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 Morgan Barnhardt! Morgan is a Denver-based marketing professional with a decade of industry experience, including eight years specialising in SEO. An alumna of East Carolina University with a B.S. in Business Marketing, Morgan blends strategic thinking with technical expertise to drive meaningful digital growth.

Outside of work, she takes full advantage of the Colorado lifestyle by skiing, playing volleyball, travelling, and hiking with her rescue pup, Dale. A passionate animal lover, Morgan also dedicates her free time to fostering animals in need.

How did you get into SEO?

By accident! I took an entry-level marketing job at a startup consulting firm where we were definitely DIY-ing our SEO. I started off with link building and blogging, and as our team grew, so did my knowledge and love for SEO. And here I am many years later!

What is your favourite SEO task?

Definitely small business SEO strategies. I love taking a website for the “little guy”, digging in deep, and seeing where we can make the biggest shifts to get the best bang for their buck. I really enjoy finding strategic ways to use the assets they already have.

Even though it can be more challenging to optimise an existing site than starting fresh with a shiny new one, I know not every client has that budget, and I love making SEO accessible to businesses that need it most.

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

My real-life answer: my espresso machine. But my SEO answer: Semrush. It might be the opposite of obscure, but when you’re working with small business strategies, efficiency is everything. I love how they present reports, make spot-checking site audits simple, and offer AI and keyword tracking tools that take the heavy lifting out of monitoring campaigns.

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

Early on, I thought every keyword needed to have the absolute highest search volume. My “AHA” moment was realising that volume means nothing without intent.

I remember Googling the broad terms I was targeting and thinking, “Ummm, I am never going to outrank Wikipedia and Forbes with this small business domain.” That reality check completely shifted my mindset. It taught me to step out of the SEO box, look at the actual SERPs, and build strategies around how the consumer actually searches.

What is your proudest industry achievement?

I set a goal in 2026 to step wayyyy out of my comfort zone and do some sort of public speaking on SEO. In March, I did a guest lecture at Metropolitan State University in Denver! Since then, I’ve been on two podcasts: StanVentures and Digital Web Solutions.

What advice would you give those starting out in SEO?

Oh my gosh, just be a sponge. As lame as that phrase may be, it’s true! Everyone has something they can teach you. Whether you are working with other SEOs, graphic designers, paid ads specialists, or writers, they all have so much knowledge that can totally transform your holistic view of SEO and the way you shape your strategies.

On the flip side, be a sponge when listening to business owners, too. They are the SMEs in their niche. Listening to their real-world pain points is what makes your strategy meet real business goals.

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

Heather Hamilton. She is not only a mentor to me but a true friend. We worked on the same SEO team at Archer Education in 2022, and she eventually decided to forge her own path, quit corporate America, and take her own business full-time.

She has presented at multiple conferences, emceed Women in Tech SEO—literally on the fly the night before!—and I just really admire her entire life story. She has built such a name for herself, recently being named to the 2025 Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 Business Leaders.

Above all, she is just so authentically herself, which is incredibly admirable. Between her SEO work and being such a great voice in the queer and women’s communities, I genuinely just don’t have enough good things to say about her!

What empowers you to be the brilliant person you are?

Honestly? I lean fully into the “woo-woo” stuff! I really believe small physical actions make a huge difference in your mindset. I always step out of bed right foot first, and I make a point to stand as tall as I can before walking into any room.

My mornings start with hot lemon water, blasting high-vibration songs, and literally hopping around to get the energy flowing—because depression can’t hit a moving target, haha!

I also love the fun, energetic rituals like making money bowls, blowing cinnamon through my front door on the first of the month, and salting the entryways. If it brings good vibes and keeps negativity away, I’m doing it!

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

It honestly feels like finding a true community right in my own neighbourhood. With everything going on in the world politically, having a dedicated space for women and marginalised genders is so deeply important.

What makes WTS so special is the energy at the meetups. Everyone is just incredibly kind and caring! People are constantly asking questions, offering help, and actively building each other up without ego.

It goes so far beyond just talking shop. It truly feels like I’ve found a genuine, supportive community of women who just happen to also be amazing SEOs.

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Thanks, Morgan, for a truly insightful interview!

You can follow and/or connect with Morgan 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! 🙌🏽