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About Zach Chahalis, A Technically-Minded SEO

Hello, I’m Zach Chahalis. I am a passionate and experienced SEO professional with a track record of developing effective enterprise website optimization and content marketing strategies for Fortune 500 companies.

Currently, I am an Atlanta-based SEO and the Vice President of SEO for CoStar Group, overseeing organic search strategy for the Apartments.com site and Apartments Network.

I bring over a decade of agency-side and several years of in-house experience helping companies of all shapes and sizes achieve their business goals.

My SEO experience ranges across various verticals, including fintech, marketing, e-commerce, real estate, home services, healthcare, travel/hospitality, and education. I am also an experienced team leader and project manager with several years of experience developing deep relationships with my clients and growing my internal team. Beyond this, I am also an experienced analytics professional, having audited and implemented Google Analytics (Universal Analytics and GA4) across a variety of websites.

My true passion lies in technical SEO and working with enterprise-scale websites. One of my favorite aspects of SEO is working with sites to re-platform or relaunch their website. Throughout my career, I’ve managed replatformings and website projects for major brands, including GameStop, Michaels, Under Armour, Napa Auto Parts, TripAdvisor, Extended Stay America, LandWatch.com, Ashton Woods Homes, Starlight Homes, Chick-Fil-A, and Neenah Paper. Additionally, these projects have given me deep platform knowledge and skills with platforms such as Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC)/Demandware, Sitecore, Hybris, WordPress, Drupal, and more.

I am also passionate about educating and training others in SEO and the impact of organic search. I’ve previously been a guest lecturer on SEO fundamentals for Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Beyond this, I am also an occasional speaker on SEO topics. I’ve previously spoken at in-person events such as Pubcon, BarbadosSEO and Botify Connect. I’ve also led multiple SEO-minded webinars on topics ranging from replatformings to e-commerce considerations for the holidays.

Education and Background

Originally from New York and Connecticut, I moved to the Atlanta, GA, area in 2009. I attended the Goizueta Business School of Emory University, graduating in 2013 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. While at Emory University, I spent two incredible years working with freshman and sophomore students as a Resident Adviser. I also received the 2013 EmoryMAC Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Marketing Analytics and the 2013 Jack Mangham Experiential Learning Award.

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While my first passion has always been digital marketing, outside of that, you will often find me on the nearest golf course or taking a ride through the mountains. I am also an avid sim racing enthusiast and the proud dad of a nine-year-old Goldendoodle named Ruger.

Expertise:

  • Comprehensive SEO Strategies, Including Technical and Content SEO

  • Website Replatformings/Migrations/Redesigns

  • Data Science and Analytics Strategy

  • Content Marketing Strategies and Content Creation

  • Marketing Analytics & Tag Management

  • Social Media Strategy

  • Reverse-Engineering Backlink Profiles

  • Site Performance Analysis

  • User Experience (UX) Optimization and Website Testing

  • Agile Principals and Methodology

  • Paid Search/Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing

Certifications

  • Google Analytics Individual Qualification

  • Google AdWords Specialist