If you’ve ever thought SEO is just about keywords and backlinks, think again. In this episode, Mads Singers highlights the often-overlooked side of SEO: soft skills. These are the skills that make people want to work with you, follow your lead, and avoid miscommunication disasters.
You’ll discover why emotional intelligence is key for managing teams and clients, how building real relationships boosts retention, and why communication might be the most important SEO skill you didn’t realize you needed.
The takeaway? SEO isn’t just about ranking; it’s about relationships, communication, and balancing technical expertise with human interaction. Plus, multitasking? It’s overrated. Mads shows you how to focus and actually drive results.
Defining Soft Skills for SEO Professionals
[OK]: Let’s discuss soft skills in SEO. How do you define soft skills for SEO?
[MS]: Well, let’s start by saying that soft skills are lacking. For me, when I think of soft skills, I think of EQ or emotional intelligence, and I think of communication. It’s not just about the ability to say something; where most people go wrong, and many SEOs do this a lot, is they say something but don’t understand that what you say doesn’t matter. It’s what the other person hears that matters. So, while you might say the technically right thing, if the person you’re talking to doesn’t understand it or misinterprets it, that’s your fault, right? So fundamentally, core communication skills — the ability to communicate, like we’re doing now on video — are crucial.
Building Relationships and Improving Retention
[OK]: Yeah, that’s true. I had that experience when I tried to do everything — managing technical SEO, leading the SEO team, being a designer, and acting as a sales manager. So yeah, it doesn’t work. But what about retention? Do you see any connection between soft skills and retention? Is it important to improve our soft skills for retention?
[MS]: The number one reason clients leave most agencies is poor communication. A lot of the time, agencies say, “Oh, but we deliver great results, and this client left. They’re stupid.” But I tell them, no, the client didn’t leave because you didn’t deliver results — they left because you didn’t communicate well. As an SEO, when you look at the numbers, you understand what’s happening. However, if a client doesn’t hear from you for a month, they don’t know you’re working. They may not understand what you’re doing or even that you’re doing anything at all. Suddenly, they’re thinking, “We’re paying money to this person or company, but we don’t hear from them, so let’s stop paying.”
Handling Mistakes and Transparency
[MS]: One of the biggest issues for SEOs is that they’re afraid of making mistakes and even more afraid of admitting them. Often, when mistakes happen, as you said earlier, it’s better to tell someone, “Hey, I did this, but I should have done that. I’m going to fix it.” Most of the time, SEOs and even CEOs hide from their mistakes because they don’t want to admit they made them. They think it makes them look weak. But it’s not about looking weak or human — it’s about building trust. When people know you own up to your mistakes, it makes you more valuable to them. They know that if a problem arises, you will be honest and tell them. It’s much worse to work with people when you don’t know if there’s a problem, and suddenly things explode. That’s a terrible scenario.
Delegation: Giving Responsibility, Not Just Tasks
[OK]: Now, let’s talk about communication. We’re fine with communication for now. We know the main points. But when an SEO specialist becomes the head of SEO or a team lead, a new challenge arises: how to delegate properly. This is a common issue when you’re good at what you do but struggle to delegate and teach others on your team. I don’t think creating a massive knowledge base is the solution because, honestly, not many people use them, and it often feels like a waste of time. What recommendations can you give to people who are really afraid of teaching others?
[MS]: The key misunderstanding here is that delegation is not about teaching. Unfortunately, many people online teach that when you manage people, you have to figure out what to do, put it into a process, and then hand it off to someone else.
