Welcome to a new WTSInterview edition, where we interview brilliant SEOs in our industry and share their stories with the world! WTS members are welcome to share their story by simply filling out this form; we encourage folks from all walks of life in our industry to do so.

Introducing Brenda Benitez! Brenda is a digital marketer with deep expertise in SEO and a new passion for Answer Engine Optimization. She believes the future of search is no longer about ranking pages, but about delivering clear, trusted answers wherever users ask questions. With experience in content strategy, technical optimization, and analytics, Brenda helps brands adapt to the evolving AI-driven search landscape and build visibility that goes beyond keywords.

How did you get into SEO?

I actually found SEO long before I knew it had a name. When I was 17, I was a writer for an online music news magazine. I spent hours interviewing local bands, reviewing new releases, and pouring my heart into articles that I truly believed were great stories. But there was one problem: only a few people were reading them.

I became obsessed with understanding why. Some posts would get hundreds of views while others, just as good, would disappear into the internet void. That curiosity led me to discover SEO. I started learning how search engines worked, how people searched for music and information about their favorite artists, and how the right keywords, headlines, and structure could give a story a real chance to be found and read.

What began as a mission to get more eyes on my articles turned into a passion for optimization. I learned to think not only as a writer, but as a strategist, matching creativity with data, intent with content. Seeing my stories climb search results and reach readers from other cities and even countries felt almost magical.

That experience shaped the way I see SEO today: not as tricks for algorithms, but as a bridge between great content and the people who need it. And now, as search evolves into Answer Engine Optimization, I feel that same excitement again, helping brands move from just being ranked to truly being discovered and understood.

What is your favourite SEO task?

My favorite SEO task is running audits because that’s where every successful strategy begins. I love the process of digging into a website and uncovering what’s really happening beneath the surface: technical issues, content gaps, missed keyword opportunities, and user experience barriers.

An audit feels like solving a puzzle. You analyze site structure, crawlability, internal linking, metadata, and search intent, and suddenly a clear roadmap starts to appear. That moment of discovery when you can pinpoint exactly what needs to be fixed to unlock growth is incredibly rewarding.

What is your go-to tool or resource that you can't live without?

Honestly, my go-to resource isn’t a big all-in-one platform; it’s Google’s “People Also Ask” and related searches combined with the SEO Minion Chrome extension. It’s simple, a bit underrated, and incredibly powerful for understanding real user intent.

I use it to map how questions branch from one another, what language people actually use, and how Google organizes answers. For AEO in particular, this is gold because it shows the exact phrasing users expect to see, not what we assume they search for.

I’ll often pair that with Screaming Frog’s custom extraction to pull headings and FAQ structures from top-ranking pages, then compare them with PAA data to design content that answers questions directly and clearly.

It’s not the flashiest stack, but it keeps me close to the human side of search, which is what matters most as we move from SEO to Answer Engine Optimization.

What is something you learned in SEO that made you have an 'AHA' moment?

My biggest “AHA” moment in SEO was realizing that Google doesn’t rank websites, it ranks answers to intent.

Early on, I thought SEO was mostly about keywords and technical tweaks. But I had a page that was perfectly optimized, great keyword density, solid meta tags, fast loading and it still wouldn’t move. Then I compared it to the top results and noticed something: they weren’t just using the keyword, they were answering the real question behind it.

That’s when it clicked. Search isn’t about matching words; it’s about matching meaning. The pages that win are the ones that understand what the user is trying to solve, feel, or decide in that exact moment.

From then on, my approach changed completely. I started structuring content around questions, entities, and clarity instead of just phrases and the results followed. That realization is also what pulled me toward AEO, because now the goal isn’t just to rank, but to be the most useful, direct answer wherever the user asks.

What is your proudest industry achievement?

My proudest industry achievement was being part of the American Marketing Association Houston team that won a national AMA Excellence in Communications & Marketing Award, while also earning first place in the AMA Houston Crystal Awards for Technical Data and second place in Search Engine Marketing.

For me, this recognition meant more than trophies. It validated the way I approach digital marketing: blending data, search strategy, and storytelling to create work that actually moves organizations forward.

I’m also incredibly proud to have served as a judge for national marketing competitions across the USA (AMA Iowa NOVA Awards, AMA Cincinnati to name a few), where I evaluated campaigns from across the country. Being trusted to assess other professionals’ work showed me I wasn’t just executing SEO strategies, I was contributing to industry standards.

Another major highlight was being featured as a digital marketing expert in Reforma’s Gadgets magazine. Reforma being Mexico’s largest newspaper where I discussed AI-powered search and native advertising. Seeing my perspective published on such a respected platform reinforced my shift toward Answer Engine Optimization and the future of search.

Together, these moments represent what I value most: measurable impact, peer recognition, and helping shape where search and AI-driven marketing are headed next.

What advice would you give those starting out in SEO?

My biggest advice is to start with curiosity, not checklists. SEO changes constantly, but the core never does "understand people first, then algorithms second".

Learn how to read search intent like a story: What is the user trying to solve? What stage are they in? What would a genuinely helpful answer look like? Tools and tactics matter, but they only work when you understand the “why” behind a query.

I’d also say: get comfortable breaking things in a safe way. Build a small website, optimize a friend’s blog, run experiments, and watch what actually moves results. SEO becomes real when you see how one title change or internal link can shift visibility.

And finally, don’t fall in love with one version of SEO. The field is moving from keywords to entities, from ranking pages to providing answers. Stay adaptable, learn AEO, and think like both a marketer and a user. If you do that, you’ll always stay ahead of the curve.

Give a shout out to a person of marginalised gender in the industry who inspires you and tell us why

I want to highlight Lily Ray as someone who truly inspires me in the SEO industry. Her work around E-E-A-T, algorithm updates, and content quality has reshaped how many of us approach search not as a game to win, but as a responsibility to deliver accurate, trustworthy information to users.

What I admire most is how she blends deep technical expertise with integrity and education. She consistently shares research openly, helps others interpret complex changes, and advocates for ethical, user-first SEO. Lily has shown that real leadership in this field isn’t about secret tactics, but about raising the standard for everyone.

Her influence has pushed me to think beyond rankings and focus on building content that genuinely deserves to be found.

What empowers you to be the brilliant person you are?

What empowers me is curiosity paired with action. I’ve learned that brilliance isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about being willing to figure things out.

Finally, how does it feel being part of the Women in Tech SEO community?

Being part of the Women in Tech SEO community feels incredibly meaningful to me. I love that this community exists to represent women in an industry that hasn’t always been welcoming or visible to us. It’s a space where women can show up as experts, learners, and leaders all at once.

What I appreciate most is the sense of belonging it creates. Seeing women openly share knowledge, career journeys, and challenges reminds me that there’s a strong place for us in search. The community proves that technical fields don’t have to be intimidating when we support each other.

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Thanks, Brenda, for a truly insightful interview!

You can follow and/or connect with Brenda on her Linkedin or view her website!

Check out our Interviews page for more interviews. If you've enjoyed reading this, we'd love for YOU to share your story with the world! Simply fill this form here, we welcome brilliant SEOs from all walks of life! 🙌🏽