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Lee Coates

Digital Marketing Specialist

SEO Specialist

Ecommerce Specialist

Technical SEO Specialist

Website Builder Specialist

Digital PR Specialist

Link Building Specialist

Email Marketing Specialist

  • About
  • Portfolio
  • CV
  • Skills
  • Contact
Lee Coates

Digital Marketing Specialist

SEO Specialist

Ecommerce Specialist

Technical SEO Specialist

Website Builder Specialist

Digital PR Specialist

Link Building Specialist

Email Marketing Specialist

My Awards My Recommendations Let's Talk

CV

Experience
2025 - Present
Senior SEO Consultant
SQUIDGY

In my current role, I provide senior-level SEO leadership, guiding strategy, mentoring a team, and delivering scalable organic growth for clients. I have led full-scale website migrations for extremely large ecommerce platforms often operating in multiple regions, ensuring technical stability, minimal traffic disruption, and long-term performance gains. Alongside this, I am responsible for the entire organic SEO performance and web presence of several well-known brands, developing strategies that integrate technical SEO, content, and digital PR. My work involves setting strategic direction, overseeing execution, and driving measurable improvements in visibility, engagement, and conversions across complex online ecosystems.

2022-2025
Digital Marketing Manager
Clickzilla

As the founder and Digital Marketing Manager at Clickzilla, I built a digital agency from the ground up, delivering multi-channel campaigns across SEO, PPC, email marketing, and CRO. I developed and implemented technical SEO audits, optimised site structure and schema, and created high-impact content strategies covering landing pages, product pages, and content hubs. Alongside client-facing responsibilities, I recruited and managed a team of six contractors, ensuring projects were delivered to a consistently high standard. I also led link-building campaigns that combined digital PR with targeted outreach to strengthen authority in competitive industries. This role gave me the opportunity to balance leadership and strategy with hands-on execution, producing measurable improvements in traffic, engagement, and revenue.

2021-2021
Head Of Creative Content
Conversion Interactive Agency (formerly Curtis Gabriel)

At Conversion Interactive, I led SEO and content strategies for over 180 clients across the UK and US, spanning industries from e-commerce to professional services. My responsibilities included overseeing keyword research, technical audits, and competitor analysis, which shaped tailored, data-driven content plans. I collaborated with internal teams and clients to deliver launch strategies, ongoing SEO campaigns, and creative assets for both paid and organic channels. A key part of my role was leading a team of eight strategists, providing guidance on best practice in SEO, content creation, and paid advertising. I also supported startups with viral campaign concepts and launch strategies, while ensuring long-term performance improvements for established businesses.

2019-2021
Content Marketing Consultant
Evolved Search

As a consultant at Evolved Search, I developed SEO strategies that generated award-winning results for major brands in highly competitive industries. I played a central role in designing digital PR campaigns that achieved national and international media coverage, strengthening brand authority and visibility. My work included auditing websites to uncover SEO opportunities, producing optimised landing pages and content hubs, and advising clients on strategies supported by actionable performance insights. I acted as a key client contact, regularly communicating results, aligning activity with business objectives, and ensuring that projects delivered measurable impact.

2017-2019
Content Marketing Executive
Evolved Search

In this role I supported a wide range of e-commerce and B2C clients by creating SEO-optimised content and strengthening technical performance. I carried out in-depth keyword research, competitor analysis, and site audits to identify opportunities for growth, and worked closely with design and development teams to improve site structure, user experience, and overall performance. Alongside content creation, I contributed to digital PR and link-building campaigns, producing assets that secured high-quality backlinks and enhanced domain authority. Using tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Analytics, I identified content gaps, improved site visibility, and laid strong foundations for long-term SEO success across client portfolios.

2016-2017
Freelance Digital Marketing Specialist
Beardy Creative

As a freelance consultant, I partnered with local businesses to improve their online presence through tailored SEO strategies and web design. I implemented technical SEO enhancements, created location-focused content, and developed backlink campaigns to strengthen domain authority and search visibility. Beyond strategy, I also designed and optimised websites across WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace, ensuring they were search-friendly, conversion-ready, and aligned with client goals. This role allowed me to manage projects end to end, combining technical improvements, creative content, and performance analysis to help businesses improve their local rankings, attract new customers, and achieve measurable revenue growth.

2015-2016
Digital Marketing Manager
Urban Surfer

At Urban Surfer, I was responsible for leading the brand’s entire digital marketing strategy across SEO, paid search, social media, email, and content within the skate, surf, and snow retail sector. I developed SEO-driven content hubs, optimised product pages on Magento, and managed campaigns designed to increase visibility and drive engagement. My responsibilities included scaling paid social and PPC activity to maximise ROI, launching email campaigns to support customer retention, and overseeing multi-channel content production. I also focused on community building, growing the brand’s presence across social platforms, and fostering stronger engagement with its customer base. By combining technical improvements, targeted campaigns, and creative storytelling, I helped strengthen Urban Surfer’s online presence and deliver consistent, measurable growth.

Awards
Best Automotive Campaign
2021
Best Automotive Campaign
UK Search Awards

The UK Search Awards has been celebrating the expertise, talent and achievements of the search industry for a decade and is regarded as the premiere celebration of SEO, PPC and content marketing in the UK.

Best Use Of Search
2020
Best Use Of Search
European Search Awards

The European Search Awards reward and celebrate the very best companies and people working in PPC, SEO, and Content Marketing across a variety of highly competitive business sectors, in a shifting digital landscape.

Education
Business Creation
2012 - 2014
Business Creation
Northumbria University

Northumbria University's BA (Hons) Business and Entrepreneurship program combines entrepreneurial theory with practical experience, enabling students to develop business ideas from the outset and skills to operate a business.

Business Management
2009-2011
Business Management
Newcastle College

The program integrates practical application with theoretical study, covering areas such as marketing, finance, and management. Students engage in live briefs with companies to real-world gain experience. 

Recommendations

Here’s what colleagues and clients say

"Lee was a great help to our SEO activities at Vertu Motors. Lee delivered some great content pieces, both onsite and offsite, and explained the content briefs in a manner which was easy to understand. He also provided key support to the inhouse content team with relevant training given at key stages to assist with personal development. Lee's use of data allowed me to demonstrate the value of the work supplied to Senior Management, which proves the worth of the content he provides his clients. He also provided insight reports as to whom the target audience was and their readership figures in addition to links reports which showed the amplification that one content piece has on the business."
Jonathan Rowntree
Senior SEO Strategist, Vertu Motors
"I worked with Lee on an international betting & casino project. I was particularly impressed with his approach and methodology for completing international keyword research, and his ability to communicate what work was being carried out, why it was being completed in that way, and when it would be completed. Our interactions were always enjoyable and we were able to make rapid progress toward achieving our project goals.!"
Mark Good
CCO, Fortuna Gaming
"Looking for a copywriter who can take a technical and niche subject and turn it into easily digestible and engaging content? Well, then I highly recommend Lee! (Caveat: If your topic is not technical or niche - Lee's copy would also be great!). Lee has helped write Bright Tangerine's copy and proved to be an all-round effective communicator - both in the copy he delivered and in keeping in touch on deliverables and progress. Big thank you Lee. P.S. Lee is so good that I wish he could have written this recommendation for me. I will leave it there!"
Marian Cole
Campaign Manager, Bright Tangerine
"It was a great experience working with Lee for several years in a creative marketing environment. His campaign ideas are always second to none and his commitment to producing engaging, results-driven content raised the game of those around him. He also has a solid understanding of what makes an effective, optimised site and is able to articulate SEO best practice to stakeholders in a clear, accessible way - providing recommendations that boost performance and demonstrate real value to businesses."
John Patterson
Digital Marketing Lead, Northumbria University
"Lee and I have worked together for several months to improve our SEO. I found Lee highly skilled, and his suggestions have made a great impact. Lee had brilliant communication throughout the entire project and was always quick to respond to any queries I had. Highly recommend!"
Vicky Law
Marketing Executive, Oak Group
"Lee recently completed some writing work for me ahead of a new website going live. Diligent and attentive from start to finish, wouldn't hesitate to work with Lee again."
Guy Kingsley-Smith
Marketing Manager, Ringtons
"We've been working with Lee for just over six months now. He's a super driven guy with a passion for digital marketing. He's researched and written a wide range of long form content for one of our websites (Mylocaltoolbox.co.uk) and has implemented some great digitial PR pieces one of which has gathered dozens of links from high authority, household brands relevant to our sector. Highly recommended!"
Adam Clark
Founder, MyLocalToolbox
"Lee has been working with Vanarama to help with our ongoing SEO and Content Strategy for the past few months and has been an excellent addition to the team. Lee is hard-working, creative, innovative and really knows his stuff. He goes above and beyond to research and write the best content for our audiences and we're already seeing the benefits with amazing results. I would highly recommend Lee to anyone looking to enhance their content / SEO strategy."
Debbie Attwood
Brand Manager, Vanaramaa
"Lee is a creative and strategic digital marketer, who has been a key player in numerous market leading content marketing campaigns. Lee is someone who will be able to come up with a winning content marketing strategy whatever the situation. It's rare to work with someone so passionate about their performance and about getting results."
John Ridley
Head Of Search, Evolved Search
"I worked with Lee at Evolved Search. Lee is a highly creative, idea focussed content marketing guy. Very much a blue sky thinker with a passion for bringing new concepts to the table. His clients loved him, and his ability to gauge what works and what doesn't in terms of coverage and amplification . Made him one of the go to guys in the Content team."
Adrian Hewett
Business Development Manager, Evolved Search
"Highly recommend Lee, we worked together for 2 and a half years, he is by far the most creative person I have ever worked with. his ideas consistently create linkable award winning content. He is an asset to any company."
Joel Griffiths
Founder, Performatic
I've worked with 200+ UK & US brands

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