MEET THE TEAM

Carissa Krause

Marketing & Project Specialist

Abbotsford, BC

2011

Smiling person with long brown hair wearing a plaid shirt poses against a red textured background.
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
“Carissa has been an integral part of 1st on the List for nearly 15 years, bringing incredible versatility and insight to everything she does. With a background in marketing and experience across multiple roles within our company, she has a unique ability to see the big picture while diving into the details. She’s always ready with fresh ideas and thoughtful strategies that help our clients succeed. Whether it’s problem-solving, content strategy, or SEO, Carissa brings creativity, expertise, and a willingness to go the extra mile. Her dedication and insight make her an invaluable part of our team.”
Keiran Griffiths
Managing Director

All About Carissa

Carissa joined the 1st on the List SEO team after graduating with her Bachelor of Business Administration (specializing in Marketing) from the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford BC. Willing to take on anything, Carissa has helped fill in all of the missing pieces over the years. From managing her own SEO accounts to keeping the company blog updated, helping brands get social, and communicating with clients on their campaign progress, she has been a real asset.

One standout moment of her career at 1st on the List is helping co-ordinate a multi-year and multi-domain website audit which included publishing hundreds of pages of Technical SEO, Content, and Social details, and presenting findings to several key members of the client (a national professional body association).

In her current role Carissa focuses on pursuing new marketing opportunities and achieving greater efficiencies within our organization. She also works closely with the Web Design team to nail messaging, branding, and tone in redesign projects.

When I’m Away From My Desk

You’ll likely find her drinking all the coffee while sitting on the floor building Lego or driving hotwheels with her three young. In the summer she tries to do as much camping, exploring local parks, and biking as possible. Recently Carissa has started on the Peloton trend and is incorporating indoor cycling and yoga into her weekly routine. She has also set the goal of reading one book per month for the next year.

  • A man and a woman smiling outdoors. The man wears glasses and a patterned shirt, while the woman wears sunglasses and a floral dress. They are in front of a row of green trees under a clear blue sky.
  • A family poses on a sandy beach, with palm trees and buildings in the background. The woman is kneeling beside three children, and the man is crouching on the other side. Hearts cover the children's faces. They all appear happy.
  • A person and two children sit in a natural rock formation with cavities, surrounded by textured stone and patches of moss. One of the children waves at the camera. They appear to be enjoying an outdoor activity.

Areas of Expertise

  • Strategy
  • Content Development
  • Branding and Messaging

My Client Feedback

“I have been using 1st on the List for just over 3 years in the very competitive professional services industry. During that time, they have helped me to increase my web traffic by 10x and I have seen my position in the Google rankings consistently improve, even versus much larger and more established competitors. Their customer service is good, as are their monthly reports. I plan to keep using them, and have recommended them to friends.”
Michael Lesage
Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public – Michael’s Law Firm
“I am beyond thrilled how 1st on the List has helped build my business from the ground up! If it weren’t for their website design and SEO, I likely wouldn’t be in business today. Getting them to SEO my website is one of the best business decisions I’ve made. My website currently brings in the majority of my new customers. I get phone calls from both local customers and out of state customers because they found my website and liked what they saw. The best thing is these customers come in with their mind already made up to purchase from me because of what they’ve seen on my website. I’ve even had a customer fly from Costa Rica to purchase an engagement ring with me. Thank you 1st on the List!”
Debra Keezing
Owner – Keezing Kreations

Featured Design Projects

Four people join hands in unity. Overlaid is the Sparrow Community Care Society logo, featuring a sparrow illustration and the text "sparrow community care society." The background is slightly blurred outdoor scenery.
A laptop displaying a property management website with user profiles. The screen shows three profiles with images and accompanying text. The background is blurred with green foliage visible through a large window.
A person is typing on a laptop with the screen showing a travel website. The website features a snowy mountain scene and a text promoting "unforgettable travel experiences with a dedicated local team." There are search fields for location, check-in, and check-out.

What I’ve Been Writing About

Quickfire Questions, Honest Answers

I make it a priority to really listen to what my clients need and want to achieve. Every business has its own story, and it’s important to me to understand this story and gain context. Context is key and I want to get to the heart of what matters most and why. It’s all about working together to create something that really fits your business, is actually feasible to implement, and helps you move forward.

My biggest advice is to skip the comparison game. It’s easy to get caught up in what competitors or others in your industry are doing—whether it’s their search rankings, impressive websites, or polished Instagram posts. But what you don’t see is all the hard work, time, and resources they’ve invested to get there. Their success didn’t happen overnight, and yours won’t either. Plus, their goals and definition of success may be completely different from yours, which is why their website, social presence, or messaging looks the way it does. It’s okay to be different. Stay true to your values and focus on what resonates with your target audience. That’s where real, lasting success comes from.

I love finding and following other Digital Marketing firms who are doing something a little different on Instagram and as a result, stand out to me. They often spark new ideas for my projects at 1st on the List as well as inspiration for our clients.

 I’d say collaborative, clear communication, creative problem solver, and diligent. I thrive on working closely with clients to refine their ideas and build on them, making sure we’re always moving toward the best possible solution. Whether it’s tackling a complex challenge or fine-tuning a strategy, I stay focused and committed to delivering results that align with the goals.

I rely on Slack a lot to stay connected with the 1st on the List team—it keeps communication smooth and efficient. But my favorite productivity hack? Good old-fashioned sticky notes. I know it sounds a bit old school, but there’s something about writing tasks down, color-coding them, and having them right in front of me on my desk or wall to move around that keeps me organized. Plus, crossing off each task and tossing the note in the recycling at the end of the day is incredibly satisfying!

After a week full of working at my desk, plus acting as cook, chauffeur and referee for my three boys, my favorite and most common way to unwind is on the couch with my husband, a pan of nachos, and one of Netflix’s latest documentaries.

Looking back, I feel like I’ve “grown up” with 1st on the List. When I first started, I worked full-time in the office, taking on a variety of roles and projects. I also learned SEO from the ground up and was handed more and more responsibilities as my experience grew. What I appreciate most is how supportive the company has been over the years, especially when it comes to work-life balance and accommodating my personal life. 1st on the List makes it possible to take on the whole working mom gig with three young boys at home!

Creative Minds,

Proven Results.

Tap into our teams’ creativity and proven expertise! We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to working designing and executing meaningful marketing strategies for your business.

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