MEET THE TEAM

Jonathan Kelly

Natural Link Building Specialist

Vancouver, BC

2016

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5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
5 star rating
“Jonathan is our go-to expert for link growth strategies, combining the best of both worlds—staying on top of the latest industry trends while never straying from proven, time-tested methods. His approach ensures our clients achieve sustainable, long-term growth, not just short-term wins. He’s thorough, strategic, and always focused on quality over quick fixes. Beyond his expertise, Jonathan is incredibly easy to work with—straightforward, reliable, and always getting the job done. Whether he’s building strong backlinks or refining a strategy, our clients know they’re in great hands with him leading the way.”
Keiran Griffiths
Managing Director

All About Jonathan

Jonathan’s career in SEO dates back to 2004 when he started working for a small web design firm in Montreal. He spent countless hours lurking around the industry’s top SEO forums and blogs and started putting the theories to practice. It wasn’t long before Jonathan was spearheading the SEO efforts of the company.

In 2009, he relocated to Vancouver where he continued work as a freelance SEO strategist until joining the 1st on the List team in 2016. Over the years, Jonathan has honed his expertise in the area of link building, where he prides himself in “white-hat” natural link acquisition methods, focusing on merit-based links that stand the test of time.

His current role is to help our clients grow their link popularity, maintain a healthy natural link profile, and improve their Google search rankings and presence.

Career Highlights

A 20+ year career in SEO (and counting) can be said to be a highlight in itself. Jon is a self-taught and “battle-hardended” SEO, who has navigated the challenging SEO landscape for nearly two decades. His proudest accomplishments are the number of online businesses he has been able to help with their SEO, in a wide range of industries.

He has also started, developed and successfully sold several online businesses as a solo entrepreneur, with only SEO to drive growth.

When I’m Away From My Desk

Jon is a technology and sport enthusiast. When he is not building links, he enjoys learning about AI, blockchain and following his favorite sports teams.

Areas of Expertise

  • Link Popularity
  • Link Outreach
  • White Hat Link Optimization
  • Link Building
  • Journalistic Outreach
  • Press Release Opportunities

My Client Feedback

“Jonathan did an amazing job landing high-quality backlinks for our website. His communication and reporting was very helpful and his results were exceptional – providing several links from relevant, high DA websites. I would definitely recommend his services and 1st on the list for any SEO related projects.”
Sean Coffey, MBA
Director of Marketing – Regency Fireplaces

What I’ve Been Writing About

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Quickfire Questions, Honest Answers

I sort of “fell into” SEO when a couple of friends started a web design firm in the early 2000s and needed someone to take the lead on their SEO research and efforts. Growing up in the 80s, I’ve always been fascinated by computers and the Internet, so it was something I naturally gravitated toward.

I have been doing SEO and link building for over 20 years now. What I enjoy most about my work is the dynamic nature of the field—there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s evolving search algorithms, emerging trends in link building, or innovative content strategies.

My approach focuses on identifying authoritative opportunities that align with their industry and goals. I start by analyzing their backlink profile and competitors to uncover gaps and high-value link prospects. By leveraging content-driven outreach, strategic partnerships, and ethical link acquisition tactics, I focus on earning high quality links that helps improve rankings.

I stay current by actively engaging with industry-leading publications, social media platforms like X.com and Linkedin, as well as conferences, webinars and anything else I can to stay updated with evolving best practices and industry trends.

The old saying, “Content is King,” holds just as true today. Focus on creating compelling, useful content that genuinely helps your audience, and your SEO efforts will be much smoother and far more rewarding.

I love technology – AI and blockchain in particular are two of my most passionate topics.

Quality not quantity.

I love disruptive ideas—challenging the status quo. Whether it’s in work or life, I enjoy questioning norms and finding different ways to approach things when possible.

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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[NO HASSLE, NO PRESSURE, NO WORRIES – JUST MEANINGFUL INSIGHTS]

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