In a recent episode of the Search Off the Record podcast, Google’s Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes tackled a pivotal question in the world of search marketing: just how technical do SEO professionals really need to be? Their insights illuminated the balance between technical proficiency and the more strategic aspects of SEO, providing valuable guidance for those navigating this fast-evolving field.
Splitt made a salient point when he stated, “I think in order to optimize a system or work with a system so deeply like SEOs do, you have to understand some of the characteristics of the system.” This underscores the importance of having a foundational understanding of how search engines operate, even if being a coding expert is not a necessity for every SEO role. The myth that all SEO professionals need to be proficient coders was effectively debunked in their discussion.
The Developer-SEO Divide
One of the underlying themes of the conversation was the ongoing friction between developers and SEO professionals. Splitt, who routinely engages with both communities, noted that this relationship can often be fraught with tension. During his discussions at various events, he’s found that developers approach SEO with a degree of skepticism, even when the conversation stems from someone with a technical background.
Illyes illustrated this disconnect with a striking example involving a large agency that deployed a calendar plugin across multiple websites, inadvertently creating “100 million URLs.” This situation escalated quickly, leading Google to crawl all those URLs and resulting in significant crawl budget constraints for those sites. Such scenarios highlight the complications that can arise when technical SEO considerations are overlooked.
What SEO Pros Need To Know
In lieu of a blanket recommendation for SEO professionals to pick up coding skills, Splitt advocates for a more pragmatic approach: understanding core web technologies. He remarked, “You should understand what is a header, how does HTTPS conceptually work, what’s the certificate, how does that influence how the connection works.” This foundational knowledge positions SEO specialists to better navigate technical discussions with developers and to address issues that arise in their work.
Familiarity with web protocols is particularly important. Splitt pointed out distinctions between HTTP/2 and HTTP/1.1 and emphasized that while SEO professionals may not need to write in programming languages like C or JavaScript, understanding how JavaScript influences page rendering can greatly enhance their effectiveness. This nuanced knowledge helps bridge the gap between SEO practices and web development realities.
Context Matters: Not All SEOs Need The Same Skills
The discussion also highlighted the diversity within the field of SEO. Different specializations require varying levels of technical expertise. For instance, Splitt initially suggested that specialists in international SEO might not need intensive technical skills. However, he later revised this position, indicating that internationalization often involves technical components, asserting, “SEO is such a broad field. There are people who are amazing at taking content international… they specialize on a much higher layer as in like the content and the structure and language and localization in different markets.”
This distinction is critical: those in more technical roles or in generalist positions should still aim to acquire a solid understanding of development concepts, while others more focused on content strategy or hospitality might not require the same depth of technical knowledge.
What This Means
So, what does this all mean for SEO professionals? Here are key takeaways:
- Technical understanding matters: While coding skills are not mandatory, knowing essential aspects like HTTP protocols, HTML basics, and page rendering dynamics can significantly enhance SEO effectiveness.
- Your role defines your needs: If your focus is on content strategy or localization, extensive technical know-how may be less critical than for those involved in site migrations or audits, where technical expertise is more vital.
- Context should guide your decisions: Without grasping the “why” behind SEO strategies, practitioners risk making flawed decisions. SEO isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; it requires tailored approaches.
- Cross-team collaboration is vital: The insights suggest that improving communication between development and SEO teams is necessary to prevent technical pitfalls that can negatively impact search rankings.
Looking Ahead
As the landscape of web development continues to evolve, particularly with the rise of more complex JavaScript frameworks, the need for technical literacy among SEO professionals is likely to grow. Google’s message is clear: while SEOs don’t need to transform into full-fledged developers, having a fundamental understanding of how websites operate can significantly boost their effectiveness in the marketing ecosystem.
Fostering better communication and collaboration between development and marketing teams could unveil new opportunities for optimizing search performance in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
For further insights, check out the complete podcast episode below:
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
