🎤 WTSFest Philadelphia up next on October 7th
🎟️ Tickets also on sale for Melbourne, London, & Portland
🎤 WTSFest Philadelphia up next on October 7th
🎟️ Tickets also on sale for Melbourne, London, & Portland
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 Kelly-Anne Crean! Kelly-Anne is the Head of Operations at Koozai, with over 16 years of marketing and SEO expertise. She is dedicated to mentoring women in tech SEO, providing guidance and support to help them develop essential skills and achieve their career aspirations.
I didn’t follow a traditional route into SEO. I started in more general marketing roles and gradually found myself drawn to the more analytical side of things. I love data and figuring out what’s working and why, so SEO felt like a natural fit. Over time, I moved from in-house to agency roles, picked up more technical knowledge, and found myself increasingly involved in SEO strategies and problem-solving. It wasn’t a straight line, but that’s what makes it interesting.
Reporting. I know most people hate it, but I love it. There’s something really satisfying about digging into the data and seeing what’s working. Without reporting, you can’t show the value of what you’re doing. It helps tell the story and makes SEO make sense to others.
SISTRIX is my go-to, especially for tracking visibility over time. I find the visibility index really useful for seeing the bigger picture of a site’s performance. I also really like Looker Studio for reporting. I know most people don’t enjoy creating reports, but I love being able to customise them and clearly show what’s working.
An 'aha' moment for me was realising that how we communicate SEO to clients is just as important as the work itself. You can do amazing work behind the scenes, but if you can’t clearly explain the value, the impact won’t be recognised. That’s when I really leaned into reporting and focused on making insights clear and meaningful.
One of the things I’m most proud of is mentoring women in the industry. It means a lot to be able to support others, especially when I see them grow in confidence and progress in their careers. I’m also proud of being in a leadership role where I get to shape how SEO is done across projects and help create a supportive environment for the team.
Learn, learn, learn. SEO changes all the time, so the more you can absorb and adapt, the better. Get the basics down first, things like keyword research, on-page SEO, and understanding analytics and everything else will start to make sense. And don’t be afraid to ask questions or learn from others. There’s always something new to discover in SEO, so staying curious is key.
Areej AbuAli is amazing. She’s created a space where women in SEO can genuinely support and lift each other up, something the industry really needs. Her leadership truly makes a difference.
For me, it’s a mix of staying focused on the bigger picture and building good habits that keep things moving. I’m naturally organised, which helps me stay calm when things get busy, I like knowing what needs to happen and when. That structure gives me the headspace to think clearly, support the team, and focus on doing the work well. I also get a lot of energy from being myself at work, no need to put on a front. Being open, clear, and consistent is what helps me lead with confidence, especially when things get challenging.
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Thanks, Kelly-Anne, for a truly insightful interview!
You can learn more about Kelly-Anne on her website and connect with her on 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! 🙌🏽