Mihai Mateias

The Early Days: A Gamer's Mindset

Before I ever optimized a website, I was just a kid obsessed with video games—especially Starcraft. I’ve always been one to take things to the extreme, and for me, it was only ever about winning. I poured countless hours into playing competitive cups and ladders. This dedication paid off when I reached the Diamond Rank in Season 1 of Starcraft 2, which was the highest rank possible at the time. I achieved this as a Zerg player, during a period when the Zerg race was widely considered the weakest of all. That relentless drive to understand complex systems, find inefficiencies, and ultimately win, laid the groundwork for my entire professional career.

The Spark: From Gaming to Affiliate Gold

That same competitive energy needed a new outlet. I first stumbled into SEO by diving into affiliate marketing. As a young kid in my first year of college, I managed to make $28,552.64. For someone at that age and time, the amount felt enormous. It was a pivotal moment that pushed me to redirect all my competitiveness from video games into mastering the world of SEO.

The Cracks in the Conventional Wisdom: Why Traditional SEO Fails

Fast forward a few years, and that early success led me to a role as a senior SEO at one of the largest digital marketing agencies in my country. I remember it vividly. I was immersed in the daily grind of traditional SEO strategies. We chased rankings, tweaked keywords, and reacted to every Google update with a mixture of fear and confusion. Year after year, I watched as these tried-and-true methods yielded diminishing returns. We were always playing catch-up, constantly putting out fires, and, frankly, never truly understanding the intricate dance of a search engine. The constant anxiety about Google updates was draining because, deep down, we knew we weren't truly in control.

A Glimmer of Truth: Discovering Koray's Vision

Then, a breakthrough. I stumbled upon the work of Koray Tuğberk Gubur—his guest posts, videos, and website. It was like a jolt of electricity. At first, I didn't grasp everything, but there was an undeniable resonance to his words, a profound truth that transcended the superficial tactics I was used to. From that moment on, I dedicated every spare minute to unraveling the mysteries of search engines. I delved into the brilliant minds of people like Koray and Bill Slawsky, dissecting patents and drawing conclusions that began to reshape my entire understanding of SEO.

The Leap of Faith: Prioritizing Purpose Over Profit for Client Success

The more I learned, the clearer it became: our clients deserved better. What we were doing at the agency, while well-intentioned, felt increasingly ineffective. My heart ached knowing we weren't delivering true value. I tried to share this new methodology with our managers to ignite a spark of change, but the traditional mindset was deeply entrenched. The decision weighed heavily on me, but I knew I had to move on. I couldn't continue doing something I believed was, to be honest, useless.

It was a daunting leap, but a necessary one. With newfound conviction, I reached out to Koray with a bold email.

"Dear Koray,
I am not interested in any monetary gains from this, I know your company will become extremely successful in the coming year, and I would be very proud one day to become your right-hand man."

To my surprise, he responded and I took the first plane to Turkey. On May 5th, 2023, we met in Istanbul and I made a promise that would change my life: I would move to Turkey and work alongside him.

The Deep Dive: Mastering Holistic SEO for Unmatched Results

Just when I thought I was on the cusp of understanding, Koray launched his comprehensive course. I quickly realized that simply reading articles and patents wasn't enough. The course was overwhelming at first. It took me six months of relentless study, note-taking, and re-reading before the intricate puzzle pieces of Holistic SEO finally clicked into place.

During this period, I became Koray's shadow, attending every conference, absorbing every insight. We were together at the White Press SEO Conference in Budapest, Hungary, on October 5th, 2023. A week later, on October 12th, we were in Sofia, witnessing another of Koray's powerful presentations and connecting with fellow enthusiasts inspired by his vision.

Then, on October 20th, 2023, we returned to Istanbul for a truly special occasion: Koray's wedding on the Bosphorus, a memory I cherish.

From Theory to Triumph: Applying Koray’s Framework for Your Benefit

On November 11th, 2023, we were in Chiang Mai, Thailand, sharing the groundbreaking news of Holistic SEO at a major conference. It was there, under Koray's invaluable guidance, that my confidence as an SEO began to soar. I started applying his framework, "Koraynese," and witnessing tangible results. Businesses were achieving higher rankings with greater ease, a testament to the power of this new approach. I also forged invaluable friendships within our community, including Lefteris Soulas, the brilliant mind behind Keyword Cupid. Amidst our professional endeavors, Koray, his wife Ece, and I even found time to visit elephants in the wilderness—a truly unforgettable experience.

My skills as an SEO were rapidly improving. I was consistently applying Koray's framework, simplifying its complexities, and helping teams implement it without needing years of theoretical knowledge. To truly grasp the inner workings of SEO, I even became a full-stack developer with a deep understanding of search engines like Apache Lucene. I worked as a developer specializing in semantic search all to deepen my understanding and grow as an SEO, developer, and data scientist.

Building a Hub for Holistic SEO: A Community for Growth

In September 2024, Koray invited me to the inaugural Kusadasi SEO event, organized by him. I instantly fell in love with the city. I connected with brilliant minds like Ben Stace, Lefteris, Pavel, Germans, James Dooley, Mads Singers, and many other friends from our growing community. I was so captivated that I extended my stay for three months after the conference.

It was during this time that I fully dedicated myself to Holistic SEO, applying Koray's framework with unwavering focus. I realized my goal wasn't just to learn, but to refine the application process and communicate these complex concepts in a simple, understandable way for my clients. I've successfully helped large teams transition from outdated classic SEO processes to Koray's framework, developing a streamlined approach that enables rapid implementation without requiring a deep dive into years of theory—as long as they trust the process.