How to make SEO progress with only spotty webmaster follow-through?

[buckworks]

I'd be interested to hear how other SEOs cope when the client wants more traffic from Google but for whatever reason, the webmaster gives only spotty cooperation for SEO fixes and fine-tuning.

What to do when you can see numerous technical issues that would make the site stronger if they were fixed, but it takes weeks or months to get even simple corrections done?

Is that normal? Or was I just lucky for a long time?

A related question is how to keep the client apprised of the problem without creating friction?

[aakk9999]

I have had situations like this too - the problem is ofte that the dev team / webmaster see you as a threat.

It usually takes the time to develop a relationship with the dev team (is the webmaster you are referring to their developer?). Also you have to have the client on board and the client has to be wise enough not to blame the webmaster.

[buckworks]

the client has to be wise enough not to blame the webmaster

Also not to blame the SEO!

This web team has changed over the years, both in personnel and in attitude. In days of yore, I could count on SEO tweak requests being done promptly and correctly. The client ranked high for many important terms, and the long tail was strong.

In recent months not so much ...

In the spring they did a major site update that looks great but is riddled with technical issues of the sort that Google clearly says it doesn't like. Thousands of soft 404's, duplicate content, thin content, broken links, poor snippet control, you name it. Page Rank isn't sculpted as well as it used to be. Rankings have sagged and traffic is down.

The stakes are huge, but requests for SEO tweaks get only hit-and-miss attention. Occasional things get done, but many requests have been languishing for months, even actions that would take just a few minutes.

I passed my wits' end a while back ...

[Storiale]

Document, Document, Document: At some point create a meeting asking how you can help get requested changes made in a timely manner, create a schedule with the cooperation of the programmers. Create Due Dates and Document ACTUAL work done.

They may be under major deadlines on other stuff. The programmers may not be paid in a timely fashion if it is outsourced. The budget may be super low so they have to prioritize tasks and SEO isn't on top... lots of reasons.

But in the end - document, document, document requests and ACTUAL dates that work was done.

[FranticFish]

I do the following:

1) Make the business case for the work I want done
I explain why the present config is holding them back and what each change I propose will do

2) Make sure you understand the CMS and its limitations / potential

3) Involve the dev(s) right from the outset
Allow them to comment on every part of your proposal and be sure they understand it, talk to them separately without the client but never the other way round if decisions will be made during the conversation.

4) Have a system for labelling your requests, I keep it simple and use VITAL & PREFERRED and I explain that ignored PREFERREDs add up.

This way the client knows in each case what they have either turned down or allowed the dev to turn down, and it's all documented. No-one gets to feel excluded and you are covered.

Alternatively...
5) Only work on projects where you can just do it all yourself without all the hassle, repetition, explaining and compromise :)