Website creator Marjut stands out in a competitive field with deep SEO expertise

Marjut Kostilainen is an experienced website creator who sought new challenges in her work before joining the GWS program. While Marjut was familiar with the basics of SEO, she lacked a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of search engine optimization. “I often found myself telling clients that I knew a bit about SEO, but I wasn’t an expert,” Marjut explains.

Her interest in SEO initially sparked when clients requested clear and easily discoverable websites. Marjut had already begun learning about the topic on her own but needed structured guidance. “I had become familiar with the terms just from my basic work. I knew there was a lot of in-depth SEO knowledge available, but I couldn’t decide where to start my self-study.”

Landed new assignments already during the course

Marjut had clear expectations from the GWS program—she wanted to gain solid skills and the confidence to better serve her clients. After the program, she hoped to offer a clear, all-encompassing service that included both website creation and result-driven SEO. The support and feedback from the program were also important to her. “I enjoy independent study, where I can set my own pace, but it was great to know that full support from the trainers and feedback on my progress were always available when needed.”

The first successes became visible for Marjut almost immediately. “At first, there was a lot of new information, but once it started to make sense, and I connected the dots, I realized it wasn’t as difficult as I had thought,” she says. She began offering SEO services to her clients and secured a few small assignments even while still in the program.

Gaining confidence, deeper knowledge, and practical skills 

Marjut was excited to see the results of optimizing her own site, with noticeable changes in both traffic and the number of inquiries. “I also realized that my earlier efforts before the course were, in fact, real SEO work. Now, I just have the breadth, confidence, and deeper knowledge to back it up.”

“One of the most important aspects of web design for me has always been the user experience—websites must be clear in structure and appearance, information should be easy to find, and pages must load quickly. If visitors enjoy their time on the site, it’s a good signal to search engines, too. Without realizing it, I had already applied a crucial part of SEO before the course.”

SEO expertise isn’t a given among other service providers

The course has positively impacted Marjut’s business, opening up a new service that complements her core offering of website creation. “SEO expertise certainly isn’t a given among service providers, so the course gave me a great opportunity to stand out as an expert.” “I feel energized in everything I do now, and I’m looking forward to working with larger clients. My next goal is to secure long-term clients for targeted SEO work.”

“SEO expertise certainly isn’t a given among website creators, so the course gave me a great opportunity to stand out as an expert.”

“I’ve been able to do audits, keyword research, and optimize basic SEO elements for websites. I’ve also produced SEO-optimized content.” As a skilled writer, Marjut is excited to have returned to content creation.

Clients’ services are now easier to find on Google

Marjut is proud that the skills she learned in the course have helped her clients improve their visibility on Google. A particular point of pride has been that her clients’ services are now more easily found in search results.

Marjut envisions her business evolving even more with a stronger focus on SEO in the future. “I’ve already received some inquiries simply because my services were found on Google with a specific keyword. Improving my own website is important because it also serves as a portfolio of my work.”

Marjut is excited about what the future holds

Marjut encourages anyone involved in content writing, website development, or marketing to study SEO. She emphasizes that while the course provides excellent tools, success requires dedication and persistence. “I picked the strategies from the course that best suited my own work and thought about how I could apply them to my business.”

Marjut also encourages potential clients to reach out to her with any SEO questions. She emphasizes that fixing SEO issues doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. The initial consultation and assessment are free, and issues can be tackled one by one, in small steps. “On my website, I have different web design packages listed and, in reverse, what you get with each budget. We can start small and expand as needed.” Marjut is excited about what the future holds, thanks to her new SEO expertise.

Marjut’s company, Markkinointi Stila, offers website creation and search engine optimization.

Written by Mira Rossi