Available to hire
Hi, I’m Leo Zane Gouws, a South African Digital Marketing Specialist, SEO Strategist, Senior SEO Copywriter, and Founder of Leo Writes & Ranks.
I help businesses, brands, and professionals increase their online visibility through SEO, content marketing, search discoverability, AI visibility, and conversion-focused digital strategies.
My expertise includes SEO copywriting, technical SEO, semantic SEO, content strategy, AI search optimization, LinkedIn visibility, personal branding, and organic growth marketing. I have experience creating content systems that improve search performance, strengthen authority, and generate measurable business results.
Beyond client work, I am building the #VisibleYouthSA initiative, helping South African youth become more discoverable, employable, and digitally prepared through SEO, digital skills education, personal branding, and online visibility.
Whether you need high-performing SEO content, a search growth strategy, website optimization, content planning, or digital visibility consulting, I focus on helping you become easier to find, trust, and choose online.
Specialties: SEO • Digital Marketing • SEO Copywriting • Content Strategy • AI Visibility • Search Discoverability • Technical SEO • Personal Branding • LinkedIn Optimization • WordPress • GA4 • Conversion Optimization • Digital Skills Education
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Language
English
Fluent
Work Experience
Senior Copywriter, Digital Marketing & CRM Strategy at Blueion Support Services
March 1, 2026 - PresentDrive end-to-end digital marketing strategy and high-converting copywriting across multiple online casino brands, combining performance-driven messaging with data-led decision-making to increase deposits, player retention, lifetime value (LTV), and revenue growth.
Lead the execution of multi-channel marketing campaigns, including email, SMS, push notifications, and on-site promotions, optimised for customer acquisition, engagement, and conversion rate optimisation (CRO).
Manage and continuously optimise casino websites, including promotional pages, UX flow, landing page performance, and conversion-focused content, ensuring seamless user journeys and strong commercial performance.
Develop and execute weekly and monthly promotional strategies, including leaderboards, gamification campaigns, bonus offers, and player engagement systems, designed to increase user activity, retention, and revenue performance.
Analyse financial data and player performance reports to identify trends, refine marketing strategies, and improve campaign ROI, engagement rates, and customer value.
Lead and mentor a copywriting and marketing team, ensuring consistent brand voice, high-quality output, and performance-focused execution across all channels.
Plan and execute cross-sell, upsell, and retention campaigns, aligning messaging with player lifecycle stages, behavioural triggers, and CRM workflows.
Collaborate with product, CRM, and operations teams to align offers, automation and customer journeys, ensuring an integrated and results-driven marketing approach.
Apply strong understanding of digital marketing strategy, consumer psychology and data analysis to build campaigns that are:
• Conversion-focused
• Customer-centric
• Revenue-driven
Key Focus Areas:
Copywriting • Digital Marketing Strategy • Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) • CRM Marketing • Player Psychology • Retention Marketing • Revenue Growth • Campaign Strategy • Lifecycle Marketing • Data-Driven Marketing • Customer Engagement
Founder | SEO Specialist | Digital Marketing Strategist at Leo Writes & Ranks
January 1, 2023 - PresentI built my personal brand completely organically with no ads and no paid traffic. Using SEO, content strategy and AI automation, I turned my profile into a ranking ecosystem that proves how digital visibility and online income can be built without a big team or budget.
I created and optimised my own website to rank for competitive searches like “Best SEO Copywriter South Africa”, “SEO specialist South Africa” and “SEO content writer SA.”
I also grew my audience across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, all directing traffic into a Linktree funnel for recruiters and decision-makers.
My system uses:
• Semantic SEO
• Technical SEO foundations
• Content clustering
• AI SEO optimisation
• Cross-platform distribution
• Automation (ChatGPT, Frase, SurferSEO)
Who I Help
🟠 Founders & Small Teams
SEO and content systems that drive visibility, leads and long-term ranking growth.
🟠 Recruiters & Marketing Agencies
High-performing SEO copy, technical SEO support and AI-driven content strategies.
🟠 Youth & Community Organisations
Training unemployed youth (18–35) in SEO, affiliate marketing, WordPress, Canva and GA4.
Core Skills
• SEO Copywriting
• Technical SEO
• Content Strategy
• AI Automation
• Personal Branding
• Social Content
• Affiliate Strategy
• Youth Empowerment
If you’re building a brand, hiring SEO talent or empowering others, I’m open to collaborating.
#SEO #ContentStrategy #SEOSpecialist #AISEO #AffiliateMarketing #YouthTraining #DigitalSkills #PersonalBranding #OnlineIncome #SouthAfrica
SEO Copywriter & Content Strategist (AI & Technical SEO) at Gold Media Lab
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2026At Gold Media Lab, I help 100+ brands grow smarter by combining technical SEO, AI-powered content and strategy to increase visibility across Google, voice search and social platforms. From structured data to Facebook storytelling, I design systems that make content easier to find, more engaging to read and more valuable to the business.
🟠 Key Responsibilities & Impact
SEO Strategy & Technical Execution
🔹 Researched keywords using AI trends and semantic search intent
🔹 Ran technical audits, resolved crawl issues and improved site health
🔹 Updated metadata, implemented schema and improved internal linking across 100+ pages
🔹 Optimized content for SGE, voice assistants and AI-enhanced search
AI-Driven Content Strategy
🔹 Built content workflows using ChatGPT, Frase, and SurferSEO
🔹 Created prompt libraries and editorial systems to increase production
🔹 Structured content for snippets, topical coverage, and E-E-A-T alignment
Content Marketing & Website Management
🔹 Published and updated SEO content via WordPress and Sitecore
🔹 Collaborated with developers and writers to ensure SEO-first UX
🔹 Managed clusters, pillar pages and calendars to support growth
Organic Facebook Growth
🔹 Managed Facebook content supporting SEO and blog visibility
🔹 Repurposed blog posts into visual formats to expand reach
🔹 Planned Facebook posts around keyword themes and campaigns
🔹 Increased engagement through format testing and strong CTAs
Analytics & Performance Optimization
🔹 Tracked performance using GA4, GSC, SEMrush and Screaming Frog
🔹 Built dashboards to surface insights and optimization wins
🔹 Used heatmaps and user data to improve CTAs and flow
#SEO #ContentStrategy #TechnicalSEO #VoiceSearch #AIContent #OrganicFacebook #FraseSEO #SurferSEO #ChatGPTSEO #TopicalAuthority #SchemaMarkup #AffiliateSEO #DigitalMarketing #ContentMarketing
Education
Bcom Marketing Management at University of South Africa
February 3, 2014 - December 4, 2015⚪Equipped with strategic marketing, business analysis, and management expertise, enabling data-driven decision-making and problem-solving in dynamic business environments.
🔵Key Competencies:
✔ Market & Business Analysis – Collect, analyze, and interpret economic, financial, and marketing data to drive strategic decision-making.
✔ Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking – Identify and resolve marketing, operational, and supply chain challenges with innovative solutions.
✔ Strategic Planning & Execution – Develop and evaluate business, marketing, and supply chain strategies to ensure sustainable growth.
✔ Leadership & Management – Understand the responsibilities of marketing, supply chain, and project management roles, ensuring accountability to senior leadership.
Strong foundation in marketing, business strategy, and supply chain management, with the ability to translate insights into actionable business growth strategies.
#MarketingStrategy #BusinessAnalysis #GrowthMarketing
Qualifications
Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional
January 1, 2023 - June 4, 2026Critical Thinker Badge
January 1, 2022 - June 4, 2026Independent Learner Badge
January 1, 2022 - June 4, 2026On-Time Badge
January 1, 2022 - June 4, 2026Industry Experience
Gaming, Software & Internet, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Other
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
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