About Us

Broad online experience, focused SEO expertise

We are different and we are passionate. We are ethical and work with very robust integrity. We are not ‘yes men’ and we couldn’t be further from the snake oil peddlers who permeate the SEO sector; some of whom you may have encountered already.

Search Johnston is comprised of a group of online professionals who have chosen Natural Search Consultancy because it is one of the most important, most complex and most commercially influential disciplines currently at play on the internet. We do it because we love it and because we know you will find it almost impossible to find someone who will do it better or with more clarity. Being the best at SEO is what drives us; being direct and honest consultants is what you get when you engage with us.

Our people are far more than just SEO experts, they are hugely experienced digital professionals from a highly complementary set of backgrounds, who combine to offer unparalleled clarity and value in SEO consulting. Consequently we know how our advice will influence all the other aspects of your online operations, because we’ve been there.

See. We are passionate!

Steve Johnston, Founder & Managing Consultant

Steve coined the phrase ‘Google Consultant’ and has been a Google SEO specialist since 2001. He has been providing independent consultancy on making Google love his clients’ web sites since 2003. Read more about our founding ‘Google Consultant‘.

Roland Dunn, Senior Consultant

Roland has been part of the Search Johnston team since the very beginning of 2007 and to complement his SEO expertise is a very experienced digital media professional who has worked in the digital world for over fifteen years. Roland has worked for The Multimedia Corporation, Microsoft and Sony; has founded an internet start-up and has been a technical director of a London-based web design agency.

Roland has a BSc in Maths and Computer Science from University College London, is married with two young boys and lives in North London.

Liam McGee, Senior Consultant

Liam has been part of the Search Johnston team since late 2006 and has been involved in the Internet since 1995. Alongside his SEO expertise he is actively involved in accessibility research and is a specialist in accessibility; usability; information architecture; interface design; assistive technology; semiotics; online communities and web analytics. Liam draws on twelve years of experience in publishing, public relations and online media, having worked for AOL and BBC Online, amongst others. In his spare time Liam serves as an Invited Expert to the W3C.

Liam has an MA Hons. and MSci from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College, London. He is married and lives in Somerset.

Paul Ratcliffe, Senior Consultant

Paul has been part of the Search Johnston team since mid 2007 and is a highly experienced SEO consultant and trainer. He oversees our training programmes as our very own professionally-qualified accelerated learning specialist. Paul previously spent four years designing and managing management training and e-learning programmes for Shell and a year working for the Natural History Museum. Paul’s specialities include online and classroom training techniques; educational game design and programming.

Paul has an MA Hons. from the University of Cambridge and lives in West London.

Philip Read, Senior Consultant

Philip has been part of the Search Johnston team since early 2007 and has 15 years experience working in digital marketing and online strategy. Starting his career at Southbank Consulting he worked as a consultant for the BBC for five years and was involved in a range of digital strategy projects encompassing new channel launches, market research and future service concepts. After founding a broadband startup Philip became Managing Director of a BAFTA-award winning London creative digital agency before joining Search:Johnston. Philip’s experience encompasses strategy development, usability, information architecture, design and branding and communications.

Philip studied Philosophy at Kings College London, has two young sons and lives in Oxford.