Daniel Vollgraaff
Cape Town
Summary
SEO Product Manager focused on Search Experience & Intent-Driven UX Focused on building search-aligned structures and intent-driven user experiences that scale. I design and manage digital products (websites, platforms) with a deep understanding of how people search and how that shapes both discovery and experience. My work blends SEO architecture, UX strategy, and content systems to improve visibility, engagement, and conversion.
Experienced with business development, team leadership, and strategic planning. Utilises innovative problem-solving and market analysis to drive company growth and success.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Founder & Managing Director
Meditree Medical Equipment
01.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Meditree is an online classified platform designed for buying and selling second-hand medical equipment. We connect healthcare professionals, hospitals, and medical institutions with sellers offering medical devices and equipment. Our mission is to simplify the process of acquiring affordable, reliable medical equipment while fostering a transparent and safe marketplace.
Search Engine Marketing Manager
SOZO
12.2023 - Current
- Company Overview: As a Digital Marketing Specialist at Sozo Design, I focused on driving organic growth for our eCommerce clients through comprehensive SEO strategies and effective collaboration, not only increasing organic traffic but also enhancing their overall profitability.
- - Keyword Research: Conducted in-depth keyword research to identify opportunities that align with client goals and enhance search visibility.
- - Website Audits and Technical Fixes: Performed thorough website audits, implementing technical fixes to improve site performance and SEO compliance.
- - SEO Migrations: Managed website SEO migrations, ensuring seamless transitions while preserving search rankings and traffic.
- - Tag Manager Setup: Set up and configured Google Tag Manager for accurate tracking of user behavior and campaign performance.
- - Content Strategy Development: Developed content strategies and roadmaps that align with SEO objectives and engage target audiences effectively.
- - Client Communications: Maintained strong client relationships through regular communication, ensuring transparency and understanding of SEO strategies.
- - SEO Strategy Implementation: Executed tailored SEO strategies, continually optimizing for improved search rankings and visibility.
- - Workshops with Clients: Conducted workshops to educate clients on SEO best practices, fostering collaboration and empowering them to contribute to their own success.
Owner
Distil Digital
02.2018 - 10.2023
- Company Overview: Founder & Search Experience Strategist
- Digital Marketing & SEO Strategy
- 5 yrs 9 mos
- Overview:
- Founded and led a boutique consultancy specialising in crafting Search Experience strategies that connect users’ intent to client outcomes. Combined creativity with data-driven insight to design seamless journeys from initial query to conversion across SEO, UX, and content.
- Key Responsibilities & Achievements:
- Search-Led Strategy: Designed and executed integrated SEO and digital marketing strategies tailored to client business goals, focusing on search intent, site structure, and conversion alignment.
- Site Architecture & UX Alignment: Guided clients in structuring websites around keyword clusters and user behavior, improving content discoverability, internal linking, and engagement.
- Campaign Performance & Analytics: Conducted deep performance reviews using Google Analytics, Search Console, and heatmap tools to refine strategies and improve conversion paths.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked closely with freelance teams including developers, writers, and designers to execute cohesive, user-centric campaigns and digital experiences.
- Budget & Project Oversight: Managed client budgets and timelines while ensuring quality execution and ROI across SEO, PPC, content, and UX design workstreams.
- Client Education & Enablement: Built long-term relationships by educating clients on best practices, helping them internalize and maintain growth strategies independently.
- Product-Led Thinking: Applied product-thinking frameworks to design digital ecosystems where content, SEO, UX, and CRO work together to fulfill both user needs and business objectives.
- Notable Impact:
- Transformed underperforming websites into high-traffic assets through technical audits, content re-architecture, and UX improvements.
- Helped multiple B2B and eCommerce clients improve organic traffic, reduce bounce rates, and increase qualified leads through search experience optimisation.
Founder & Head of SEO
Health Central Store
01.2021 - 10.2021
- Company Overview: Co-Founder & Head of Marketing (Platform Architecture & Growth Strategy) Health & Wellness eCommerce
- 18 Months
- Overview:
- Led the platform’s digital strategy and growth from the ground up with direct input into site architecture, user journey design, and marketing execution. Focused on building an intent-led, conversion-friendly online experience that aligned customer needs with product discovery pathways.
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - Platform Architecture & UX: Partnered with a development agency to design the website structure based on user intent, enabling shoppers to navigate by needs such as Focus, Energy, Performance, or Sleep.
- - End-to-End Project Oversight: Directed the web development process from concept through launch, ensuring the platform met both UX and SEO best practices.
- - Search-Driven Navigation Strategy: Developed intuitive site navigation and product categorization that aligned with how users search and what problems they seek to solve increasing engagement and conversion likelihood.
- - Content & Channel Marketing: Curated and executed content strategies for the blog and social media, driving organic visibility and positioning the brand as an authority in the wellness space.
- - SEO & Data Insights: Monitored performance via Google Analytics and Search Console, making informed decisions to boost traffic and refine customer acquisition efforts.
- - eCommerce Integration: Managed the end-to-end implementation of eCommerce infrastructure, improving shopping flows and optimising for conversions.
- - Cross-Functional Leadership: Bridged communication between marketing, product vision, and tech teams to ensure alignment across all growth initiatives.
- Reason for Leaving: Departed due to a partner disagreement.
Digital Marketing Strategist
Curately, by Piccing Inc.
01.2018 - 03.2018
- Company Overview: SEO Strategist & Digital Growth Consultant Tech Startup
- Lifestyle App
- Visual Content Discovery
- 9 Months curate.ly | Piccing Inc
- Overview:
- Worked across two tech-focused startups, leading SEO and digital marketing strategy to improve visibility, user acquisition, and product discoverability. Operated at the intersection of SEO, UX, product ideation, and cross-channel digital marketing, aligning user search behavior with platform capabilities and business goals.
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - SEO Strategy & Search Optimization (Curate.ly): Led holistic SEO strategy (technical, on-page, off-page) to support platform discoverability and growth.
- - Collaborated with UX, dev, and machine learning teams to structure content around user search behavior and tagging systems.
- - Shaped product ideation by contributing search trends and SEO insights during feature planning, including navigation, tagging, and schema.
- - Provided long-tail keyword research to support both editorial content and ML training datasets for recommendation algorithms.
- - Consulted on technical SEO: crawl management, indexing, schema markup, and scalable URL structures.
- - Prioritised SEO roadmap based on business value, technical feasibility, and user intent data.
- - Digital Marketing & Campaign Execution (Piccing Inc): Developed and managed multi-channel marketing campaigns across Google Ads, social media, display, and email.
- - Managed content creation and editorial planning, aligning messaging with branding and search demand.
- - Reported on performance metrics, identifying optimization opportunities and actionable next steps.
- Notable Impact:
- - Helped build scalable systems for SEO content, tagging, and recommendations in early-stage product environments.
- - Enhanced digital acquisition strategies with data-driven insights, improving campaign ROI and user engagement.
- Reason for Leaving: Company went insolvent.
SEO Specialist
R.O.I. Digital
01.2017 - 07.2017
- Company Overview: SEO & Digital Marketing Strategist Cape Town
- ECommerce Marketing
- 7 months www.roidigital.co.za
- Overview:
- Delivered advanced SEO strategies for clients across legal, hospitality, and medical sectors. Focused on technical audits, conversion rate optimisation (CRO), and aligning organic growth strategies with client goals using first-party data and behavioural insights.
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - Advanced SEO Audits: Conducted in-depth technical audits covering site architecture, crawlability, indexation, and structured data — using tools such as Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and GTmetrix.
- - Onsite SEO: Implemented metadata optimization, internal linking, heading structure, schema markup, and content alignment based on keyword intent and search trends.
- - Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): Used behavioural data and landing page testing to improve user flows and on-site performance across key conversion paths.
- - Search Console Analysis: Leveraged GSC (formerly Webmaster Tools) to identify click-through rate opportunities, keyword gaps, and UX insights for content optimsation.
- - Cross-Channel Strategy: Collaborated on integrated SEO/PPC strategies, ensuring alignment between organic visibility and paid acquisition efforts.
- - Client Portfolio: Worked across multiple industries — including law firms, international hotel chains (Ireland), and healthcare providers tailoring strategies to niche user behaviours and commercial goals.
- Reason for Leaving: Took a new opportunity to move into a broader product-led role that combined SEO, UX, and digital growth strategy.
SEO Specialist
Titan Digital, Perth WA
04.2016 - 12.2016
- Company Overview: SEO Specialist (Promoted from SEO Consultant) Global
- Full Digital Marketing
- 9 months www.titandigital.com.au
- Overview:
- Worked at one of Australia’s largest full-service digital marketing agencies, managing a high-volume portfolio of SEO clients across various industries. Promoted within 6 months for strong performance, strategic contributions, and client results.
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - SEO Account Management: Managed SEO strategy and execution for 80+ clients, including both SMEs and high-value Titan Black bespoke accounts.
- - SEO Package Creation: Designed and launched Titan’s one-off SEO package helping the agency scale its offerings for small and medium businesses.
- - Workflow & Systems: Collaborated with internal teams to create SEO processes and delivery workflows, improving campaign efficiency and output quality across departments.
- - Promotion: Promoted to SEO Specialist for the bespoke client division, based on strong client outcomes and strategic contribution to the product team.
- - Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked with developers, designers, and copywriters to align on-page SEO, UX principles, and technical implementation.
- - Performance Tracking: Delivered regular SEO reports to clients with insights on keyword rankings, CTR, traffic performance, and conversion alignment.
- Reason for Leaving: Head-hunted by ROI Digital to return to more advanced technical SEO, campaign strategy, and full-funnel digital marketing execution.
SEO Campaign Manager
Sprout, by iKineo
06.2015 - 03.2016
- Company Overview: SEO Campaign Manager Cape Town
- Performance Marketing
- 10 months www.sproutperformance.com
- Overview:
- Led SEO strategy across high-traffic eCommerce brands within the Silvertree Capital portfolio. Specialised in technical audits, on-site optimisation, and outreach. Focused on integrating SEO strategy with content performance metrics, targeting long-tail keywords based on user intent, and driving measurable business outcomes such as traffic growth, lead generation, and online revenue.
- Key Clients:
- - Superbalist
- - Faithful to Nature
- - CompareGuru
- - CyberCellar
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - Technical SEO: Conducted deep technical audits, structured data implementations, and crawl optimisation across enterprise-scale retail websites.
- - Onsite Optimization: Delivered page-level enhancements and internal linking strategies that supported organic growth and conversion alignment.
- - Outreach Strategy: Led SEO outreach for Superbalist, securing high-authority links including a feature on Vogue.com.
- - Content Campaigns: Co-created the Superbalist 100, a high-impact content asset designed to attract backlinks, build authority, and strengthen brand positioning.
- - Intent-Led SEO: Developed a scalable research framework to mine user-generated queries on forums and niche communities uncovering intent driven long-tail opportunities.
- - This methodology helped transform CompareGuru’s SEO strategy, allowing the brand to gain significant traction in the competitive online insurance space.
- - Strategic SEO Thinking: Shifted focus from traditional keyword first models to user intent focus, combining SERP behaviour, semantic search, and problem solution content strategies.
- Reason for Leaving: To broaden experience by managing a global client portfolio (50+ accounts), with a focus on B2B growth, content architecture, and SEO operations at scale.
Junior Campaign Manager & SEO Specialist
Mabua Professional Services
10.2014 - 07.2015
- Company Overview: SEO Lead Cape Town
- SEO & Web Development
- 10 months www.mabua.co.za
- Overview:
- Led SEO strategy and execution across a portfolio of national brands and enterprise clients. Worked closely with dev, content, and marketing teams to improve organic visibility, website performance, and long-term search growth.
- Key Clients:
- - V&A Waterfront
- - Curro Private Schools
- - Safari & Outdoor
- - KWV Wines
- - The Aleit Group
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - SEO Ownership: Oversaw all SEO campaigns — from technical audits and onsite optimisation to link building and reporting.
- - Onsite Optimisation: Managed metadata, internal linking, content hierarchy, and keyword implementation across high-traffic websites.
- - Content Management: Handled CMS updates, content uploads, and site improvements in collaboration with design and development teams.
- - Authority Building: Researched and repurposed expired domains for link equity, supporting client SEO performance through Private Blog Networks.
- - Collaboration: Worked across departments to align development, content, and SEO best practices for both new builds and ongoing maintenance.
- Reason for Leaving: Offered a position at Sprout to deepen my eCommerce SEO expertise and work on high-scale online retail platforms.
Marketing, Sales and Operations Manager
2nd Take
11.2013 - 07.2014
- Company Overview: Digital Marketing & eCommerce Manager (Promoted from Photographer) Cape Town
- Fashion Retail
- (8 months) www.2ndtake.co.za
- Overview:
- Led digital marketing, eCommerce operations, and creative strategy for South Africa’s leading second-hand designer fashion retailer. Progressed from Photographer to Marketing Manager within months, driving growth across web, content, and offline activations.
- Key Achievements & Responsibilities:
- - Digital Marketing Strategy: Developed and implemented cross-channel marketing plans to grow online sales and expand brand reach.
- - SEO & Web Management: Managed the website, optimized content for search engines, and worked closely with the web developer to improve site functionality and performance.
- - Creative Direction: Designed marketing materials (digital and print), product photography, and visuals for the website, newsletters, and social media.
- - Team Leadership: Managed a multidisciplinary team including marketers, photographers, and fashion stylists.
- - Content Creation: Pioneered the launch of a brand magazine, aligning fashion storytelling with product marketing.
- - Pop-Up Launch: Spearheaded the launch and promotion of a new Cape Town pop-up store, managing everything from location prep to marketing execution.
- Reason for Leaving: To gain agency-side experience and specialize in SEO strategy, technical site architecture, and scalable digital marketing systems.
Education
Professional Diploma - Digital Marketing
Vega School
01.2014
Diploma - Photography
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
01.2012
Diploma - Business Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Durbanville College
01.2009
Matric - Matric
Curro Private School
01.2007
Skills
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Technical SEO
- SEO Product Manager
- SEO Content Strategy
- Team engagement
- Project management
- Process improvements
- Leadership and people development
- Product roadmaps
- Strategic thinking
Certification
- The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0
- Introduction to Generative AI
- Google Analytics - Individual Qualification
- Google Adwords Certification
- Semrush Certification: SEO Fundamentals
Languages
English (Professional Working)
Afrikaans (Native or Bilingual)
Awards
Photography, WP Cycling, Paracycling SA's
Hobbies
Mountain Biking
Hiking
Overlanding
Timeline
Founder & Managing Director
Meditree Medical Equipment
01.2024 - Current
Search Engine Marketing Manager
SOZO
12.2023 - Current
Founder & Head of SEO
Health Central Store
01.2021 - 10.2021
Owner
Distil Digital
02.2018 - 10.2023
Digital Marketing Strategist
Curately, by Piccing Inc.
01.2018 - 03.2018
SEO Specialist
R.O.I. Digital
01.2017 - 07.2017
SEO Specialist
Titan Digital, Perth WA
04.2016 - 12.2016
SEO Campaign Manager
Sprout, by iKineo
06.2015 - 03.2016
Junior Campaign Manager & SEO Specialist
Mabua Professional Services
10.2014 - 07.2015
Marketing, Sales and Operations Manager
2nd Take
11.2013 - 07.2014
Diploma - Photography
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Diploma - Business Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Durbanville College
Matric - Matric
Curro Private School
Professional Diploma - Digital Marketing
Vega School
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