Michael Ashebir
Verified Expert in Marketing
Digital Marketing Expert
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Toptal member since July 29, 2024
Michael is an SEO and digital marketing expert who has worked with brands across multiple industries and countries. As a Toptal-vetted marketer, he manages technical SEO, local SEO, and generative engine optimization (GEO) for US clients such as Gorilla Roofing and New Habits Consulting. At his agency, Alter Digital Solutions, he worked with 20+ companies and grew his own site's traffic by 2,900%, ranking #1 for every target keyword.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Digital Marketing
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Marketing Strategy
- Organic Social Media
- Seos
- TikTok Marketing
- WordPress
Work Experience
SEO Manager (via Toptal)
Gorilla Roofing
- Delivered a 3-part strategic document that included a technical audit summary, keyword opportunity report, and a 90-day SEO action plan for execution readiness.
- Audited the existing content structure and backlink profile to identify ranking gaps, content duplication issues, and under-optimized service pages across priority markets.
- Mapped high-opportunity keywords to specific landing pages and proposed localized content ideas, aiming to improve relevance and boost visibility in state-level searches.
Digital Marketing Strategist (via Toptal)
Chestnut Hill Press LLC
- Collaborated with a Toptal web developer to optimize landing pages, contributing to web copywriting, email campaign setup, and cross-functional alignment of branding and messaging.
- Led the social media strategy for Idil Biret’s legacy brand, tailoring content to Gen Z by creating carousels, short-form video reels.
- Launched audience-driven campaigns using question-based carousels and swipeable Reels that incorporated real follower comments.
SEO Manager (via Toptal)
New Habits Consulting
- Optimized the website for local SEO targeting Washington (Seattle, Tacoma) and Portland, enhancing geo-targeted visibility through schema markup, keyword localization, and Google Maps integrations.
- Built 22 high-quality backlinks through Medium articles, Reddit contributions, and targeted guest posting—improving domain authority and driving referral traffic from niche-relevant sites.
- Executed a comprehensive on-page and technical SEO audit, identifying 40+ critical issues, including crawl errors, duplicate meta tags, and underperforming content, which helped reduce index bloat and improved crawlability by 33%.
- Created personalized branding recommendations to improve founder visibility across web platforms, aligning tone and messaging with client psychology niches for better audience resonance.
eCommerce Marketer (via Toptal)
Autocharge Solutions
- Developed a digital marketing strategy for a Shopify-based electronics store, incorporating targeted advertising and demand testing for new products.
- Designed and implemented Meta Ads campaigns with a $500 budget, creating ad creatives, captions, and an A/B testing flow to optimize performance and engagement.
- Set up Facebook Pixel tracking, Google Ads, and landing pages for new products, enabling data analysis and testing market demand.
SEO Specialist (via Toptal)
Brain Train
- Performed comprehensive keyword research, audience profiling, and competitive analysis to support the company’s transition to its own domain in a competitive market.
- Collaborated directly with the CEO to develop a targeted keyword strategy and audience insights, aligning with the company’s growth and visibility goals.
- Worked with development and UI teams to design an optimized website flow, enhancing user experience and aligning site structure with SEO best practices.
Vice President
International EdTech Association (IEA)
- Headed and drove community engagement for Q membership, comprising 200+ business professionals from 45+ countries.
- Planned and hosted regular virtual events with guest speakers from the edtech industry.
- Promoted edtech research and product development to solve education problems.
Marketing Lead
quantic Entrepreneurs
- Served as the marketing lead, working closely with world-class entrepreneurs and marketing teams from Nestlé, Sequoia Capital, and Microsoft.
- Collaborated with the leadership team to create and implement marketing strategies, promote workshops on product and business development, and lead a global team of six members.
- Developed content strategies, calendars, and multimedia content while promoting virtual events and actively participated in product development and human-centered design events with international experts.
Marketing Manager
Laba
- Onboarded four international schools using a B2B sales and marketing strategy. Collected customer feedback and refined the product accordingly.
- Acquired 40,000 app users within six months by implementing successful affiliate marketing campaigns.
- Achieved TikTok organic growth by posting 14 weekly videos, resulting in 30,000 followers and over 5 million views within six months.
Founder
Alter Digital Solutions
- Collaborated with global brands like Unilever to develop Shopify stores and created websites for various industries.
- Developed marketing strategies and executed campaigns for 20+ clients, running 50+ campaigns and creating 10+ websites.
- Led and mentored a diverse team of graphic designers, content creators, operation managers, and accountants across the company.
- Created video campaigns that reached 1.2 million views within 28 days.
Marketing Manager
ILift Technologies
- Developed and managed digital marketing campaigns for drivers and users and ran a community of 300 drivers (600 drivers were available on the market then).
- Led a successful Facebook campaign, gaining 14,000 followers in five months by running contests, giveaways, and affiliate programs.
- Developed the business model and marketing strategy from the ground up.
- Ran and managed radio adverts, sales, and marketing teams (10 members), and implemented traditional marketing strategies.
Project History
AI-powered Google Business Profile Optimization Platform for Local SEO
https://alter-gbp-demo.vercel.app/- 80% — Reduction In Google Business Profile Audit Time
Many businesses struggle to optimize their Google Business Profiles because local SEO audits are manual, time-consuming, and require specialized expertise. Agencies often spend hours analyzing profiles, identifying ranking opportunities, and preparing recommendations, making it difficult to scale local SEO services efficiently.
I designed and developed a Google Business Profile optimization platform that transforms complex local SEO analysis into actionable insights. I mapped key ranking factors, created an audit framework covering profile completeness, visibility opportunities, and optimization gaps, and then translated the process into a streamlined user experience. The tool enables faster analysis, consistent recommendations, and a scalable workflow for local SEO campaigns.
The platform reduced manual audit workflows by 80%, enabling faster delivery of local SEO insights. It created a repeatable framework for optimizing business profiles at scale while improving how businesses understand and act on opportunities.
SEO Ethiopia | SEO Research & Editorial Platform
https://seoethiopia.com/- 1 — Launched a SEO Knowledge Platform Optimized For East Africa
Businesses in Ethiopia and across Africa lacked practical, locally relevant SEO resources. Most available guidance was written for mature markets and overlooked regional search behavior, mobile-first users, and local business challenges. There was no dedicated platform combining technical SEO, research, and actionable insights tailored to African markets.
I researched content gaps and user needs across African search markets before designing the platform architecture around scalable topic clusters and SEO best practices. I built a high-performance Astro website focused on Core Web Vitals, structured navigation, semantically organized content, and a streamlined editorial experience. The platform was optimized for speed, accessibility, and long-term content growth while establishing a consistent editorial framework for publishing research-backed SEO insights.
Launched a scalable SEO publication with a strong technical foundation for long-term organic growth. The platform enables consistent publishing and supports topic authority through structured content.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Audit Tool
http://alter-gbp-demo.vercel.app- 1 — GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Audit Tool
As AI search adoption grows, traditional SEO audits no longer measure how well content is understood by large language models. Website owners lacked a practical way to evaluate AI discoverability, semantic clarity, and content readiness for generative search, making it difficult to adapt their SEO strategies to changing search behavior.
I designed and built a GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Audit Tool using AWS PartyRock to assess webpages for AI search readiness. After researching emerging GEO best practices, I developed an AI-powered workflow that analyzes content structure, semantic relevance, topical coverage, and readability. Through prompt engineering and iterative testing, I refined the tool to generate clear, actionable recommendations that help website owners improve content for AI-powered search experiences.
Built a functional GEO audit tool that translates emerging AI search principles into actionable recommendations, demonstrating expertise in AI-assisted SEO, prompt engineering, and rapid product development.
Strategic Startup Growth Plan
Achieved 5 million views and 40,000 users through a targeted TikTok marketing strategy, enhancing app user acquisition by 17,000 in one month.
Our mission was to supercharge user acquisition for my edtech startup in a very competitive market. We aimed to stand out and drive massive organic growth.
After exploring different platforms to acquire users, we focused mainly on TikTok, producing 250+ videos with a dedicated team churning out 14 videos weekly. By A/B testing everything from captions to camera angles, we struck gold with a content strategy that captivated audiences. Our LinkedIn B2B strategy turned school IT managers into our biggest advocates, helping us refine and scale our products.
Results
• 5 million views in eight months
• 1 million views per week for three consecutive weeks
• 3.80% engagement rate per post
• 15% organic monthly CTR
• 40,000 users, including 17,000 new app users, in just one month
Big wins include partnerships with the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and securing 500 app users through PR and events. This earned us a feature in Shega, Ethiopia’s tech publication.
Education
Master's Degree in IT Management
BITS College - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
Quantic School of Business and Technology - New York City, United States
Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering
Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Certifications
SEO Campaign Process
Internet Marketing Gold
On Page SEO by Kyle Roof
Internet Marketing Gold
Technical SEO Certification
Blue Array Academy
SEO Fundamentals
Semrush
Meta Digital Marketing Associate
Meta
Branding: The Creative Journey
Coursera
The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
Skills
Core
Digital Marketing, Facebook Marketing, Off-page SEO, Social Media, Organic Social Media, TikTok Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Operations, Digital Marketing Strategy, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Go-to-market (GTM) Strategy, Marketing Analytics, Email Marketing, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Influencer Marketing, Product Marketing, Community Management, Content Marketing Strategy, Growth Model, App Store Optimization (ASO), Social Media Content, Social Media Management, Social Media Marketing (SMM), Brand Strategy, Market Research & Analysis, Lead Generation, Paid Advertising, Instagram Marketing, Google SEO, Brand Marketing, Growth Hacking, Omnichannel Marketing, Campaign Management, Marketing Technology (MarTech), Marketing Campaigns, Audience Targeting, AI Marketing, Copywriting, Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), WordPress SEO, Keyword Research, Marketing Research & Analysis, Local SEO, On-page SEO, Google Ads, Branding, Marketing Automation, Social Media Strategy, Link Building, SEO Tools, Content Creation, Pay-per-Click (PPC), Ads, Google Paid Ads, Google Tag Manager, LinkedIn Ads, SEO Content, SEO Keyword Research, Email Campaigns, Performance Marketing, Content Strategy, Content Marketing, SEO Audits, Mobile Marketing, Landing Pages, Funnel Optimization, Content, Blogging, Instagram Growth, TikTok Ads, Experiential Marketing, Cold Emailing, Affiliate Marketing, Competitive Intelligence, LinkedIn Marketing, Facebook Ads, B2C Marketing, A/B Testing, Ad Campaigns, Apple Search Ads, App Store Marketing
Platforms & Tools
Google Analytics, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn Profiles, Adobe Campaign, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Content Management Systems (CMS), Meta Platform, Screaming Frog, Monday.com, TikTok, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Mailchimp, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Braze, Google Ad Manager, Google Workspace, Google Ads Editor, Search Ads 360, HubSpot, Facebook Ads Manager, Linkedln, Yoast SEO, Google My Business, Yelp
Business Models
SaaS, Business Models, B2B, Business to Government (B2G), SaaS Product Marketing, Software as a Service (SaaS), Market Positioning, Business to Business (B2B)
Technical
HTML, JavaScript, SQL
Other
B2B Marketing, Business Strategy, Startup Marketing, Product Management, Scaling, Strategy, Instagram, Growth Marketing, Market Fit, Consumer Products, Marketing Plans, Press Releases, Personal Branding, Outreach, Stakeholder Management, Product Launch, Go-to-market Plans, Growth Strategy, App Growth, Go-to-market Optimization, Demand Generation, Social Media Engagement, Audience Segmentation, Buyer Personas, Customer Acquisition, Paid Search, VR Marketing, Web Trends, Digital Media, Wix, Website Management, Web Content, Campaign Analysis, Quality Assurance (QA), Campaigns, Compliance, Documentation, MarTech Solutions, Multichannel Campaign Management, Marketing Channel Strategy, Customer Journey, Account Management, Client Management, Marketing Management, Digital Marketing Strategy, Search Engines, Website CMS, Early-stage Startups, Mobile Apps, Semrush, Seos, Paid Media, Project Management, WordPress, Web Development, Technical SEO, Reporting, Data Collection, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), AI Social Media Content Creation, BCG Matrix, Balance Scorecards, Brand Positioning, Magic Quadrant, Raw Data Analysis, Radar Chart, Meta Ads, Salesforce, Transportation & Logistics, Zapier, Gaming, SEO Reporting, Sales Funnel, Keyword Analysis, YouTube SEO, Newsletters, Brand Building, Agency, Search Engine Advertising (SEA), Visual Storytelling, Sustainability, Storytelling, Vendor Management, User Workflows, Value Proposition, Real Estate Marketing, Sports, Google, Facebook Pixel, Fractional CMO, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Landing Page Optimization, Marketing Metrics, Campaign Design, Budget Management, Data Scraping, Digital Newsletters, Lead Magnet, Research, Venture Capital, Web Scraping, YouTube, YouTube Channel Management, YouTube Marketing, WordPress Design, Email Outreach, Cold Outreach, n8n, Customer.io, Lifecycle Marketing, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), Data Analysis, Reddit Marketing, SEO Outreach, Facebook, B2B Partnerships, Design Thinking, Website Builders, Community Marketing, Event Management, Recruitment, Notion, ClickUp, Trello, Startups, Growth, Firebase, Linktree, AI Content Creation, Business Modeling, Gaming Platforms, Squarespace, SEO campaign, Salesforce, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Business Analysis, Certified Salesforce Administrator, Business Analytics, Google Display Network
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