Interviewing Karyna Barbaziuk

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 Karyna Barbaziuk! Karyna Barbaziuk is an experienced SEO and Digital Marketing professional with over ten years of experience. Originally from Ukraine and now based in the U.S., she has managed SEO teams and campaigns for diverse industries and global markets, combining technical skills with creative problem-solving. She is the kind of person who goes to sleep thinking about the next Google algorithm update and wakes up ready to test new SEO strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys connecting with like-minded professionals and traveling with the family.

How did you get into SEO?

Back in 2016, I was working as a marketing specialist and constantly looking for ways to grow my career. One day I came across a link-building course, it was presented as the “first step” to becoming an SEO specialist. I decided to give it a try, completed the course, presented my project, and was invited to join a company right after. That’s where I stayed for seven years, eventually growing into a team lead role. I had a team, we worked on the company’s most profitable projects, and delivered great results. Looking back, that course really was the first step that changed the direction of my career.

What is your favourite SEO task?

I honestly enjoy every aspect of SEO, but if I had to pick one, I’d say on-page optimization. I like digging into details, spotting opportunities others might overlook, and testing new ideas to see what works. There’s something really satisfying about tweaking content, structure, or internal linking and then watching the impact in rankings and traffic. It feels like solving a puzzle where every small change matters.

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

My favorite combo is Ahrefs + SEMrush + Screaming Frog. Together they cover pretty much everything: keywords, backlinks, site health, technical fixes etc. They complement each other really well and make it much easier to see the full picture of a website’s performance.

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

After almost 10 years in SEO, I’ve had a lot of those moments. Early on, it was realizing how powerful the right keyword placement on a page could be. Later, it was seeing how much of a difference strong internal linking makes. And now, it’s experimenting with content optimization for LLMs, it’s exciting to discover little “secrets” that help boost traffic and gain more visibility in AI-based search.

What is your proudest industry achievement?

In one of my previous roles, I joined as the very first SEO Manager. Less than a year later, together with the team, we turned SEO into one of the company’s most profitable channels and grew leads by 7x. That was a big milestone for me because I saw the direct impact of SEO on the business.

What advice would you give those starting out in SEO?

Don’t be afraid to experiment. The best way to learn is by trying things yourself and testing different ideas to see what works. If possible, start your own side projects or websites—it’s the safest way to practice and make mistakes. And never stop learning: follow the community, talk to other professionals, go to meetups or conferences. Some of the best insights I’ve ever had came from simple conversations with other SEOs.

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

There are so many smart and talented women in SEO that it’s hard to single out just one. I genuinely get inspired by every woman who shares her case studies, stories, or wins—it’s encouraging to see so many voices shaping the industry.

Finally, what empowers you to be the brilliant person you are?

My family—my husband and my son. They’re my biggest support and constant source of motivation. Knowing they believe in me gives me the strength to push further and the confidence that I can reach any goal.

Thanks, Karyna, for a truly insightful interview!

You can follow and/or connect with Karyna on her Linkedin!

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! 🙌🏽