A wise man once told me that in order to be successful, you need to hire better people than you to do the things that you can’t do yourself.
So, to ensure The Surfing Copywriter brand actually generates positive results for people just like you, I’ve got a small team of people who help me with SEO, web design and social media.
One of these legends is Julia-Carolin Zeng.
Julia responded to a job posting and immediately won me over with her professionalism and the fact she has a surfing background. Since bringing Julia on board, she’s provided thorough SEO assistance with countless projects, including a few that went on for months at a time. She’s since become a key member of my small but valued team, so I thought it was time you got to know her better.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? Where are you from? Where do you currently reside?
I’m Jules and I was born and raised in Germany. I’m now calling London my home, although my travel bug constantly leads me to other places. I’m in a hammock in a surf camp in Tenerife at the time of writing 😊
Becoming a digital nomad during the cold months of the year was inevitable after years of linguistic studies in Germany, France and Peru and a profession that can be done from anywhere in the world.
I’m now an SEO consultant and translator and I also run my own travel blog charlieonthemove.com where I combine my passion for travel with photography and writing. During the summer months in London, I also work as a SUP instructor to spread my love for watersports.
2. What’s your role within The Surfing Copywriter “team”?
I’m doing all things SEO-related: technical audits, keyword research and content strategy.
3. Can you describe your dream workday?
I’m currently doing it in the Canary Islands. I work between 7 and 10 in the morning before heading to the beach for a surf session. After surfing, I find a nice coffee shop near the beach to get lunch and restart the laptop. Depending on the mood, I might change to another coffee shop two hours later to keep productivity levels up until sunset.
There are overall 3 things that make a workday perfect:
- Break the day into blocks of 2-3 hours for maximum productivity (then do something fun or change location at least)
- No meetings/calls (only if they’re really necessary)
- Do something fun (e.g. go surfing in my lunch break, have a dance class in the evening, or go for a photo walk at any time of day, meet friends)
4. How long have you been working as an SEO consultant?
I have been working in SEO for 5 years and I started out as a freelance SEO consultant 3 years ago.
5. Do you also surf and if so, where is your favourite surf destination?
Yes, I also surf, but not very well 😉
I absolutely love the Billabong Surfcamp in Fuerteventura. It’s where I spent my first proper surf holiday and I have returned to this place at least once per year since. You always find a surfable spot in the north of the island, great people every time and the camp is simply the best! (#goodvibes)
There are some other places though that I should mention:
- The spot where I surfed my first green wave was Fuente de Gallo near Conil de la Frontera in Spain
- The spot where I tried a camera with waterproof housing for surf photography for the first time was in Caños de Meca
- The place that feels like family is Carwyn’s Surfhouse in Hossegor and I return every year for the Quiksilver Pro
- The place that combines work and life-balance the best is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: big digital nomad community and surf at the doorstep of the city
6. What made you want to become a freelancer instead of working the typical 9-5?
I wanted location independence. Most 9-5 jobs back then required you to be in an office and freelance was the way to go.
7. If you could ask any surfer in the world to give you a lesson, who would you choose?
Bethany Hamilton. I’d love to learn from her strength and determination.
8. Can you elaborate on how surf businesses can benefit from your services?
There are two things that are important in my profession: understanding SEO and understanding the business/the industry you are doing SEO for.
I’m not only a passionate SEO professional but also passionate about surfing and paddleboarding – to such an extent that I became a SUP instructor with the ASI. I love to combine both by helping surf businesses gain more visibility on the world wide web, mostly in English, but also in German, French, Spanish and Italian.
9. What is something you wish you knew about surfing before you began?
How fit you have to be 😊.
10. Where do you see your business going in the future?
I would like to develop my travel and surf photography further and see my (currently small) travel blog become a fully fleshed-out resource for passionate travellers.