---
title: How do I guide or push back on the SEO team?
question: how do i guide the seo team
area: seo
order: 8
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: [guide, steer, direct, push back, feedback, redo, correct, talk to agent, seo manager, terminal, keyboard, type to agent, needs input, answer agent]
related: [how-do-i-run-an-seo-audit, who-is-on-the-seo-agent-team, where-does-the-seo-teams-output-go]
updated: 2026-07-21
---

# How do I guide or push back on the SEO team?

You steer the team through the **SEO Manager**. Set the direction up front in the note on the **Run team** dialog, and while it runs, click the **SEO Manager** in the **Team** row and type your guidance into its terminal. The Manager passes your steer down to the specialists, so you talk to one agent, not six. The terminal is keyboard-only, so type your message and press **Enter** rather than reaching for the mouse.

## Before you start

- Have the project open and, ideally, running. See [How do I run an SEO audit with the team?](how-do-i-run-an-seo-audit.md).
- Know that the terminal is driven by the keyboard, like the rest of codus. See [How do I answer the agent when it asks me something?](../getting-started/how-do-i-answer-the-agent-in-the-terminal.md).

## Set the direction before it starts

The cleanest time to steer is at kickoff. When you click **Run team**, the dialog offers a note "for the Manager, appended to the run protocol it receives". Type what you want it to focus on, for example:

- "Only audit the /pricing page and its top three competitors."
- "The client cares most about mobile experience, weight it accordingly."
- "Skip link building this time, focus on content and technical."

Leave it empty for a normal, full audit. See [How do I run an SEO audit with the team?](how-do-i-run-an-seo-audit.md).

## Steer it while it runs

1. In the right column, under **Team**, click **SEO Manager**. Its terminal opens below.
2. Read what it is doing, then type your instruction and press **Enter**. For example: "Focus the content gaps on commercial queries, not blog topics," or "Re-check the competitor set, one of those is not a real rival."
3. The Manager takes your steer and adjusts, redirecting its specialists as needed.

You talk to the **SEO Manager**, not to each specialist. It is the one coordinating the others, so your guidance reaches the whole team through it.

## Push back on what it produces

If a finding is off, say so to the Manager in its terminal and be specific: "The recommendation to add FAQ schema is out of date, drop it," or "This competitor comparison is missing our closest rival, add them and redo it." The team already runs every claim past its Fact Checker to cut fluff and unsupported points, so pushing back tightens it further rather than starting an argument.

## When the team needs you

Sometimes an agent stops and waits for a decision from you. codus shows this so you do not miss it:

- The project row in the left column gets a small **Needs your input** dot.
- The agent's dot in the **Team** row turns orange.

Click the agent, read the question in its terminal, and answer it the same way, by typing and pressing **Enter**. See [How do I answer the agent when it asks me something?](../getting-started/how-do-i-answer-the-agent-in-the-terminal.md).

## How do I know it worked?

The Manager acknowledges your message in its terminal and changes course. If you asked for something to be redone, you will see the relevant specialist pick the work back up, and the updated result lands in the project's tabs. See [Where does the SEO team's work show up?](where-does-the-seo-teams-output-go.md).

## Common problems

**"I clicked in the terminal and typed but nothing happened."** The terminal takes keyboard input, not mouse clicks, for navigation. Type your message and press **Enter**. See [How do I answer the agent when it asks me something?](../getting-started/how-do-i-answer-the-agent-in-the-terminal.md).

**"Which agent do I talk to?"** The **SEO Manager**. It runs the others, so steer through it rather than messaging each specialist.

**"It seems stuck on running."** It may be waiting for you. Look for the orange dot and the **Needs your input** marker, open that agent, and answer its question.