SEO Product Unveiled - Rank and Rethink

• Mastering Sprint Planning for SEOs — with Gus Pelogia | Ep.12

  In this episode of SEO Product Unveiled, Björn and Vanda welcome Gus Pelogia, Senior SEO Product Manager at Indeed, to unpack one of the most misunderstood yet critical product ceremonies: Sprint Planning.They discuss how SEOs can collaborate effectively with engineering and product teams, what makes a good sprint-ready ticket, and why understanding technical complexity is essential to avoid frustration and misaligned expectations. Gus shares insights from his unique journey from journalism to tech SEO and then into product management.The conversation explores prioritization frameworks like ICE, how to set meaningful Sprint Goals, why "Big Bets" per quarter improve execution, and how SEOs can bridge the gap between strategic vision and engineering constraints. The trio also reflects on documentation quality, success criteria, capacity planning, and the importance of bringing data, hypotheses, and impact estimates into sprint conversations.A valuable episode for anyone working at the intersection of SEO, Product, and Engineering — whether embedded in a product org or influencing from the outside.Main TakeawaysSprint Planning = Choosing what will realistically be delivered in the next 1–4 weeks, based on ready tickets and team capacity.SEOs must understand technical complexity — simple SEO changes can require deep engineering work.Good tickets matter: clear user story, acceptance criteria, examples, mockups, and impact estimation.Impact frameworks (like ICE) help product teams prioritize SEO requests fairly.Big Bets per quarter improve focus and prevent overloaded roadmaps.SEO must communicate in product/engineering language — not just SEO jargon.Being present in Sprint Planning helps SEOs avoid missed timelines, misinterpretations, and seasonal “dead zones” like release freezes.Impact validation is key: share results back with engineering to build trust and momentum.Listen to engineers: better solutions often emerge from collaboration.Document everything thoroughly — unclear tickets are a major cause of delays.⏱️ Chapter Marks0:00 — Introduction & reconnecting0:40 — Who is Gus Pelogia? Background & SEO/Product journey2:00 — From journalism to tech SEO to product4:20 — Why Sprint Planning matters for SEOs5:10 — Why simple ideas often require complex engineering6:40 — What Sprint Planning actually is8:00 — The importance of “ready” tickets9:05 — Sprint Goals: Why they matter10:00 — Capacity, ad-hoc issues & prioritization challenges11:20 — When SEOs feel blocked by engineering constraints13:10 — Prioritization frameworks (e.g., ICE) for SEO requests14:25 — How engineers allocate story points16:30 — Why SEOs need impact hypotheses18:55 — Using impact scores in product discussions19:35 — How Gus structures quarterly Big Bets21:00 — Understanding complexity & trade-offs22:32 — Overloaded roadmaps & realistic planning24:20 — SEOs working across multiple product teams26:23 — Should SEOs attend Sprint Planning?28:20 — Holiday freeze example & timeline risks29:30 — Importance of clarifying tickets early31:20 — What makes a good, sprint-ready SEO ticket33:35 — Mockups, visual examples & acceptance criteria35:35 — How to deal with success criteria38:16 — Why impact validation is hard but necessary40:33 — Setting expectations with ROI timelines41:17 — What SEOs and PMs can learn from each other42:20 — Using initiatives instead of isolated tasks44:13 — Lessons SEOs can borrow from product thinking47:00 — Listening to engineers & iterating together49:25 — Final tips for SEOs and PMs50:53 — Closing thoughts & outro

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• AI in Action: Driving Business Value Beyond the Buzz | Ep. 11

  In this episode, Björn Darko and Vanda Pokecz delve into the real business applications of AI beyond the Chat-GPT hype. They discuss concrete use cases that create efficiency and new value, highlighting how companies leverage AI to generate genuine business impact. From automating product descriptions to integrating AI into SEO strategies, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to harness the transformative power of AI in their business.

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• Measure What Matters: SEO KPIs for Product-Led Growth | Ep. 10

  🎧 Episode SummaryIn this episode, Vanda Pokecz and Björn Darko explore the critical role of KPIs in SEO. They break down the KPI Pyramid, covering strategic, product-level, and operational metrics. With real-world examples—like how internal linking can significantly boost organic traffic—they provide insights into how to align SEO with business goals. The conversation also highlights common pitfalls in KPI implementation and interpretation, finishing with actionable takeaways for SEO and product teams alike.💡 Key TakeawaysThe KPI Pyramid consists of strategic, product-focused, and operational KPIs.Strategic KPIs align SEO efforts with broader company goals.Product KPIs help assess the success of specific SEO features or components.Operational KPIs track day-to-day SEO performance.There's often a mismatch between keyword rankings and actual traffic—context matters.KPIs should be clear, measurable, and understandable across stakeholders.Effective internal linking can drive significant organic traffic growth.Misinterpreting KPIs can lead to flawed decision-making.KPIs should be revisited and adjusted regularly.A good KPI is actionable, relevant, and tied to meaningful outcomes.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction: Why SEO KPIs matter02:17 – The KPI Pyramid: Strategic, Product, and Operational levels10:56 – SEO use cases: Implementing internal linking with measurable impact16:06 – Common pitfalls when using KPIs in SEO19:04 – Final takeaways for choosing the right metrics

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• Cracking the Code: Estimating SEO Impact with Confidence | #9

  🧠 Episode SummaryIn this episode of SEO Product Unveiled, hosts Björn Darko and Vanda Pokecz dive deep into the complex world of SEO impact estimation and prioritisation frameworks. From ICE and RICE to hybrid approaches, they explore why forecasting SEO outcomes is so difficult, how to deal with uncertainty, and how to keep stakeholders aligned through transparency and structured communication. This episode is a must-listen for SEO professionals and product teams looking to bring clarity to their roadmap decisions.SEO is hard. Estimating its impact? Even harder. In this episode, Björn and Vanda unpack why SEO impact estimation is so challenging, walk through frameworks like ICE and RICE, and advocate for hybrid models that combine top-down projections with bottom-up evidence. They emphasize the role of clear assumptions, risk management, and stakeholder inclusion in making SEO strategies more predictable and aligned with business priorities.✅ Key TakeawaysNo impact model is perfect – and that’s okay.Top-down thinking is useful, but bottom-up data is essential.Transparency in assumptions is your superpower.Hybrid models help bridge the gap between ambition and realism.Stakeholder buy-in starts with education and expectation management.Risk and mitigation must be part of the estimation narrative.SEO deserves a place in strategic planning — not just execution.Prioritization frameworks help, but only when fed with realistic inputs.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction to SEO Impact Estimation04:36 – Why SEO Impact Is So Hard to Calculate07:26 – Three Levels of SEO Impact Estimation (Basic → Advanced)14:20 – Hybrid Approaches: Combining Top-Down and Bottom-Up21:36 – Communicating SEO Impact to Stakeholders30:51 – Final Thoughts and Key Lessons

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• Roadmapping in SEO - A tool for planning & communication | #8

  SummaryIn this episode of SEO Product Unveiled, Vanda Pokecz and Björn Darko discuss the importance of roadmapping in product strategy. They explore various aspects of roadmapping, including its definition, proactive and reactive planning, communication with other teams, and the role of storytelling. The discussion also covers common roadmapping mistakes and the need to manage expectations and remain flexible.TakeawaysA roadmap is an essential part of product strategy.There are different roadmap formats that should be adapted to fit specific needs.Proactive planning is key to the success of initiatives.Communicating the roadmap to other teams is crucial.Collaboration between teams improves roadmap execution.Storytelling can help convey the importance of initiatives.Managing expectations is important to avoid disappointing stakeholders.Flexibility is necessary to respond to market changes.Common roadmapping mistakes include working in isolation and setting unrealistic expectations.A roadmap should be seen as a living document that is regularly updated.Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Roadmapping02:39 – What is a Roadmap?07:19 – Proactive vs. Reactive Planning10:42 – The Importance of Communication11:11 – Collaboration with Other Teams16:00 – Storytelling in Roadmapping20:08 – Managing Expectations and Flexibility22:33 – Common Mistakes in Roadmapping

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