Bio

About Me

I’m Ross Dunn, and I’ve spent the better part of three decades helping businesses earn their place in search results, honestly and without shortcuts.

It started by accident. In 1997 I was skippering whale watching boats in Victoria when a company asked if I could build them a website. I said yes, figured it out, and they stayed my client for the next 21 years. One thing led to another: I ranked an online casino #1 for “poker,” the phone started ringing, and before long Time Inc. flew me to New York to train the teams behind Sports Illustrated and Fortune. Somewhere in there I realized I’d found my life’s work.

That work became StepForth Web Marketing, the company I founded and still lead today. Along the way I co-founded First Dentist Marketing with Mike Lambe, took over the SEO 101 podcast in 2009 (I’ve been at the mic ever since, alongside Scott Van Achte), and have spoken at 16 conferences and trade shows from Calgary to Montana. I’ve been lucky to work with everyone from local clinics to Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and the Government of Canada.

Here’s what hasn’t changed in 28-plus years: I treat every client’s business like it’s my own. No black-hat tricks, no lock-in contracts, no promises I can’t keep. Just clear, honest SEO and a genuine care for the people I work with.

Outside of work, I’m a Victoria kid through and through. I grew up in Oak Bay, spent seasons as a deckhand in Haida Gwaii, got rescued by the Coast Guard once (long story), jumped out of a few planes, and now spend my best days adventuring and being a dad. The timeline below is the fuller story, the wins, the flops, and a few adventures along the way.

Timeline

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1988

Published my first print article in a newspaper

I had a wild (and true) story that I shared in the local “Penny Saver” newspaper

1994

Graduated from Oak Bay High School

Worked as Deckhand on the M.V. Discovery Princess

I helped tourists onboard as they did deep sea fishing

1995

Worked as Deckhand on M.V. Marabell

I spent 5 months in Haida Gwaii living on the M.V. Marabell as a deckhand

Moved to Invermere, BC

1996

Adventure Tourism Business Management Diploma

I moved to Invermere, BC, to complete the business management program with the intent of creating an outdoors business

Moved back to Victoria, BC

Adventure Tourism Practicum with Slipstream Adventures Ltd.

I prepped food for clients going on multi-day hikes and I created an automated Access database for creating food shopping lists based on hiking recipes and food preferences

1997

Opened BraveArt Website Management

I started my company under a terrible name, which I thankfully changed in 2000 to what is now StepForth Web Marketing Inc.

Moved to Whistler, BC

I was a professional portrait and action skiing photographer at Whistler

1998

News Article in the Whistler Pique

While living in Whistler, BC, I was the subject of a small news article that led to a lot of SEO business.

Moved back to Victoria, BC

2000

Purchased Phoenix Communications

I bought my friend’s business and merged the clients into StepForth’s roster

Started Night in the City Productions

New business was in the paper and on the news. It was my first flop.

2001

I hired and trained my first employee, Jim Hedger

Jim Hedger worked with me for 5 years and became a well-known figure in the SEO industry.

2002

Completed Marketing work with Tourism Whistler

Did marketing consulting and on page SEO for Tourism Whistler.

2003

Did Skydiving for the First Time

Took Skydiving lessons and did 3 solo jumps.

2005

Worked for Time Inc. Interactive

I worked for Time Inc, teaching the various magazine departments how to implement SEO. Did my first speaking gig in front of the Time Inc. board of directors.

Rescued during a storm by the Coast Guard

While ocean kayaking on a sunny, 30-degree day, my friend and I got caught in a freak storm and had to be rescued

2007

Got Married

2008

First child - a boy!

2009

Came Runner-Up in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

I lost out to a local company that did the special FX for the plane crash scene at the beginning of the TV series, LOST. I was bummed, but it seemed like a respectable loss!

2010

Spoke at the first Social Media Camp

The inaugural Social Media Camp was in 2010, and I was a speaker

Spoke at Search Engine Strategies (SES) Toronto

I spoke on competitor analysis along with two other panelists

2011

Second child - a girl!

2016

Spoke at SEM Summit

I spoke at the first ever (and last) SEM Summit in Victoria BC.

Created First Dentist Marketing Inc. with Mike Lambe

We merged his company into a new brand we co-owned: First Dentist Marketing Inc.

2018

Spoke at Inventures Conference in Calgary

We discussed new technologies in marketing and how startups can take advantage of them

2019

Spoke for the Big Sky Chapter of the NKBA

I was a special guest, flown in to speak in Montana on “Maximizing SEO & Your Website in 2019”

2020

Featured in Douglas Magazine (print & online)

A significant article was created on me in Victoria’s premiere business magazine.

COVID19Now.com

Created an easy-to-use website to help get the most important information to the forefront for British Columbians and Canadians.

COVID19Therapy.ca

Local Psychotherapist (the late) Corrinne Allyson and I set up a website to offer free therapy sessions to first responders within British Columbia. It was a great success and was featured on CBC Radio and other news outlets.