The Team
Christine Da Silva – Founder & Online Marketing Strategist |
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AlterSage is led by Christine da Silva (nee Stander), a well respected Search Engine Optimisation and Online Marketing Strategist. She has an enviable depth of experience and knowledge of the Online Marketing industry gained over nine years together with her reputation has secured AlterSage clients from around the globe. Having in her career headed the Online Marketing division of South Africa’s most successful online travel company, Search Divisions for the two leading Search Engine Marketing companies in South Africa, as well as consulted to a well respected international search leader, Christine set out to fine tune and provide more robust, result oriented Online Marketing services. In her opinion it was not enough to purely enable websites to rank better online, but rather a two-fold process that increases the website exposure online and |
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simultaneously improves the usability and conversion performance of the website as well. This means that after the site is found online, visitors move through it with ease to perform the required goal – whether that is to buy a product, call a consultant, sign up for a newsletter or submit an enquiry. In 2006, determined to offer clients a solution which would be custom created for their specific goals, industry and audience, she launched AlterSage Online Marketing. Since opening the AlterSage doors she has tutored and grown her in-house team in the fields of web copywriting, SEO, PPC and strategy. Her team is as passionate about gaining sustainable results as she is. The team is well experienced in the USA, UK and SA markets for a very wide range of industries as can be seen by AlterSage’s Online Marketing Portfolio. AlterSage now consults to UK Search Marketing and Digital Agencies clients’ as well as maintaining key relationships with a number of international and South African clients directly. Other skill sets acquired over the years are: Business, project and account management; all facets of online and offline marketing, graphic design, web design, web development and copy writing, web analytics and online behavioural trends which go hand in hand with her SEO style. Which ever project or industry she has previously consulted for she has rapidly acquired a reputation for strategizing, execution and delivery on competitive niches gaining her clients measurable and sustainable results. Christine is passionate about everything she does and inspires both her team and clients through striving uncompromisingly for the best results proven by AlterSage’s Online Marketing Case Studies. |
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Carla Fourie – Marketing Manager |
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As AlterSage’s Marketing Manager, Carla is a savvy businessperson and networker extraordinaire. When she’s not representing AlterSage at high-profile industry events, she’s taking to the Internet to keep the world informed about the latest company news and developments. Combining her degree in Marketing Management with a thorough understanding |
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| of the online world, Carla is helping to create a formidable presence for AlterSage, both online and offline. She thrives on the challenges posed by the evolving online marketing industry, and often scours emarketingblog.co.za and BizCommunity.com to catch up on the latest industry happenings. And, to stay on top of it all, she compiles lists: Carla finds it very gratifying to tick items off as she goes. Carla believes that a goal is a dream with a deadline – but she makes time to unwind too. When she’s not visiting her favourite websites – brandrepublic.com, iol.co.za, adage.com and fmylife.com – she loves to travel. This is just as well, considering that she commutes from Sunningdale each day (it’s on the map, really!). The R27 aside, Carla’s travelled extensively throughout South Africa and Namibia, and hopes to visit Mozambique and Thailand next. They’re on her list, just waiting to be ticked off! |
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Nicola Neutt – Project Manager |
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AlterSage’s Project Manager is an all-rounder with a flair for design – but it’s in traffic management that Nicola’s found her niche. With a diploma in Multimedia Technology, Nicola has spent time working both in design and in technical support. However, since joining AlterSage and earning her National Qualification in Project Management, she’s not tempted to return to her design roots (which we think is due to the awesome team at AlterSage!). Nicola runs a tight ship, and ensures that all hands are on deck when deadlines roll around. As the link between clients and staff, Nicola’s job is to keep everything running smoothly at the AlterSage offices – a task she fulfils with skill, efficiency and a much-needed sense of humour! Nicola has further boosted her |
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| skill-set by earning her Google Analytics Individual Qualification, and when she’s not learning, she takes a time out by visiting her favourite websites, including fmylife.com and PostSecret. Although she glams it up for the office, Nicola isn’t afraid of roughing it! In her spare time, she rounds up her friends for camping trips, river-rafting and good ‘ol South African braais. And when it comes to the basics, Nicola knows how it rolls: A cool pair of sneakers and a little black dress – not necessarily worn at the same time – are cinches for any occasion! |
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Jonathan Andrews – eMarketing Strategist |
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After finishing a Bachelors Degree and a subsequent post-graduate qualification in Journalism and Media Studies, Jono set out to conquer the world. Regrettably, it wound up conquering him: What he thought would turn into a budding career in journalism in Canada turned into a job as a short-order cook and call-centre racketeer. Nine months later, he found himself in the UK and two eventful years followed. In addition to the extra weight he gained in London, he also picked up a fair amount of what he likes to call “life experience”. Fortunately, this lead him back to South Africa in 2005, and into the online world, where he got a good grounding in copywriting and an introduction to SEO at one of the country’s top inbound travel operators. He has been involved in online |
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| marketing in one way or another ever since. Jono’s strong point? He thinks it’s his dashing good looks, but we reckon it must be his sense of humour. At AlterSage, he aims to both contribute and learn in his role as eMarketing Strategist. His passion for the Internet and keeping abreast of the latest trends keep him motivated in this ever-evolving industry. Jono is a results-driven person. He finds it satisfying to be learning and trying new things all the time, and to be able to measure and assess the success of these efforts. |
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Debby Querido – Content Team Leader |
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After completing her studies at UCT, Debby embarked on a short but eventful stint at a community radio station, where just 7 months were enough to convince her that broadcast journalism – and more specifically, shared headphones – wasn’t for her. It was then that she discovered SEO copywriting – a career path that enabled her do what she loved most (write) in a dynamic and technology-driven environment (and where everyone had their own earphones). |
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| Prior to joining AlterSage, Debby racked up some serious career and life experience. She’s spent a year learning valuable life skills behind a bar, several years mastering SEO copy at a leading digital agency, and a lifetime learning her left from her right (still not sure). She’s also spent time in Italy, Nepal and India, and hopes to do much more globetrotting before the glaciers melt. When she’s not travelling herself, Debby lives vicariously though celebs on Perezhilton.com (her guiltiest Internet pleasure), or catches up on the news that actually matters on News24.com. Debby brings superb writing skills and a profound understanding of SEO copywriting to the AlterSage team. As Content Team Leader, she aims to strengthen the team through mentoring and careful guidance. Debby reckons her greatest strength is her strong stomach, which is useful in just about any situation – particularly when faced with bad grammar and buffalo milk curd. |
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Rosie Brooks – SEO Copywriter |
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When Rosie came to Cape Town to study at UCT, she never intended to stay for good. But, like every other Mother City convert, there was just something about this city that made her fall in love. Was it the weather? Nope. The beach? Er, no. That famous mountain? Psh – that’s just a traffic obstruction. No. According to Rosie, it was the cricket at Newlands that really stole her heart. And, although she was raised in Holland and the UK, she’s an ardent SA supporter, and | |
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proudly sports her sunburn every summer. A versatile and imaginative writer, Rosie holds a degree in English and is fully conversant in lolcat, which she uses most often at icanhascheeseburger.com. She’s also fascinated by all things gory – think ghosts, ghouls and serial killers – and will give you the rundown on just about any spook or psycho in history (or consult her prized encyclopaedia for the answers). When Rosie’s not crafting web copy for a diverse portfolio of clients, she spends her time on her current favourite website – fmylife.com – sweating it out at the gym, or visiting the penguins (her favourite animal, after a lolcat) at Boulders Beach. |
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Tara McGovern – Campaign Manager |
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Tara is AlterSage’s PPC pro, spending her days expertly managing campaigns and getting great results for clients. She’s racked up many years’ worth of experience in the SEM industry and, despite starting out as an aspirant fashion designer, she soon decided that SEM, rather than sewing machines, was where the action was. For Tara, it’s all about ROI, and by keeping up with the latest online trends, she ensures that AlterSage’s clients enjoy the best possible returns on their campaigns. Even when she’s playing, Tara’s working! Last year, she left the sunny shores of the Cape for the infinitely warmer climes of northern Spain, where she continued to work for AlterSage from a quaint cottage in Barcelona. Thanks to a working knowledge of Spanish and a constant supply of sangria, Tara courageously explored the country on her own, |
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| before returning to the Mother City a little tired but infinitely inspired! In her free time, Tara catches up on the latest Hollywood gossip at perezhilton.com and expands her SEM knowledge at SEOChat.com. And, when she’s not at the office (or elsewhere in the world), Tara can be found horse-riding, pampering her pet pooch Teddy, and whipping up irresistible lemon meringue tarts. |
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