How to Build an SEO Team: Brent D. Payne’s Experience from His In-House SEO Career

Defining the SEO Vision and Goals

Aligning business objectives with SEO strategy

Building an effective SEO team starts with clear alignment between SEO initiatives and broader business objectives. Payne's success at Tribune demonstrates that SEO must directly support revenue goals, whether through increased subscriptions, advertising revenue, or user engagement.

Modern SEO benchmarks suggest targeting 3-5% click-through rates and maintaining bounce rates under 60% for optimal performance ^[2]. The investment case for in-house SEO becomes compelling when comparing costs.

While marketing agencies charge $1,800-$6,000 per month, building an in-house department typically costs $200,000+ annually but delivers superior long-term value ^[3].

Establishing measurable KPIs

Successful SEO teams need quantifiable metrics that demonstrate value to stakeholders. Key performance indicators should include organic traffic growth, keyword rankings, conversion rates, and return on investment.

For B2B organizations, conversion rates typically range from 1-3%, while overall SEO ROI averages 5. 3x the initial investment ^[4].

Setting realistic timelines is important. SEO typically takes 3-6 months to generate measurable results, with ecommerce sites often breaking even within 9 months and reaching 5x ROI by year three ^[5].

Communicating the SEO mission across departments

Cross-functional collaboration becomes essential when scaling SEO efforts across large organizations like Tribune's multiple properties. The SEO team's mission must resonate with editorial, technical, and business teams.

This requires translating technical SEO concepts into business language that stakeholders understand. Regular reporting cadences and clear documentation help maintain alignment.

High-performing teams establish monthly review cycles and quarterly strategic planning sessions to ensure continuous alignment with business objectives.

Step-by-step guide on how to build an SEO team

The foundation of team building follows a structured approach: first, define your SEO vision and secure executive buy-in. Second, assess current capabilities and identify gaps.

Third, create a phased hiring plan based on immediate needs versus long-term goals. Budget allocation should reflect realistic salary ranges: SEO managers command $60,000-$100,000, SEO specialists earn $40,000-$85,000, and content writers typically receive $35,000-$50,000 ^[3].

These investments enable sustainable growth while maintaining cost efficiency compared to agency partnerships.

Designing the Team Structure

Choosing between hierarchical, pod, and flat models

Team structure significantly impacts SEO performance and implementation speed. The embedded model, where SEO specialists work directly within product or content teams, achieves 3x faster implementation of technical fixes compared to centralized systems ^[6].

This approach mirrors Payne's strategy at Tribune, where SEO integration across multiple newsroom operations required close collaboration. Hierarchical models work best for larger organizations with clear reporting lines.

Pod structures excel in agile environments requiring rapid iteration. Flat structures suit smaller teams where everyone contributes across multiple SEO disciplines.

Mapping core roles to in-house SEO leadership

Essential roles within an SEO team include technical SEO specialists, content strategists, link builders, and data analysts. The SEO Director, like Payne's role at Tribune, orchestrates these functions while maintaining strategic alignment with business goals.

Each role requires specific expertise while contributing to the collective team output. Team size benchmarks vary by organization scale: startups typically need 2-3 people, mid-market companies require 5-8 people, and enterprises often employ 15-30 SEO professionals ^[7].

These numbers reflect the complexity and scale of SEO operations at different organizational levels.

Balancing specialization and flexibility

Modern SEO teams must balance deep specialization with cross-functional flexibility. While technical SEO requires specific expertise, team members benefit from understanding content strategy and link building fundamentals.

This versatility proves especially valuable during resource constraints or priority shifts. The challenge of securing engineering buy-in, reported by 78% of enterprise SEO teams as their biggest obstacle, highlights the importance of technical literacy across the team ^[6].

Team members who can communicate effectively with developers accelerate implementation timelines.

Scalable phased hiring plan

Phase one typically focuses on hiring a senior SEO manager and technical specialist to establish foundations. Phase two adds content strategists and link builders to expand organic reach.

Phase three introduces specialized roles like international SEO experts or voice search specialists based on growth trajectories. This phased approach allows organizations to validate ROI at each stage before expanding investment.

It also ensures proper onboarding and knowledge transfer as the team grows.

Hiring the Right Talent

Identifying essential skill sets for each role

The SEO landscape in 2025 demands both traditional and emerging skills. AI-related competencies have increased 21% in SEO job descriptions over the past year, reflecting the industry's evolution ^[8].

Technical SEO specialists need proficiency in JavaScript rendering, Core Web Vitals optimization, and structured data implementation. Content strategists require expertise in semantic search, entity optimization, and user intent mapping.

Additionally, 39% of SEOs now emphasize skills for expanding strategies across multiple channels, indicating the need for omnichannel thinking ^[9].

Crafting affordable yet effective job descriptions

Competitive job descriptions balance skill requirements with realistic compensation. With 40% of in-house SEO positions exceeding $100,000 annually, organizations must clearly articulate value propositions beyond salary ^[8].

Highlighting growth opportunities, learning resources, and career advancement paths attracts quality candidates. Job descriptions should emphasize practical experience over certifications.

Real-world examples of successful SEO campaigns, technical implementations, or content strategies provide better indicators of capability than theoretical knowledge alone.

Interview techniques to assess SEO expertise

Effective interviews combine technical assessments with situational problem-solving. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to conduct technical audits, analyze competitor strategies, and propose actionable recommendations.

Payne's experience doubling Tribune's search traffic exemplifies the impact-focused mindset successful candidates should possess ^[1]. Practical exercises, such as reviewing a website's technical issues or developing a content strategy, reveal candidates' analytical capabilities.

These assessments should mirror real challenges the team faces daily.

Onboarding for rapid productivity

Structured onboarding accelerates new team members' contributions. Documentation of existing processes, access to historical data, and clear role expectations enable faster integration.

Pairing new hires with experienced team members facilitates knowledge transfer and cultural assimilation. Investment in continuous learning proves essential, with 73% of high-performing SEO teams participating in monthly skills development programs ^[10].

This ongoing education ensures teams stay current with algorithm updates and industry best practices.

Implementing Efficient Workflows

Standardizing SEO processes and SOPs

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) ensure consistency across SEO initiatives. These documented workflows cover technical audits, content optimization, link acquisition, and reporting protocols.

Payne's management of multiple Tribune properties required such standardization to maintain quality at scale ^[1]. Process documentation reduces dependency on individual team members and enables smoother scaling.

SOPs should include checklists for common tasks, escalation procedures for technical issues, and quality assurance guidelines.

Selecting collaboration tools that boost efficiency

Modern SEO teams need integrated tool stacks for research, implementation, and measurement. Project management platforms coordinate tasks across team members and departments.

SEO-specific tools handle keyword research, technical auditing, and competitive analysis. Communication tools facilitate real-time collaboration, especially important when working with distributed teams or multiple stakeholders.

Regular tool audits ensure the tech stack remains aligned with team needs and budget constraints.

Establishing communication cadence and reporting

Consistent communication rhythms maintain momentum and accountability. Daily stand-ups address immediate priorities, weekly reviews track progress against goals, and monthly reports demonstrate value to stakeholders.

This structured approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Companies investing in internal SEO capabilities see 40% better long-term results than those relying solely on agencies, partly due to improved communication and faster implementation cycles ^[11].

Internal teams benefit from direct access to stakeholders and immediate feedback loops.

Continuous learning and quality assurance

Quality assurance processes catch errors before they impact rankings. Pre-launch checklists, post-implementation reviews, and regular audits maintain high standards.

These systematic checks become increasingly important as team output scales. AI training represents a significant investment, requiring 4-12 months for teams to become comfortable with AI SEO fundamentals ^[12].

This timeline underscores the importance of proactive skill development rather than reactive training.

Measuring Success and Optimizing the Team

Tracking performance metrics tied to ROI

ROI measurement validates the SEO team's contribution to business objectives. Average SEO ROI of 5.

3x the initial investment provides a compelling benchmark for performance evaluation ^[4]. Teams should track both leading indicators (keyword rankings, technical health scores) and lagging indicators (organic traffic, conversions).

Attribution modeling helps quantify SEO's impact on multi-touch customer journeys. This analysis demonstrates value beyond last-click attribution and supports continued investment in SEO resources.

Iterating team composition based on results

Performance data should inform team evolution. If technical implementations lag, additional engineering resources may be needed.

Content performance gaps might indicate the need for specialized writers or strategists. Regular skills assessments identify training needs and hiring priorities.

The rapid evolution of search algorithms and user behaviors requires teams to continuously adapt their composition and capabilities.

Ensuring customer satisfaction through transparent reporting

Transparent reporting builds stakeholder trust and secures ongoing support. Reports should balance technical details with business impact, using visualizations to communicate complex data simply.

Payne's achievement of 1+ million daily visits at Tribune provides the type of clear, impactful metric that resonates with executives ^[1]. Custom dashboards tailored to different audiences ensure relevant information reaches appropriate stakeholders.

Executive summaries focus on business impact, while tactical reports provide implementation details for operational teams.

Scaling the team sustainably

Sustainable scaling requires balancing growth with operational efficiency. Healthy ROI timelines suggest 3-5x returns over three years, providing a framework for measured expansion ^[5].

Teams should grow in response to demonstrated success rather than anticipated demand. Automation and process optimization enable teams to handle increased workload without proportional headcount increases.

This operational efficiency becomes important for maintaining profitability as the team scales.