SEO is most successful when everyone works together. If you work with SEO professionals you may already know how important two-way communication is to the entire process. For business owners who have not outsourced their SEO work before, or for companies who have internal SEO professionals, here are some tips to help you work well with your SEO team. Work on a plan together – The SEO plan should reflect the company brand and compliment the marketing plan of the company. The best way to do this is to develop the plan together. Even if your SEO team is in another country, it will be possible to jointly develop the plan. This is important for two reasons. First, it is the best way to ensure the correct SEO tactics are developed and used. The SEO team has the expertise in this area and will know exactly what will work for your company. Secondly, you know your business better than anyone, you will be able to add the in-depth knowledge, objectives, and brand identity to every aspect of the plan. Be clear - The majority of problems arise when companies are not clear with their SEO teams. Problems like this a rare because the best teams will know exactly what questions to ask their clients, to get the information they need. This is particularly important if your team is helping you with reputation management services. It is worth remembering that being clear about what you want to achieve, and what you are looking for, will help the entire process. Ambiguity and uncertainty can create misunderstandings. Timetable effectively – Rome wasn’t built in a day. Lasting success on the internet takes time. Sure, there are many examples of viral hits that made new businesses over-night successes, but the truth is, the percentage of companies that experienced this is tiny. For the majority of businesses, success involves regular work, dedicated commitment, and steady growth. Timetable your activities so that you get the best results and return from the SEO activity, but so that it also suits your own company calendar. Set a budget – This may seem obvious but it is one of the most important parts of SEO. With a set budget, your team will be able to give you a clear indication of what they can do and what you could achieve with that level of investment. Starting any marketing activity with no budget makes it extremely hard to calculate return on investment and measure your results.