Project Description

The DevOps project aimed to address GitHub’s underperformance in search engine rankings for “DevOps” related terms by implementing a comprehensive SEO strategy. It involved creating targeted landing pages, optimizing content hierarchy, integrating supportive content, and leveraging social media and paid digital media for promotion. The goal was to significantly increase monthly impressions and visibility in search results, ultimately driving more qualified traffic to GitHub’s marketing pages for more enterprise sales leads.

As the Product Manager, my contributions were integral to the project’s success. I played a crucial role in defining the project scope, setting objectives, and aligning the team towards achieving the desired outcomes. I provided strategic direction, coordinated cross-functional efforts, and ensured the implementation of best practices in SEO and content optimization. My leadership and expertise guided the team through the planning, execution, and monitoring phases, driving momentum and fostering collaboration across departments.

The project’s primary objective was to elevate GitHub’s visibility and authority in search engine results for “DevOps” related queries. The project aimed to increase monthly impressions from the current 30k to an ambitious 4 million by targeting users at different stages of the buyer’s journey and providing tailored content. This objective aligned with GitHub’s overarching goal of driving growth in traffic and engagement, positioning the platform as a leading solution for DevOps practitioners and organizations.

Key Objectives:

  1. SEO Opportunity: There was a significant search volume for “DevOps” related terms, yet GitHub did not rank well, presenting a clear SEO opportunity.
    • Example: Despite the high search volume, GitHub’s Resources pages received minimal impressions and visibility in search results for “DevOps” related queries, highlighting the need for strategic SEO improvements.
  2. Traffic Growth Goal: The project aimed to increase GitHub’s monthly impressions from 30k to an estimated 4 million, targeting users at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
    • Example: By optimizing content and strategically targeting users with tailored landing pages, GitHub sought to significantly enhance its visibility in search results, driving more qualified traffic to its platform.
  3. Audience Understanding: Recognizing the complexity of the buyer’s journey for GitHub Enterprise, the project addressed the needs and concerns of various lead types, such as team leads, managers, and executives.
    • Example: Understanding that different stakeholders had distinct priorities and pain points, the project tailors content to resonate with each audience segment, providing valuable insights and solutions relevant to their roles.
  4. Content Hierarchy: The project outlined a structured content hierarchy, starting with problem identification and moving through research and engagement, ultimately guiding users to the purchase decision.
    • Example: By organizing content into sub-directories and pages, GitHub ensured a seamless user journey, leading users from understanding the basics of DevOps to exploring GitHub’s solutions and features in-depth.
  5. Supportive Content Strategy: To reinforce the authority of landing pages, the project integrates supportive content from various sources, including blog posts, readme articles, and customer stories.
    • Example: By featuring Q&A sessions, how-to guides, and success stories, GitHub provided additional context and credibility to its landing pages, enhancing their relevance and visibility in search engine rankings.
  6. External Validation: Leveraging social media, videos, and external sources, the project aims to generate buzz and backlinks to the landing pages, signaling to search engines their authority and relevance.
    • Example: Strategic social media campaigns and partnerships with influencers help amplify the reach of GitHub’s landing pages, attracting organic traffic and improving their SEO performance.
  7. Content Personalization: Each landing page was tailored to resonate with specific audience segments, addressing their unique concerns and interests to drive engagement and conversions.
    • Example: By highlighting GitHub’s value propositions and addressing common pain points DevOps practitioners face, the landing pages establish trust and credibility, prompting users to explore further.
  8. Internal Linking Strategy: The project emphasized internal linking, ensuring seamless navigation between related pages and maximizing landing page visibility across GitHub’s properties.
    • Example: Integrating links within blog posts, past resources, and collaborative content initiatives helped drive traffic and reinforce the relevance of landing pages within GitHub’s ecosystem.
  9. Social Media Promotion: Each landing page was launched with a comprehensive social media strategy that included initial announcements, regular refreshers, and engagement-driven content.
    • Example: By actively engaging with users on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, GitHub fostered discussions, addressed queries, and drove traffic back to its landing pages, nurturing ongoing relationships with its audience.
  10. Paid Digital Media: To complement organic efforts, the project allocated budgets for paid advertisements and search promotions to boost the visibility and reach of landing pages.
    • Example: Investing in targeted ad campaigns allows GitHub to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to its landing pages, amplifying the impact of its SEO initiatives and maximizing ROI.

This project encapsulated a holistic approach to SEO, combining strategic content creation, audience targeting, supportive content integration, and promotional efforts to elevate GitHub’s visibility and engagement within the DevOps community.

As the Product Manager, I leveraged GitHub Issues for transparent task tracking and Slack for real-time communication, fostering asynchronous collaboration. By managing a seamless project workflow, GitHub recognized my process as an exemplary model, setting a standard for future projects.

See what the main DevOps “What is DevOps” page looked like at launch here.