Paul Wasson
@paulwasson
SEO director leveraging AI and automation to drive growth.
South AfricaWhat I'm looking for
I am an innovative SEO director specialised in leveraging AI and automation to deliver technical and content strategies that scale organic performance.
I have engineered automated AI pipelines using no-code/low-code tools like n8n, developed enterprise-grade AI products including an AI Proofreader and a RAG chatbot, and scoped on-premises AI infrastructure to support secure, high-volume processing.
My hands-on SEO work includes large-scale content optimisation for ecommerce (600+ product categories, ~2000 product pages), structured data and knowledge-graph strategies that increased brand citations in AI-generated search overviews, and technical audits resolving Core Web Vitals and site-speed issues.
I combine leadership, internal enablement and public thought leadership—running workshops, speaking at conferences, and embedding an experimentation culture—to turn AI-driven disruption into measurable business advantage.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
SEO Director
ninety9cents
Aug 2023 - Present (2 years 1 month)
Engineered and deployed automated AI pipelines and launched the 99c AI Companion and AI Proofreader to accelerate on-page optimisation and content enrichment, delivering cost savings and operational efficiencies across the business.
Senior SEO Strategist
ninety9cents
Dec 2022 - Aug 2023 (8 months)
Led SEO for major retail clients (Checkers, Shoprite), implemented UGC capabilities and structured data strategy to increase brand citations in AI search, and remediated Core Web Vitals to improve UX and rankings.
Marketing Manager
Faircape Group
Sep 2021 - Aug 2022 (11 months)
Led website redevelopment, redirected strategies to preserve domain authority, and owned sales performance, lead generation, content, PPC and multi-channel marketing to drive engagement and conversions.
FNSEO & Content Manager
Faithful to Nature
Mar 2018 - Mar 2021 (3 years)
Produced and optimised SEO content for ~600 product categories and ~2000 unique product pages, created own-brand product copy for 50+ products, and established content standards aligning CI with ecommerce goals.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
UWUniversity of the Witwatersrand
Bachelor of Arts, English & Psychology
2009 - 2012
Completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology with two certificates of First Class Merit, focusing on literature and psychology coursework.
Cambridge Accredited Institution
TEFL Certificate, Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Completed a Cambridge-accredited Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course totaling 150 hours.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
South AfricaAuthorized to work in
Portfolio
faithful-to-nature.co.zaJob categories
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