Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite, a premier SEO and growth marketing agency. He has advised leading companies including Notion, MasterClass, Upwork, Webflow and BetterUp. Passionate about the impact of search on digital content, Ethan helps brands create scalable, product led SEO strategies that drive real growth. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at IE Business School, sharing his expertise with future leaders. Ethan is widely respected for making SEO both impactful for businesses and valuable for users.Biography
Ethan Smith is a leading voice in SEO and growth marketing, known for transforming how top companies think about search, content and sustainable digital growth. As the CEO of Graphite, a premier SEO and growth marketing agency, Ethan leads a team that has advised some of the world’s most innovative and recognisable brands. His strategic guidance has helped companies such as MasterClass, Upwork, Honey, Notion, Webflow, Ticketmaster, Neiman Marcus, Thumbtack and BetterUp build long term value through search.
At the heart of Ethan’s work is a deep passion for the transformative power of SEO. He believes that search is not simply a traffic channel, but a force that shapes the quality of content consumed every day. By aligning content creation with real user needs, Ethan helps brands unlock their potential to lead in their industries while also improving the online experience for millions of people.
His influence extends well beyond consulting. Ethan also serves as an adjunct professor at IE Business School, where he educates the next generation of marketers and business leaders on the strategic role SEO plays in growth. In both client work and academia, Ethan is recognised for his ability to distil complex SEO and growth frameworks into actionable, high impact strategies.
Ethan’s approach blends technical expertise, product thinking and deep empathy for the user. This combination allows him to deliver scalable growth while ensuring companies stay true to their brand and mission. He is particularly respected for his work in helping businesses scale SEO as a product led function rather than just a marketing tactic.
With a track record that spans early stage startups to global enterprises, Ethan brings a rare mix of hands on experience, thought leadership and strategic clarity. Whether advising executives, mentoring students or leading one of the most respected agencies in the industry, Ethan remains focused on a single goal: driving meaningful, sustainable growth through SEO that genuinely improves the web.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ethan Smith combines deep technical knowledge with product thinking and business strategy. He is known for simplifying complex concepts and helping organisations build SEO programs that scale effectively across teams and platforms.
Yes. Ethan Smith has advised high profile companies including Notion, MasterClass, Webflow, Upwork, Ticketmaster, Thumbtack, Honey, BetterUp, and Neiman Marcus. His strategic input has helped these brands develop scalable SEO programs that drive measurable business results.
Ethan Smith’s insights are especially valuable for growth teams, product leaders, marketing executives, and founders. His talks resonate with startups, scale ups, and enterprise companies looking to build SEO as a long term, high impact growth engine.
Ethan Smith speaks on SEO strategy, growth marketing, product led SEO, and the intersection of content quality and user experience. His talks often focus on how to scale SEO as a sustainable channel while aligning with user intent and company growth goals.