team structure
- Artifacts - Scrum requires specific artifacts, PDCA is less formal
Hybrid approach: Integration opportunities
SEO agencies may consider a hybrid approach that combines elements of PDCA and Agile/Scrum:
- The overall structure of PDCA as an overarching framework
- Elements of Scrum inside the various phases of PDCA:
- Plan: product backlog and task prioritization
- To: sprint structure
- Check: Sprint Review with Metrics Analysis
- Act: Sprint Retrospective and improvement planning
This hybrid methodology preserves the flexibility of PDCA while using a structured Scrum approach to manage complex SEO projects.
Practical tips: How to get started with Agile SEO?
For SEO teams interested in introducing elements of Agile and Scrum, here are some practical steps to get started:
- Start small - choose one aspect of SEO (such as content optimization) and apply the Scrum approach to it
- Create small, measurable tasks - instead of general goals like "improve SEO," define specific tasks with measurable results
- Introduce daily stand-ups - even 15-minute meetings can significantly improve team communication
- Experiment with the length of sprints - the standard 2 weeks may not be optimal for SEO, try different lengths (1-4 weeks)
- Engage the customer - regular demos and reviews increase engagement and understanding of the SEO process
- Measure and adapt - track whether Agile actually improves the performance of the SEO team and adapt the approach as needed
Summary
Agile and Scrum can significantly transform the way SEO projects are executed, offering greater flexibility, transparency and adaptability. At the same time, it is not a "one size fits all" solution. - it requires adaptation to SEO specifics and specific project needs.
As an alternative to the standard OKR and PDCA methods used at NON.agency, the Agile/Scrum approach has the potential to increase the efficiency of SEO teams, especially in projects with high complexity, high uncertainty or frequent changes in priorities.
The final choice of methodology should depend on the specifics of the organization, the nature of the projects, the work culture and customer preferences. Regardless of the chosen approach, the key is to continuously improve processes and focus on delivering real, measurable business results.
