Ellen Wood - JDM Impressions

Working remotely, like we do at JDM, doesn’t mean being disconnected from colleagues. As part of our culture-building initiative, and to introduce the digital marketing world to our awesome team members, we regularly peel back the curtain on the lives of JDMers. This week, we’ll get to know SEO Specialist Ellen Wood!

Name: Ellen Wood

Position: SEO Manager

Location: Southern California and Costa Rica

When did you begin working at JDM?

The last week of July, 2025.

How did you know JDM was the right fit for you?

When I first spoke with (SEO Team Lead) Jhana Guzman-Scholder and (Head of People Ops) Sonja Zierke during the initial interviews, I immediately felt that the cultural fit was right. It seemed like an environment where I would feel comfortable, supported, and surrounded by forward-thinking professionals in digital marketing. They seemed like people who value growth, learning, collaboration, and connection with like-minded peers.

During my final interview and job acceptance conversation, I met with CEO Tyler Jordan, where we discussed travel and work-life balance. That conversation really solidified my confidence in the fit. It reassured me that the company genuinely supports alternative ways of living and understands that some of the best work is inspired by experiences outside of work—experiences that fuel creativity and lead to stronger, more innovative strategies.

What’s your favorite part of the workday?

My favorite part of the workday is checking in with my coworkers, whether during all-hands meetings or casual conversations. I love that we spend time discussing new strategies and ideas while also making space for fun, non-work topics like favorite movies, shows, books, apps, hobbies, and travel destinations. Those moments make the team feel genuinely connected.

Through these conversations, I have picked up so many great recommendations, like discovering AllTrails as a runner and learning about apps that help you save on food. This has been especially helpful since eating out is definitely my weakness and I will never turn down a good takeout meal. Those shared moments and connections make work more enjoyable and inspiring.

What’s the most gratifying part of working with your clients?

I feel most fulfilled when I know I have helped lighten someone’s workload, clarified digital marketing or SEO concepts, or contributed to key performance goals. Being able to explain complex ideas in a way that makes them easier to understand is especially rewarding.

The client teams I work with, along with my internal team, are incredibly smart, forward-thinking, and successful, and having their support, trust, and collaborative energy consistently leads to strong results and keeps me motivated.

In a remote company, how do you stay connected with your team?

I stay connected through a combination of video calls, in-person meet ups, and consistent Slack communication. Regular information sharing around new and innovative strategies helps me feel aligned and engaged with the work we are doing.

One-on-one meetings have been especially impactful for me. They have played a major role in leveling up my skills and deepening my knowledge in SEO and LLMs and building relationships across the team.

What three words would you use to describe the JDM culture?

Fun, happy, forward-thinking.

What's something you love about JDM?

Everyone is kind, outgoing, and excited about life. These are the building blocks for a great team and even better results!

Can you recall a time when JDM challenged you, and how we supported you through that time?

When I transitioned from an SEO Specialist role into an SEO Manager position, I went from supporting five clients to fully managing five clients, many of whom were new to me and ones I had not previously worked with. Along with that transition, I also took on responsibility for overall strategy, KPIs, and performance outcomes, as well as supporting and managing other specialists on the team.

The level of trust I was given during this time was a meaningful confidence booster and motivated me to rise to the challenge. I also received a great deal of support from the Head of Growth, Adam Tanguay; Jhana; and SEO Manager Emma Airey. They helped me transition into the manager role smoothly and with minimal stress.

What's something you love about the marketing industry?

I love the creativity and the people. It attracts open-minded, business-focused individuals from all walks of life who bring unique perspectives and personalities to their work.

Alongside that, the constant innovation and ever-evolving technology and trends keep the industry exciting. While these elements often work independently, they collectively shape how we communicate, grow, and connect. Being part of that evolution helps you feel connected to humanity, its growth, and the impact we have through the work we do.

What do you think has been the most interesting change in the marketing industry or in your channel this year?

The rise of LLMs has been the most interesting change this year. While it can feel like people are almost tired of hearing about them, their impact has been undeniable. LLMs have significantly shifted how users search for information and make purchase decisions online.

With that shift comes the need for us to pivot and evolve client marketing strategies to align with these new user journeys. Adapting to how audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with information today has been both a challenge and an exciting opportunity in the industry.

What digital marketing platform, technology, or skill do you see gaining the most traction in the next 1-2 years, and why?
To me, agentic AI and automation are poised to gain the most traction over the next one to two years. As repetitive and operational tasks continue to be automated, we are seeing more advanced, guardrailed systems emerge that leverage complex models and AI agents to move beyond basic automation. This shift is freeing teams from manual work and allowing them to operate at a higher strategic level.

At the same time, the acceleration of AI adoption will create an even stronger demand for authentic, human-driven creativity. While AI can support efficiency and scale, human creativity can’t be duplicated or commoditized. As automation increases, there will likely be a renewed emphasis on originality, perspective, and real human work, pushing the industry into an era where authentic creation becomes even more valuable.

Having spent over 10 years as a designer and animator in the music industry, I have seen firsthand how creativity, storytelling, and human expression drive meaningful connection. That background strongly informs how I approach AI and automation; I view them as tools that support and enhance creative work rather than replace it.

On a personal level, I am deeply interested in (and actively building) process improvement with AI-assisted automation. I have been diving into LLMs and experimenting with tools and frameworks such as Cursor, Python, LangChain, and OpenAI’s Agents SDK and agent builder to better understand how these technologies can be applied in practical and scalable ways to streamline workflows, enhance decision-making, and help people spend more time on strategy, creativity, and meaningful impact.

What's something you've implemented or tested, and what was the outcome?
At JDM, I have had the opportunity to explore Agentic AI and application building through vibe coding, python, APIs, and automated workflows. As part of our “rocks,” which are goal-setting initiatives designed to help develop specific skill sets, I chose to focus on automation, app building, and Agentic AI. The goal was to improve internal processes and help solve client challenges more efficiently.

Over the past few months, I have built and tested several tools, including:

• An AI-assisted content optimization tool designed to support more efficient and informed content improvements with GEO and SEO best practices in mind to improve content at the page level.
• An automated SEO reporting workflow that allows for chat-based input and generates monthly SEO reports focused on month-over-month performance. The workflow automatically pulls data from Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and GA4, applies formulas and calculations to generate key metrics, and uses an OpenAI-powered AI Agent node to reason through the data and surface actionable insights. The final results are then appended to Excel sheets for easy review and distribution and appended in a separate Google Doc for further evaluation.

What’s a project that you’ve worked on that you’ve really enjoyed?

I have genuinely enjoyed working with all of my clients, but one area I have found especially rewarding is applying GEO strategies. Implementing these approaches has led to meaningful increases in organic traffic and LLM visibility, with some clients now owning entire topics across multiple LLM platforms. Seeing how these strategies translate into real, measurable results has been particularly exciting.

I have also really enjoyed building workflows and identifying opportunities where AI-assisted automation can improve processes. Creating these systems has helped me and my teammates focus more on strategy, optimization, and long-term improvements, which has been incredibly fulfilling.

What’s the best thing you’ve done with your unlimited PTO?

Backcountry snowboarding in Japan!