Brian Dean is the founder and CEO of Backlinko, a search engine optimization and marketing strategy service provider. He is well-renowned for releasing a complete list of all 200 ranking factors that Google uses to help rank websites on the algorithm, and shot to prominence as his list helps numerous businesses reach the top of the ranking.
In 2012, Brian Dean launched Backlinko. Their goal is to assist marketers in growing their online presence with SEO strategies and methodology to help them generate more backlinks to their websites. As a result, Dean has an estimated net worth of over $5 million.
His SEO experience wasn’t as straightforward as some other marketers. According to Forbes he studied nutrition, receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island. He also received a Master’s degree from Tufts. He then worked on a Ph.D. but quit his program at Purdue to find employment.
Between 2009 and 2010, he created 150 websites. This period was known as the black-hat SEO boom, where unethical marketing techniques were commonplace in the SEO world when Google had an algorithm that was easier to manipulate. There is no evidence that Dean used the same tactics during the period, the Google Panda update in 2011 did significantly reduce traffic to his keyword-stuffed niche website.
After the update, he moved to learn more workable SEO techniques that would form the beginnings of Backlinko. Now he works with a variety of clientele, including Fortune 500 companies.
