Martin Vassilev interview: 12 years of SEO in Ottawa

Martin is a friend and my business partner. When I brought CapitalSEO back this year, he was one of the first to welcome it, with a full piece on his site.

That photo is from Toronto in October. We'd both gone to an SEO conference there, and we both came home feeling it hadn't delivered what it promised. Lots of stage presence, not much you could take back to the office and use. So we decided to stop complaining and build the event we wanted to attend: speakers who show their actual results, with the charts and the context. It's called SEO Conference Canada. The host city hasn't been announced yet; Toronto is just where the photo was taken.

This article is a small preview of that idea. I didn't want to write a profile. Profiles are easy to puff up, and you'd learn nothing from one. So I asked Martin the questions Ottawa business owners actually ask us. Then I did what this site does with every claim: I checked his answers against what he's published. Each answer links to the article it comes from, so you can read the full version.

How this interview was done

I sent Martin my questions in writing. He prepared his answers with help from an AI assistant that drew on his own published articles, then reviewed and approved every answer. Martin approved the final answers on October 12, 2026.

I compared each answer with the page it came from. Where his article had a useful detail the answer left out, I added it in a note under the answer, marked as mine. Answers are edited for length only.

That's the same rule I hold myself to. AI can help prepare material. A person has to check it and put their name on it. Martin says the same thing in his answer on AI below.

Martin's before-you-sign card

If you only read one part of this, read this. Martin's three questions and his three walk-away signs fit on one card. Bring it to your next sales call with any SEO, including us.

The questions come from his answer on hiring an SEO, below. The walk-away signs come from his article 12 Years in the Business: What I Got Wrong, where he lists them as the reasons he now turns projects down.

How Martin got started

When did you start, and what did Ottawa's SEO market look like back then?

“I founded Ottawa SEO Inc. in 2014. Running my own websites gave me a practical place to learn and test ideas before bringing that experience into client work.

When I started, Ottawa's market had plenty of inexpensive packages promising page-one rankings. I've written about how common $299 monthly offers were. The problem was that a standard package couldn't account for every business's competition, website and goals.

My approach is to understand those differences before recommending the work. A local service company and a national online store need different levels of investment. The scope should set the price.”

Source: The Ottawa Advantage: What 12 Years in the National Capital Taught Me

Khal's note: "The scope should set the price" is the line I'd underline. If an SEO quotes you a monthly price before they've looked at your site and your competitors, they're guessing or selling a template. Martin's article says almost exactly that.

The mistake he'd fix first

You wrote an article called "12 Years in the Business: What I Got Wrong." What's the biggest mistake on that list, and what do you do differently now?

“The mistake with the biggest consequences was taking on projects where the expectations, resources and timeline didn't match the work required. Early on, I thought I could make up for it with extra effort. That produced wasted time, strained relationships and disappointing outcomes.

Now I deal with those conditions in the sales conversation. Does the business have the budget to support the content it needs? Can someone make technical changes? Is the deadline realistic for the competition?

If those pieces don't line up, I decline the project. I also explain what the monthly fee covers and what needs a separate quote. Learning when to walk away has protected both the client and the agency from work that was unlikely to succeed.”

Source: 12 Years in the Business: What I Got Wrong

Khal's note: His article calls spotting those projects early "the most valuable skill" he developed. It also says that putting bigger jobs (site migrations, redesigns, multi-city pages) on a separate quote ended nearly all of his billing disputes. If you're a business owner, that's worth knowing: a good agency is happy to tell you what's not in the monthly fee.

Why he fired his content mill

Why did you fire your content mill? What happened, and what replaced it?

“The savings disappeared once we counted the editing. Drafts needed structural rewrites, factual corrections and more useful detail. Generic summaries didn't give readers the examples, trade-offs or Canadian context they needed.

We replaced that model with a smaller group of specialist freelance writers and more writing from our own strategists. We reviewed portfolios, paid for test assignments, and looked for people who could learn our standards through feedback.

At first we published fewer articles. But the new content needed less editing time and did better in search and engagement. It changed how we judge production: the real measure is the cost and performance of a finished article, including everything it takes to make it publishable.”

Source: Why I Fired Our Content Mill

Khal's note: His article has the numbers. The mill charged about 2–6¢ per word; his specialist writers cost about 12–30¢. Two strong articles a month replaced eight generic ones, and editing time dropped by about half. His warning sign: if you're rewriting more than half of every draft, you've outgrown the mill.

That's the same idea as the only-you test in my content guide. If any company could have published the article, it isn't worth paying for. Cheap words are expensive.

Where AI belongs in SEO, and where it doesn't

Where does AI belong in SEO work, and where do you refuse to use it?

“I use AI for work that benefits from speed and structure: keyword research, early drafts, schema generation, internal-link planning and competitor gap analysis. We also use it to help monitor how clients appear in AI search. Those are useful when someone experienced checks the output.

My line is wherever the work needs original judgment, an understanding of the customer, or personal accountability. Original strategy, customer-voice research, expert review and link outreach stay in human hands.

Every page we publish is reviewed and edited by a human strategist before it goes live. AI can help prepare material, but that doesn't make it ready for a client's website. I'm responsible for the quality of the work, and for whether the client can confidently put their name on it.”

Source: Ottawa SEO Inc. home page, "Where we use AI — and where we refuse to"

Khal's note: Our view We draw the same line here. AI helps me research and draft. I check every claim against its source and sign off on every page. The test is simple: would you be comfortable putting your name on it?

The AI Overview citation paradox

Explain the "AI Overview citation paradox" for a business owner.

“It's the gap between being used as a source and getting the visitor. Google can draw on your website, cite you in an AI Overview, and answer the searcher's question before they ever reach your page.

For a business owner, the point is that being cited and getting traffic are separate outcomes. A mention can put your business in front of people, but it doesn't automatically bring an enquiry or a sale.

Measure them separately. Track your appearances in AI answers, then look at branded searches and conversions to see the business value. And invest in content that gives readers a reason to keep going past the summary, like detailed guidance on complex questions. A citation alone should never be sold as a guarantee of traffic.”

Source: The AI Overview Citation Paradox

Khal's note: This is the question I tried to answer in Is Google search going away? My worth-the-click test is one way to build the "reason to keep going" Martin describes. His article adds a bilingual catch: if your English and French pages aren't properly linked to each other, your French pages can miss out on French AI answers.

Bilingual SEO without doubling the bill

Bilingual SEO in Ottawa–Gatineau: how do you stage it so it's affordable?

“Start with what both languages can share. Hosting, mobile performance and most of the technical foundation don't need to be built twice. The extra money goes into French research, content, localization, and the technical work that connects the two language versions correctly.

For an established English site, start with the pages most likely to bring in business: core services, key product categories and relevant local pages. Supporting articles can follow as budget allows.

Research French search intent separately, and use Canadian French writers or qualified reviewers. Translating an English keyword list can miss how customers actually search.

I generally favour language subfolders on the same domain. After launch, I check indexing, French traffic and conversions before expanding. A phased rollout makes the budget easier to manage.”

Source: Bilingual SEO Is Cheaper Than You Think — If You Stage It Right

Khal's note: In his article, Martin estimates French adds roughly 30–60% of the English spend, not double, for a typical small-business expansion of 20–40 pages. That's his estimate from his own work, not a published benchmark, but it's a useful starting point for a budget conversation. If you have an address in Quebec, French on your site may not be optional. My local SEO guide covers that.

What he tells prospects who can't afford him

What do you tell prospects who can't afford you?

“I ask what they need to achieve and what the smallest realistic scope would be. Sometimes the answer is to focus on fewer important pages and do that work thoroughly. I don't promise that a smaller budget will deliver the same result as a bigger program.

If they can't afford an agency retainer, I explain what they can do themselves: make one person responsible, learn Google Search Console, improve the site's structure, and work on headings and internal links. Content can grow as their capacity does.

Sometimes I recommend waiting, or using another channel like direct outreach to get faster feedback. SEO may be too early if the business is still working out its offer. I want the prospect to understand the commitment before they spend money.”

Source: What I Tell Prospects Who Cannot Afford Us

Khal's note: It's rare for an agency owner to publish "maybe don't hire anyone yet." His article also names paid ads and building an email list as alternatives, and makes the case for one well-researched page over ten shallow ones. If you're in that spot, my keyword research guide is a good place to start on your own.

Three questions before you sign

If an Ottawa owner is hiring an SEO this year, what three questions should they ask before signing?

“First: 'What exactly am I buying?' The proposal should list the technical work, pages, content and other deliverables. It should also spell out exclusions, including whether French work costs extra.

Second: 'Who will actually do the work?' Ask who leads strategy, who writes and reviews content, and who you'll deal with after signing. Ask for a sample audit or brief to see the standard of work.

Third: 'How will we know it's working?' The agency should explain its reporting, realistic milestones, and how progress connects to enquiries or sales. Ask whether you can see the underlying data.

Be cautious about guaranteed Google positions. A credible proposal explains the plan, its assumptions and the responsibilities on both sides.”

Source: How to Evaluate an SEO Proposal

Khal's note: His proposal guide adds two more worth checking: the exit terms, and whether you get direct access to your own Search Console and analytics. I'd add a fourth question of my own. Our view Ask "Where does that come from?" about any big claim in the pitch. A good SEO can point to Google's documentation, a named study, or a test they ran. "Trust me" isn't a source.

What outsiders get wrong about Ottawa

What's one thing about the Ottawa market that outsiders get wrong?

“Assuming a strategy built for another city can be moved to Ottawa unchanged. Toronto's competitive environment doesn't automatically translate here. The local search results, the competition and customer behaviour need to shape the decisions.

For businesses serving Ottawa and Gatineau, language also changes the scope. French content, and the site structure that supports it, need attention from the planning stage.

I start with the searches that matter to the business and what the person searching is trying to do. Then I check whether the website can turn that interest into an enquiry. Rankings are useful signals, but they need to connect to business results.”

Source: The Ottawa Advantage

Why we're working together

Martin and I came at SEO from different ends. He has run an agency since 2014 and tests what works on his own sites. I came from government web work, accessibility and bilingual publishing, and this site's rule that every claim links to its source. We co-founded TorontoSEO.com together, and SEO Conference Canada is our next project. The idea behind both is the same one you've read above: show the work, show the evidence, skip the hype.

What I took from this

Here's where Martin and I land in the same place:

1. Scope before price. Nobody can quote honestly without looking at your site and your competition.
2. A person signs off. AI can speed up the work. It can't take responsibility for it.
3. Results, not rankings. A ranking report is a signal. Enquiries and sales are the result.
4. Ottawa isn't Toronto. Local competition and two languages change the plan.
5. Walking away is a feature. An SEO who turns down work that can't win is one you can trust with the work that can.

If you're comparing SEOs in Ottawa–Gatineau, take Martin's card to every call, ours included. The ones worth hiring will be glad you asked.

About Martin Vassilev and Ottawa SEO Inc.

Martin Vassilev is the founder of Ottawa SEO Inc., an Ottawa search agency he has run since 2014. It's founder-led, with a small network of specialist contractors, and works on technical SEO, local SEO, content and AI search for businesses across Canada. He writes about SEO pricing, AI search and the Ottawa market in the agency's Insights articles. You can find him on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: Martin is a friend and my business partner. We co-founded TorontoSEO.com and are building SEO Conference Canada together. CapitalSEO and Ottawa SEO Inc. are separate businesses. Martin did not pay for this article, and he approved his own answers before publication. Facts about Ottawa SEO Inc. come from its own website; I haven't independently audited its client results.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Martin Vassilev?

Martin Vassilev is the founder of Ottawa SEO Inc., an Ottawa SEO agency he started in 2014.

What does Martin Vassilev say to ask an SEO before you hire them?

Three questions: What exactly am I buying? Who will actually do the work? How will we know it's working? He also advises caution about any guaranteed Google position.

How much more does bilingual SEO cost?

Martin estimates that adding French costs roughly 30–60% of the English spend if you stage it, because the technical foundation is shared. That's his estimate, not a published benchmark.

Are CapitalSEO and Ottawa SEO Inc. the same company?

No. They're separate businesses. Martin Vassilev and Khalid Mohamed are business partners in TorontoSEO.com and are building SEO Conference Canada together.

Sources

Martin's answers were checked against his published articles on ottawaseo.com, read October 12, 2026:

• The Ottawa Advantage: What 12 Years in the National Capital Taught Me
• 12 Years in the Business: What I Got Wrong
• Why I Fired Our Content Mill
• The AI Overview Citation Paradox
• Bilingual SEO Is Cheaper Than You Think — If You Stage It Right
• What I Tell Prospects Who Cannot Afford Us
• How to Evaluate an SEO Proposal
• Martin Vassilev founder page
• Ottawa SEO Inc. home page
• Ottawa SEO Inc.: Welcome Capital SEO
• SEO Conference Canada