If you saw our recent feature that recapped Jono Alderson’s incredible HIVE MCR opening talk back in August, you will know we are running a series of round-ups from our inaugural event. We hope to bring you exciting news this week regarding HIVE MCR ’25, with a potential new venue and another superb line-up of the brightest minds in organic search marketing.

In the meantime, why not remind yourself of our technical SEO panel from August’s event? This was moderated by yours truly and also featured:

• Sophie Gibson (Technical SEO Director, StudioHawk)
• Billie Geena Hyde (Educator, Consultant & Founder, RankSuite)
• Jono Alderson (Award-Winning Technical SEO Consultant)

We chatted about the complexities of client buy-in, SEO education, technical debt, and competitor analysis; offering insights into how to make SEO efforts both understandable and effective for clients.

You can view the full video below or scroll down to read a full write-up of our panel discussion.

Table of Contents

• Securing Client Buy-In: Connecting SEO Implementation to ROI
• Educating Clients: Turning SEO Jargon into Relatable Concepts
• Addressing Client Concerns: Building Trust Through Transparency
• Dealing with Technical Debt: Patch or Migrate?
• Using Competitor Analysis to Achieve Buy-In
• Takeaways from Our Technical SEO Panel

Securing Client Buy-In: Connecting SEO Implementation to ROI

Getting clients to commit to potentially expensive SEO recommendations remains one of the biggest hurdles for many of us, so it wasn’t a huge surprise to see our panel open with this theme.

We opened the discussion with a question about securing client buy-in, prompting Sophie to explain the importance of aligning SEO recommendations with a client’s larger business goals.

“Making recommendations is one thing, but unless a client understands how it ties directly into their goals, it’s just another document,” Sophie said.

“When onboarding, we start by learning what the client’s primary metric is, revenue, user acquisition, whatever it may be and then tie every recommendation back to that. If they want to make, say, half a million in revenue, we show them how a content strategy or technical fix contributes directly to achieving that.”

Sophie went on to discuss how building a financial forecast around SEO efforts is critical. By estimating traffic, conversion rates and potential revenue, we can present recommendations as clear steps towards financial gains.

“If you can tie SEO to pounds and pence, they’re more likely to see its value,” she added.

Jono echoed these sentiments but added a different angle, suggesting that framing SEO in terms of potential losses can be just as powerful.

“Most senior stakeholders are risk-averse by nature,” he explained.

“If you start saying, ‘If we don’t do this, we stand to lose X amount,’ it makes the investment in SEO feel more like a protective measure than a gamble. Fear and ego are big drivers.”

Educating Clients: Turning SEO Jargon into Relatable Concepts

Jargon-free SEO is at the heart of our ethos at Whitworth, and we are big advocates for removing this as it can alienate clients; it’s a core component of our RARER methodology.

Making it difficult for them to fully understand the value of the services they’re paying for just makes no sense. Billie explained how she addresses this by using real-world analogies.

“We’ve all had that frustrating experience on news websites where ads keep shifting the content,” Billie noted, using a relatable scenario to illustrate technical issues such as Cumulative Layout Shift.

“I’ll tell clients, ‘Your site is creating that same frustration for users.’ It’s an easy way to make them see the issue from a user’s perspective.”

I then further explored the importance of client education, asking the panel how they balance education with efficiency, especially given time constraints.

Sophie suggested making information digestible by using simplified language and visuals. “Show, don’t tell,” she advised. “If they can see a basic example of what’s happening, it bridges that gap.”

We also discussed the benefits of proactively communicating updates or potential concerns through regular client updates.

“Sometimes, sending out a monthly newsletter can be a great way to keep clients informed without overwhelming them,” Billie said. “It shows you’re on top of things and reinforces trust.”

Addressing Client Concerns: Building Trust Through Transparency

From algorithm changes to fears about new technology, clients are increasingly worried about SEO’s volatile landscape. The next topic for the panel was how they address these concerns while maintaining client confidence.

“I start by asking clients what their concerns are,” Hyde said.

“Let them talk it out, and then provide evidence based reassurance. They’re often getting their information from unreliable sources, so it’s important to give them the real picture.”

Sophie mentioned the importance of pre-empting these conversations for particularly anxious clients.

“Some clients will email three months after an update, asking if I’ve seen it,” she explained with a laugh. “Knowing which clients might need that reassurance allows me to send them trusted resources right away. It keeps them from reading scaremongering articles.”

Jono also suggested identifying clients who closely monitor SEO updates and addressing their concerns head-on.

“For those clients, it’s helpful to proactively say, ‘Here’s what happened, here’s how it affects us, and here’s what we’re doing about it.’ It keeps them focused and saves time down the line.”

Dealing with Technical Debt: Patch or Migrate?

Technical debt, outdated systems and plugins that hold back SEO improvements, is a reality for many clients. The panel examined how to address this, weighing the pros and cons of fixing issues within a legacy CMS versus migrating to a new system.

“There’s often a political reason behind sticking with a legacy CMS,” Jono pointed out.

“If a company’s CTO chose it years ago, it’s tough to get them to switch. In those cases, I suggest working around the limitations by using edge technology, like Cloudflare, which allows you to make improvements without needing a full-scale migration.”

Sophie added that for smaller clients with limited budgets, a CMS migration might actually be more cost-effective.

“If a client’s locked into an outdated system where they’re charged for every minor update, it’s easy to make a case for migrating to something more flexible,” she said.

“But for enterprise clients with a lot of moving parts, a full migration is harder. In those cases, I recommend streamlining the existing system by disabling unused plugins or outdated features.”

Billie then emphasised that every situation is different and requires a thorough risk assessment.

“I try to understand who’s maintaining the legacy system, whether it’s sustainable and what would happen if that person left. If a single developer has control and isn’t open to SEO, it’s worth considering a migration.”

Using Competitor Analysis to Achieve Buy-In

When clients are reluctant to invest in SEO, competitor analysis can often provide the nudge they need. I asked how the panel leverages competitor data to demonstrate the value of SEO.

“Seeing how competitors are performing can be a real eye-opener for clients,” Billie explained.

“I ask them who their main competitors are and show them how those companies are using SEO to increase visibility and conversions. It’s usually enough to make them realise the stakes.”

Jono added that benchmarking against industry leaders is a key motivator for clients.

“I start by asking clients which companies they admire or see as industry leaders,” he said.

“Then, I’ll show how those companies use SEO to maintain their position, framing it as a competitive necessity.”

Takeaways from Our Technical SEO Panel

Our panel discussion highlighted the importance of tying SEO to business outcomes, simplifying technical explanations and proactively addressing client concerns. For businesses looking to maximise the impact of their SEO efforts, these strategies offer a clear roadmap to overcoming common obstacles.

We hopefully left HIVE MCR attendees with a clear message: effective SEO doesn’t just require technical prowess but also the ability to communicate, educate and align with a client’s goals.

You can keep up with the latest line-up and general information about HIVE MCR ‘25 at hive-mcr.co.uk from the end of this week, and you will be able to secure your tickets directly from the website.