Freelance SEO Consultant
Driving 300M+ organic clicks for global brands
I've spent over 25 years scaling businesses from startups to billion-dollar enterprises through strategic SEO. From technical optimization to getting your brand cited in AI answers from ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, I deliver measurable results that matter.
About me
I've been in the SEO trenches for over 25 years, and I've seen it all — from the early days of keyword stuffing to today's AI-powered search landscape. My journey has taken me from managing e-commerce operations to leading global SEO strategy for some of the world's most innovative companies.
At Canva and Pexels, I developed a programmatic SEO framework that drove over 210 million organic clicks and managed half a billion indexable pages. I've scaled international SEO across 28 languages, implemented AI-powered automation that saved $300K+ annually, and helped grow businesses from zero to millions in revenue.
Currently, I'm leading SEO strategy at ElevenLabs while offering my expertise as a freelance consultant. My approach is simple: no cookie-cutter packages, no lengthy contracts, just honest, data-driven SEO that delivers measurable results.
Whether you need a one-hour consultation or a comprehensive SEO overhaul, I work on your terms to solve your specific challenges.
📍 Bowling Green, KY
Programmatic SEO
210M+ clicksFramework managing 500M+ indexable pages
International SEO
28 languagesGlobal search visibility across markets
AI & automation
$300K+ savedGPT-4o implementation, 1.75M+ reviews saved annually
Revenue scaling
$0 → $5M+ ARRStartups to multi-million revenue
Experience highlights
- Led global SEO strategy at Canva, Pexels, ElevenLabs, and Vecteezy
- Managed $50M+ e-commerce revenue, growing it to $75M+
- Built AI-powered search & quality assessment models
- Migrated analytics to Snowplow & Snowflake (GDPR compliant)
How I can help
Specialized SEO services designed to solve real problems and deliver measurable results. No fluff, no generic packages — just expert solutions tailored to your needs.
AI SEO / AEO
Get recommended by ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews
More of your buyers now ask an AI assistant before they ever click a search result. I help you show up — and get cited — in those answers, building on the AI search strategy I lead today at ElevenLabs.
- Audit of how AI assistants currently describe and cite your brand vs. competitors
- Content structured so LLMs can understand, quote, and attribute it
- Entity, schema, and authority signals that feed AI answers
- Crawler access for AI bots (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot)
- Tracking AI referrals and brand mentions over time
Technical SEO
Get your site working for you, not against you
Site speed, Core Web Vitals, crawlability, indexability, structured data. I'll identify and fix the technical issues that are killing your rankings and user experience.
Programmatic SEO
Scale your SEO without scaling your team
Automated, scalable content strategies that drive results. I've built programmatic systems managing 500M+ pages and delivering 210M+ organic clicks.
SEO site audits
If your site isn't performing, I'll find out why
Comprehensive analysis of what's holding you back, with clear, actionable recommendations and a prioritized roadmap — no jargon.
SEO site migrations
Moving platforms? Don't lose your traffic
Platform migrations, rebrands, and domain changes done right — protecting your rankings and authority through a smooth transition.
SEO recovery
Lost rankings or hit by a penalty? Let's fix it
Algorithm update recovery, penalty diagnosis and removal, traffic restoration. I'll find what went wrong and get you back on track fast.
Hourly consulting
Expert advice without the commitment
Flexible consultations tailored to your needs. No long contracts, no cookie-cutter packages — expert guidance on your schedule and budget.
Experience & impact
Over 25 years leading SEO strategy for startups, scale-ups, and billion-dollar enterprises.
ElevenLabs
2025 – PresentHead of SEO & Website
Leading global SEO strategy including content, technical SEO, link building, and AI SEO / AEO strategy.
- Developing comprehensive AI-optimized content strategies
- Leading technical SEO infrastructure improvements
- Building global search visibility for AI voice technology
Canva / Pexels
2021 – 2025Global Head of SEO
Led global SEO strategy, significantly expanding organic reach across multiple markets and languages.
- Built programmatic SEO framework driving 210M+ organic clicks
- Managed 500M+ indexable pages across 28 languages
- Implemented AI-powered automation saving $300K+ annually
- Collaborated with engineering, product, and data science teams
Vecteezy
2017 – 2021Director of SEO & Growth
Grew organic traffic through technical SEO improvements and data-driven growth strategies.
- Scaled ARR from $0 to $5M+
- Developed advanced analytics models leveraging search data
- Spearheaded international SEO strategies
Camping World
2011 – 2015GM, Director of E-commerce
Led e-commerce operations, driving online sales growth through SEO, CRO, and data-driven optimization.
- Grew e-commerce revenue from $50M to $75M+ (25% EBITDA improvement)
- Launched the company's first mobile app with Bluetooth tracking
- Improved conversion rates and customer lifetime value
123Print
2009 – 2010Director of SEO
- Ranked #2 for "business cards" (up from #10)
- Increased revenue by 70% through search optimization
- Developed programmatic SEO for personalized products
AI & machine learning
- GPT-4o integration
- Vector search (CLIP)
- Automated quality assessment
Data & analytics
- Snowplow & Snowflake
- SQL-based SEO dashboards
- A/B testing frameworks
Leadership & strategy
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Executive insights
- Global market optimization
How I work
A straightforward, transparent process designed around your needs.
Discovery call
We start by understanding your business, goals, and challenges. What's working? What's not? What are you trying to achieve?
Free 30-minute consultationStrategic assessment
A deep dive into your site, competitors, and opportunities — technical analysis, content audit, and quick wins.
Data-driven insightsActionable plan
Clear, prioritized recommendations with realistic timelines and expected outcomes. Just what needs to be done and why.
Prioritized roadmapFlexible execution
I execute, guide your team, or provide ongoing consultation — on your timeline and budget.
Your terms, your wayMy philosophy
I don't believe in one-size-fits-all packages. Every business is different, with unique challenges, goals, and constraints. That's why I tailor every engagement to your specific needs — whether it's a quick audit, ongoing consulting, or a comprehensive SEO overhaul.
No long-term contracts. No arbitrary deliverables. No surprises.
What clients & colleagues say
"Rich has tackled some of the most complex strategic challenges, building AI-powered search and automation tools that significantly improve efficiency. His technical innovations helped redefine our approach to content discovery."
"Everything was clear and there were a few nuggets we applied right away that look very promising to increase traffic. This was money well invested."
"10 STARS! Rich did everything superbly. From his sense of urgency to his detailed analysis to his willingness to go above and beyond. We will continue using Rich as long as he'll have us!"
"Rich operates at a level far beyond what's expected. His ability to simplify complex problems, communicate impact effectively, and drive data-driven strategies has been invaluable to our growth."
"He provided clear analysis and direction — an actionable plan that goes beyond SEO and speaks to how I can better position my site for customers. Highly recommended."
"Rich isn't like all of the other UpWork 'SEO experts' — this guy truly knows what he's talking about. His passion and expertise have helped my business tremendously."
"Rich is a pleasure to work with. He finds the signal in the noise and provides explicit instruction to resolve issues. Will call on Rich for Technical SEO again."
"Rich is a true SEO expert. I tried so many, and Rich simply is the best on Upwork. Will 100% hire again."
Let's talk about growing your organic traffic
Tell me a bit about your site and what you're trying to achieve. I usually respond within 24 hours.
What happens next?
- I'll review your message and respond within 24 hours
- We'll schedule a free 30-minute discovery call
- I'll share initial thoughts and next steps
📍 Bowling Green, KY · working with clients worldwide