VP, SEO & Localization at KAYAK. The authority on travel SEO.
Travel SEO Pulse is my daily briefing that distills the top stories across travel, search, and AI into actionable insights.
From scaling classifieds at Yalwa, to launching new markets at HolidayCheck, to running international SEO for one of the world's biggest travel metasearch engines.
Where I've Built My Career
About
I run SEO and localization at KAYAK - 7 brands, 60+ markets, 25+ languages. My job is making sure travelers around the world find us through search, in their own language, on their own terms. I've been doing this for 15+ years across Google - and now the new wave of AI search with Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
Localization isn't translation. It's understanding how people in different markets actually search, what they expect when they land, and how to build pages that earn the click. The best long-term SEO strategy is to make your site so good that search engines would be embarrassed not to rank it.
I started in international SEO at Yalwa, scaled new markets at HolidayCheck, and have been at KAYAK since 2015 - from SEO analyst to VP. Along the way I founded expatjobseeker.de to help expats find work in Germany, where I'm based.
I publish Travel SEO Pulse - a daily briefing that distills the top stories across travel, search, and AI into sharp, actionable insights with a travel SEO angle on everything. AI is reshaping how search works, and I'd rather be the one shaping that than reacting to it.
William & Mary - Bachelor of Arts, Government. Based in Germany. Girl dad.
What Colleagues Say
"A real pro in big-scale SEO - Jesse is a very talented person who I really enjoy working together with. His skills are really remarkable."
Startup Owner
"Will always find a solution very fast - Jesse is the colleague everyone wants to have. As a good team player he's always ready to help."
Web Consultant, Swisscom
"Strong expertise on SEO - I am very pleased to work with Jesse at HolidayCheck. He has a strong expertise on SEO and in online Marketing."
Intl Marketing Manager, Evaneos
Experience
Speaking & Consulting
I occasionally work with travel brands and conferences that want deep, practical sessions on AI search, international SEO, and organic growth.
Contact
Whether it's a speaking engagement, consulting project, or just to say hello - I'd love to hear from you.