Expertise & Skill Set
What can I do, on what platforms, and what else can I bring as part of the SEO consulting services I provide? If the platform your site uses or the specific skill set isn’t shown, please contact me – there’s every chance I’ve worked with it but I’ve kept the items on this page to the most frequently requested areas.
I wrote my first code in 1983, during the UK boom in home computing.
It feels like a lifetime ago, and I was just 14 years old at the time, but my career began with games programming on home computers. My SEO consultancy brings you 40 years of technical knowledge coupled with a commercial mindset and leadership mentality.
Platform Experience
E-commerce, CMS, Custom-coded platforms and Sales Channels
E-commerce
SEO, build, development
I have significant experience on all major e-commerce platforms. From well-known subscription models to open-source and modified platforms including Shopify, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), WooCommerce, Umbraco Commerce, Joomla, BigCommerce, Squarespace Commerce, Weebly, Wix, Zen Cart, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Shopware, Spree Commerce, Drupal Commerce and others.
CMS
SEO, build, development
There are few CMS’s I haven’t worked on over the decades. Many CMS’s are used for service sites instead of e-commerce (even if capable) from the ever-popular WordPress to Joomla, Contentful, Wix, Concrete5, Kentico, Sitecore, Magnolia, Grav and countless others. I have probably worked on your CMS even if it isn’t featured in this section, so please contact me and ask.
Custom Coded
SEO, build, development
My programming career began as a young teenager, and the early days of the internet didn’t offer many packaged systems for sites. This lead to me accumulating significant custom-coding experience including full e-commerce site build (a complicated process at the time!). Custom-coded sites often offer huge potential for optimisation. They usually allow for total control of all aspects of the site.
Sales Channels
SEO
Sales channels, from eBay to Amazon, are frequently over-looked as areas in which you can optimise listings or a storefront. Whilst these channels are not an area that I can leverage my full SEO skills on, they still operate on algorithms. I can help you obtain improved visibility over what you’d achieve through the frequent “build it and post it” process most brands adopt on these channels.
SEO Skill Set
On-page, off-page, server-sided, research, snippet targeting and more.
Technical SEO
Decades of hands-on work
My programming start in life gave me the perfect foundation for developing a full set of technical SEO skills over many years. From page speed optimisation to server-sided configuration, indexing issues, mobile responsiveness and the ultra-fine tuning of all areas of any size of site, my technical SEO consulting gives you complete confidence that I will take care of everything that can be addressed.
SEO Research
Analytical mindset
I am very experienced in all aspects of SEO research. This includes target keywords or assessing your competitor presence online in finite detail and finding opportunities for your brand visibility. I have used a myriad of tools from MOZ Pro to Semrush, Ahrefs, ScreamingFrog, SurferSEO and many others. I combine this with an analytical and inquisitive mind that always goes in search of critical data.
On-page SEO
Full set of on-page skills
In many respects, I consider On-page SEO to be the basics of optimisation, but it still demands a keen eye and a mindset to be driven by data and not opinion. From schema mark-up to images, the content itself, titles, headers, descriptions, internal links and the pursuit of Featured Snippets, my experience, skills and ensuring I always follow best practice and monitor changes continuously gives you a competitive edge.
Off-page SEO
Complete set of skills
Another staple area of SEO consulting, I possess over 20 years of experience and understanding of off-page SEO for clients, ranging from the classic goal of valued backlink generation (the key being quality backlinks) to local SEO techniques, social media use, content marketing, brand mentions, use of PR and the rise of influencer marketing. I can work on all of these areas and offer full consulting.
SEO Strategy
Extensive strategic history
I have worked on SEO strategy for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to national retail groups. My experience is extremely broad, from project scoping to product and service research, end-goal definition and the production of a coherent strategy that can be understood by stakeholders and operational staff to deliver an approach to SEO that has considered all current trends, relevant marketplaces and competitor activity.
Board Consulting
Experienced board operator
I have worked in a £1 billion UK PLC, privately owned companies and held Director positions. This brings a huge amount of experience, understanding and knowledge in respect of what senior members of companies want to know, don’t want to know, and value. I give you clarity and translate complex technical problems and solutions into commercially relatable presentations and solutions for the boardroom.
SEO Monitoring
All aspects of tracking
The monitoring of SEO work and results is as important as the work itself. I conduct thorough analysis in real-time of the impact of the work I perform. I am fully conversant with all tools, techniques, actions and, more importantly, the key points that should trigger interest or alerts. I’ve monitored everything from SERP’s results to competitor site changes, social activity implications and ongoing development impact.
SEO Reporting
Years of report production
I have gathered data and curated reports for stakeholders at all levels throughout my SEO consulting career. This allows me to write crystal clear and high value reports that key decision makers can take action on with minimal investment of time. I understand the value of data and what will matter most, producing reports that have been viewed as business-critical by PLC chairmen and digital marketing staff.
E-commerce Experience
Aside from my technical experience, I’ve spent years working with brands to grow their revenues and profit through e-commerce. I’ve done this on almost every platform from Shopify to Adobe Commerce and many more.
E-commerce consulting
Proven growth
From initial investigations on e-commerce launch potential to planning, strategy, building, deploying and growing, I have spent years working with local and national brands, to capitalise on the continued online shopping habits of UK consumers. I’ve been the key consultant on taking a brand from £200k p.a. to £2m revenue and significantly increased profit, to international markets, within 2 years and many other e-retail projects for groups.
CRO Consulting
Record of finding barriers
I have worked on several major projects where CRO was essential to improving what were otherwise viable retail operations online. My experience identifies barriers to purchase, be they in the user experience (UX) or user interface (UI). I also examine the use of language, calls to action and removing steps in the buying process (or adding them if it gave the visitor confidence). These are all important parts of the consulting advice I have given to grow revenues and profitability.
E-commerce trends
Known for being aware
I have always taken a keen interest in being aware of future changes, rather than being fixed on today’s technology. I have real-world experience of utilising this to the benefit of clients. This includes being ahead of competitors and planning investment rather than having to react to the need for it. I advised on the use of Klarna and ClearPay long before it made the mainstream of e-commerce, much to the benefit of client sites.
EPOS Integration
Full deployments
The integration of e-commerce sites with EPOS systems, centralised stock control across multiple physical retail sites and sychronisation with online operations is an area I have consulted on and driven for clients on several projects. My technical knowledge has allowed me to dive deeper into client requirements. I have identified where existing systems would be major obstacles unless a different vendor was found.
Coding and IT Skills
I have held senior roles at PLC level and private companies in the UK. These roles required the managing of major projects and multi-million pound budgets. My background of highly advanced technical skills gave me credibility with team members.
Coding
40 years of programming
I began my career as a teen game coder, or programmer as I still tend to call it today. From then until my early 30’s when I achieved MCSD status, I coded in everything from MS Basic to Assembler to Turbo Pascal, C, C+ and all the variations since. I always experimented with anything new that appeared as my work progressed. From HTML to PHP, CSS, Javascript and Python, I still maintain a solid knowledge of most front or back-end languages and scripting.
IT Systems
Deployment & Management
As my career took me through to IT management, then IT Director level, I worked on major projects. These included the deployment of an 8,500 user Microsoft Exchange 2003 system and self-coded a newspaper sales system that saved the company £1.2m and operated across multiple sites. I then managed multi-million pound budgets, acquisition consolidations and large IT teams, dealing with all supplier relationships. There are very few IT provision and management areas I haven’t been exposed to.
Cyber Security
Crossing IT & Web
I’ve been directly involved for over 25 years in all aspects that touch cyber security, from the early days to the current crop of highly complex systems, being the key decision maker on policies or a consultant on choices. I have had real-world exposure to major system hacks, including liaising with Cyber Intelligence Officers at major institutions guarding against and reacting to threats. This has crossed perfectly to my online consulting and has been a huge benefit to clients for website risks and security.
SAP, ERP, CRM & More
Comprehensive Knowledge
I have been involved in a significant number of SAP, ERP, CRM, Finance and other systems implementations, many of which have required integration with public facing web presences. Finance departments have always been a function I have been closely involved with, working with CFO’s, FD’s, Financial Controllers and every other role over the years. On leaving school I qualified with an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) and CIMA Stage II. They have proved incredibly useful in projects.
Socials, Comms & Leadership
I have advised central and local government on social media, along with many of the world’s largest and UK’s most prestigious brands.
Social consulting
10+ Years
For over 10 years I have been respected for my social media knowledge. I have advised central and local government in addition to brands including The R&A, Autoglym, The British Library, Arriva plc, Astrazeneca, The Oxford & Cambridge Club, Lloyds of London, QAFAC of Qatar and countless others. My work with brands has provided them with visibility, revenue growth, profitability and awareness of critical topics on every social platform, both organically and in paid-for formats.
Social training
Tens of thousands
Throughout my work in social media, I have trained tens of thousands of staff. I am often retained to take my knowledge to teams ranging from digital marketing leaders to general managers, marketing directors and all other roles where an organisation wants to make employees aware of risks and opportunities. I have taught investigative skills through the use of social media tools, recruitment vetting techniques and how use social media to benefit online visibility.
Communication
Presenting & Clarity
My presentations, training and overall communication have been used by all levels of staff. I have shown entire teams how to train others and been asked to consult and advise on how to present to company leaders. I pride myself on a friendly yet professional approach. It yields results in the way I convey complex subjects with clarity whilst retaining the most important aspects of any subject matter. My report writing is extremely thorough, both in analytical presentation and tone of voice, making readability a priority.
Leadership
Internal & External Direction
I am an experienced leader that has always believed in leading by example, setting goals and standards from the outset. I have been professionally trained by various bodies during my career, including a 2-year Senior Management Development Course whilst in the newspaper sector, and several courses on subjects ranging from digital influences on the brain and lifestyles to union negotiation, staff motivation, project management and self-awareness and improvement.
Time to talk? Find out how I can help your business today.
I’m always happy to hold an informal and without obligation 30-minute initial chat by Google Meet, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Alternatively, use my contact page or email and I’ll reply as swiftly as I can.