Organization and management during a core update — Craig Harkins // CoStar
- Part 1Career Development in SEO — Craig Harkins // CoStar
- Part 2Hiring for an Enterprise Team — Craig Harkins // CoStar
- Part 3 Organization and management during a core update — Craig Harkins // CoStar
Show Notes
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02:53SEO team preparation for core updatesThe SEO team should always be thinking about core updates as they represent significant shifts. Timely communication is crucial, sharing planned changes before updates and having messaging ready to highlight the benefits and ongoing efforts during the core update period.
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06:29Getting technology partner support for core update outcomesMaintaining ongoing communication with tech managers and leadership is critical. Building a strong relationship with engineering teams and highlighting the collective impact of various efforts helps them understand their role in achieving success during core updates.
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09:40Aligning SEO strategy and development during core updatesDuring core updates, maintain communication about the SEO strategy's goals, especially regarding site structure and architecture improvements. After the update, assess changes to inform future development sprints.
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11:03Effective analytics partner collaboration during core updatesCollaborating with analytics partners involves setting up segmentation to identify changes in specific segments early. Dashboards and data analysis help isolate and understand core update impacts, allowing for informed actions across different parts of the site.
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14:00Ensuring quality and welcoming core updates in website managementAlign website content with user intent through user testing, split testing, and focus grouping, while monitoring metrics like bounce rate, engagement, etc. Taking a user-centric approach with continuous evaluation ensures core updates are anticipated and beneficial rather than a source of anxiety.
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16:50The importance of keeping up with changes in search behavior and user intentCore updates take into account changes in search behavior and in user intent. If youre not keeping up with changes in search behavior and user intent, then youre putting your site at risk during a core update.
Quotes
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"As soon as the core update is announced, don't wait to see changes. Go ahead and get that messaging out there right away." - Craig Harkins
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"Make sure that, even through a core update, you're communicating that SEO strategy North Star with technical." - Craig Harkins
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"We're always thinking about a core update because that's when the big shifts will happen." - Craig Harkins
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"If you're building to the user experience, then a core update is just something that happens. Its something that you're welcoming and looking forward to, not something you're anxious about." - Craig Harkins
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"Search behavior changes, user intent changes, and if you're not keeping on top of that, that's where you get caught by a core update." - Craig Harkins
- Part 1Career Development in SEO — Craig Harkins // CoStar
- Part 2Hiring for an Enterprise Team — Craig Harkins // CoStar
- Part 3 Organization and management during a core update — Craig Harkins // CoStar
Up Next:
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Part 1Career Development in SEO — Craig Harkins // CoStar
Craig Harkins, Director of SEO and Content at CoStar, discusses the evolution of SEO career development. We’ve gotten to the point where we know that SEO has to be a part of product management. However, unlocking SEO growth on enterprise sites requires matrix management skills as it involves working with various partners across the organization to prioritize SEO. Today, Craig dives into career development in SEO.
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Part 2Hiring for an Enterprise Team — Craig Harkins // CoStar
Craig Harkins, Director of SEO and Content at CoStar, discusses scaling your enterprise SEO team to support both product and content. When SEO and content are under marketing, there can be some difficulty getting SEO recommendations implemented. However, when they are under product, it becomes a lot easier to work directly with developers to drive the ideal user experience. Today, Craig dives into how Apartments.com leverages SEO within their organization.
Play Podcast -
Part 3Organization and management during a core update — Craig Harkins // CoStar
Craig Harkins, Director of SEO and Content at CoStar, talks about management in a core update. During a core update, effective organization and management are essential to ensure a smooth transition and positive outcomes for your website. As search behavior and intent are always changing, staying on top of these elements is crucial to avoid negative outcomes after a core update. Today, Craig discusses organization and management during a core update.
