I’d like to introduce you to Travis LeSaffre, a member of our SEO team. In this edition of our employee interview series, we’ll learn about Travis’ duties at d50, how being in a band helps him express himself and how much his little furry friend means to him.
You are on the SEO team at d50. Tell us a bit about what search engine optimization is, and what you do to help clients daily:
Search engine optimization is the process of increasing the visibility of a website in a search engines’ organic results. Basically, I help Google, Bing, Yahoo and other engines find and evaluate your site. The higher a page ranks in the SERPs (search engine result page) the more likely it is to attract customers.
SEO has hundreds of components, but some of the things I focus on for clients are creating accurate and optimized meta data, identifying high search volume keywords, researching and writing content recommendations and dozens of other tasks.
You studied political communication at Emerson. What skills learned in college have you brought with you to help in your digital marketing position at d50?
Political communication is a lot like marketing except that now I am selling a product, service or website instead of a person. The same general principles apply to this job, so making the transition was easy. The writing skills that Emerson taught me also helped me with my transition into a marketing career path.
You’re also in a band. Tell us a little bit about your band and what music means to you.
I’m in a Charlestown-based hardcore band (think the speed of punk with more aggression). It consumes almost all of my free time outside of work and is my true passion in life. Music is everything to me and has been a part of me since a very young age. I have played some form of instrument since 3rd grade including drums, trumpet, baritone horn, trombone, and electric bass. Without music I don’t think I would have any way to properly express myself.
You often talk about your pet bunny. What made you decide to get a bunny as a pet?
One weekend my brother called me and asked if I could come over and watch his pet bunny while he and my sister-in-law went off to a wedding. I ended up loving the way the animal interacts with people. A rabbit is a mix of a dog and a cat without the loud barks and meows associated with the larger animals. Also, my girlfriend helped convince me that I needed a furry friend in my apartment.
What inspires you in life?
I have always strived to do my best in all facets of my work and personal life. I believe that having parents with a strong work ethic helped me to build a positive outlook and created an understanding that honors and credit must be earned. When I was younger I was involved in the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. This experience has greatly helped me in understanding that even though the journey can be hard, it is worth the effort.
What do you like to do for fun outside of work?
My life outside of work is always busy. I spend lots of time working with band by practicing, playing and booking shows, and promoting our EP. Beside music, my life is occupied by reading, exploring Boston and playing far too many board games.
What do you like most about working for d50 Media?
Working at d50 Media has allowed me to gain experience in every facet of my profession. Not only does the company allow for professional development, but it also has a great agency culture. It’s rare to feel that co-workers are also close friends.