Hi, I’m Chris Hinksman — an Australian who recently traded the beaches of home for the cobblestones of Lithuania. After nearly two decades in the pharmaceutical industry, I became well-versed in precision, compliance, and clear communication. However what I didn’t expect was how fascinated I’d become by the human side of decision-making: why people behave the way they do, what shapes their choices, and what ultimately builds trust – something I’ve been exploring especially while learning SEO and how people interact with content online.
Over time, that curiosity eventually followed me well beyond work hours. Somewhere between analysing data sets and writing technical reports, I realised what I was truly drawn to: understanding why people click, why they hesitate, and why they convert. Naturally that, interest eventually led me to digital marketing — specifically into SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization).
Transitioning into digital marketing is a big shift, and I’m approaching it with both structure and transparency. Instead of waiting to feel “ready,” I’ve decided to take a different approach: learn SEO and CRO in public.
Ultimately this blog is where I’ll document the entire process — the theory, the testing, the mistakes, and the improvements — as I build a new career in digital marketing. In doing so, I hope to create aliving record of the learning curve in real time.
Why I’m Focusing on SEO and CRO
After years in a field where small details have huge consequences, digging deep became second nature: into data, into processes, into patterns. I’ve always enjoyed analysis, psychology, writing, and creativity — and digital marketing is where those strengths intersect. As a result, it felt like a natural place to begin again.
SEO and CRO, in particular, feel like the perfect blend of strategy, science, and human behaviour. Together, they offer a balance of creativitiy and structure that I’ve always gravitated toward.
SEO: Attracting the Right Visitors
SEO helps websites become visible to the people searching for them. It’s about search intent, content strategy, site performance, and understanding how users look for information. In other words, it connects curiosity with visibility.
CRO: Turning Visitors Into Action
CRO focuses on behaviour, design, copywriting, and user experience. It’s about running data-driven experiments to remove friction and improve conversions. Consequently, it turns passive visitors into engaged users and helps businesses understand what truly resonates.
Together, SEO and CRO form the engine of online growth. They aren’t just marketing skills — they’re systematic, behavioural, creative, and measurable. For someone like me, who loves both analysis and storytelling, they make perfect sense.
Building a Public Learning Project
For most of my life, I waited for the “perfect moment” before starting something new — the right timing, the right confidence, the right level of knowledge. This time, however, I’m choosing the opposite approach: learn publicly, build transparently, and improve in real time.
My goal isn’t to present myself as an expert.
My goal is to show the process of becoming one.
Documenting my learning journey achieves several things:
- First, It keeps me accountable.
- Second, It forces clarity around what I’m learning.
- Third, It becomes a portfolio of real, practical work.
- Finally, It gives future employers insight into how I think, experiment, and iterate.
Instead of studying quietly in the background, I’m sharing the entire journey — from early learnings to real case studies. As a result, the learning becomes more active and intentional.
My SEO + CRO Learning Roadmap
To build momentum in this transition, I’m following a structured roadmap that outlines the core skills I’m developing. It gives me direction while still allowing flexibility as I grow and apply what I learn in real time. In essence, it’s a guide rather than a strict set of rules.
Phase 1 (Months 1–2): Foundation
- Build this website – as described in my WordPress set up guide
- Set up analytics and tracking
- Publish the first blog posts – as I explain in my guide on writing blogs for SEO
Phase 2 (Months 3–4): Keyword Research & On-Page SEO
- Learn keyword research tools and frameworks
- Optimise early content
- Experiment with titles and metadata
Phase 3 (Months 5–6): Technical SEO
- Improve page speed
- Strengthen internal linking
- Refine site architecture
Phase 4 (Months 7–8): CRO Fundamentals
- Understand A/B testing frameworks
- Create simple landing page experiments
- Deepen behavioural analysis
Phase 5 (Months 9–10): Advanced Analytics
- Build funnels and reporting dashboards
- Implement behavioural tracking
- Translate data into insights
Phase 6 (Months 11–12): Integration
- Combine SEO and CRO learnings
- Produce small case studies
- Review progress from the full year
- Update my portfolio with measurable outcomes
This roadmap is intentionally ambitious. Nevertheless, it lets me bring the discipline from my previous career into a space that feels more creative, more analytical, and far more aligned with how I naturally think. It isn’t a strict timeline — it’s a guide. Ultimately, it keeps me focused and moving forward while I build real, practical skills in SEO and CRO.
How I’ll Measure My Digital Marketing Progress
SEO and CRO are inherently measurable — which makes them perfect for a public learning project. I’ll track progress using:
- Organic traffic growth (Google Search Console)
- Conversion rate improvements (Google Analytics)
- Posting consistency — one blog post every 2–3 weeks
- Documented experiments as learning milestones
Together, these metrics aren’t just numbers; they’re indicators of whether I’m building real capability and moving in the right direction. Furthermore, they help reveal which strategies genuinely work and which ones need refinement.
An Invitation to Join the Journey
If you’re also learning SEO or CRO — or if you work in the digital marketing space — I’d love to connect. I’ll be sharing shorter updates on LinkedIn, along with insights, experiments, and the occasional mistake turned into a learning opportunity.
I’m not building this in isolation. In fact, feedback, ideas, recommendations, and challenges are welcome. Collaboration is part of the goal, and ultimately, it’s part of what makes learning in public worthwhile.
I’m not writing from the perspective of an expert.
I’m writing from the perspective of someone becoming one.
So, let’s see how far a year of focused, transparent learning can go.
Here’s to progress (and fewer 404s)
Chris