Writing an SEO/SEM Policies and Procedure manual

[Mourf]

Has anyone every written an SEO/SEM Policies and Procedure manual or have an example of one?

Thanks!

-Mourf

[rogerd]

I think most SEOs would have a couple of problems with this, Mourf:
1) They don't want to put their specialized knowledge in a form that employees could copy and use to launch their own SEO businesses.
2) Things change so quickly it would be out of date before it was finished.

I have heard of SEOs writing up client instructions, i.e., telling their clients how to get links, add new content to their site, etc.

[Mourf]

Ive already finished it, thanks anyway.

We are all here to share information and answer questions, I really dont see anything wrong with someone helpng with this. There are no secrets, no magic formulations, and noone has cracked "the code" (at least to my knowledge). I have no problem helping anyone out and there is nothing in my Policies and Procedures document that I wouldnt mind sharing with anyone.

Perhaps most of us dont write them? I wasnt looking for page level specifics just a general overiew with an approach. Ive been in SEO/SEM for years I just dont write broad reaching documents like this very often.

If anyone else needs help just let me know!

[bufferzone]

It would quickly become outdated. New SE, shifting importance between the different SE’s, new algorithms, new features and possibilities, SEO is a dynamic world and writing a manual would be a waste of time.

[Mourf]

I have to disagree.

One of the requirements of a Policies and Procedures document is a review process and a designted expert to answer all issues of the document.

This is not a page level specific document nor is it all industry encompassing. Of course it will need to be updated every so often. That doesnt mean you should never write one. Its great stuff when bringing on someone new for training and for general introductions of the work we do in our industry.

[bakedjake]

That doesnt mean you should never write one

I'll agree here. One of the things we try to do in our organization is document what we look for with sites WRT search engines. While actual optimization techniques will vary completely from client to client, it is possible to make a list of basics and criteria that are important to look for.

Many of the methods for research and investigation are independent of whatever is currently working in the engines, and stay generally the same from client to client. These are the things that are good to document.

Another thing we find it helpful to do is develop tools (or lists of tools) to automate the busywork.

[ritualcoffee]

As an inhouse SEM for a large corp - i've written several. absolutely necessary with distributed web development and project management.

[cyberair]

"I have no problem helping anyone out and there is nothing in my Policies and Procedures document that I wouldnt mind sharing with anyone." - Mourf

Would you be so kind as to post the Policies and Procedures document? I am sure we can all discull it and improve it. Also, it will help all of us that don't have a clue on how to start one.

[mona]

>Things change so quickly it would be out of date before it was finished.

Yep, I've started writing two in the last two years. Both became semi-obsolete before I was half way done. Now I just bookmark threads from WebmasterWorld (and other useful sites) and use those instead of wasting hours trying to write them myself. It's much easier to to locate updated information then it is to write it myself;)

[d_stew]

I work for a large company as well, and we have documentation for our internal project management and internal development. I'd be intersted you read someone else's documentation though and add comments and share my knowledge and philosphies.