In an era where digital presence is as crucial as the air we breathe, one visionary stands out for her remarkable journey of transformation and empowerment.

We recently sat down for a Q&A session with SEO Consultant, Tomiko Harvey, for our first Her Business: Thought Leadership Spotlight at 40 Rise Magazine. She truly embodies the spirit of innovation and resilience. If you don’t know this woman, get to know her!

Tomiko Harvey’s story is more than just an SEO success tale; it’s a beacon of hope for every black woman looking to leave her digital footprint. She not only educates but empowers, ensuring that the digital world is accessible and inclusive for all.

A Digital Pioneer

Tomiko’s journey into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) wasn’t just about climbing the digital ladder; it was about creating a ladder for others to climb. Her mission? To unmask SEO for black content creators, a community historically left out of the digital success narrative. “It’s about making your content visible,” She shares, emphasizing the game-changing power of SEO in amplifying voices.

Tomiko, like many bloggers, started her blogging career just wanting to make enough funds to cover her expenses. But then, she went on to focus on becoming an Instagram influencer and making money from her social platform. But that wasn’t enough for her. There was still an existing gap in equity for Black content creators that just didn’t sit right with her.

It was through a discovery of the digital ad service, Mediavine that opened her mind to the possibilities of SEO and a sustainable growing income.

When asked, “What inspired you to dive into the world of SEO and digital strategy?”

“… for me it was Black creators still don’t understand and know what ad networks are and I saw all of these white creators making tens of thousands of dollars a month…So I then was like, okay, how do I figure this out? What do I need to do? And that sort of became my journey. Really, it was to learn myself first and then to educate Black creators because we still don’t know.”

The Power of SEO for Black content creators

By focusing on educating black creators about SEO, Tomiko is not just teaching a skill but empowering a movement. “Visibility is key,” she asserts, revealing how SEO levels the playing field, allowing creators to shine on the global stage. Her approach is straightforward and relatable, stripping away all of the jargon to make SEO accessible and understandable to all.

Integrating Passions and Professions

Tomiko’s blend of luxury travel blogging and SEO expertise highlights a unique narrative – one where passion meets profession. Discovering that her audience gravitated towards safety in travel, she skillfully shifted her content strategy, showcasing her adaptability and keen market insight. This pivot not only skyrocketed her SEO rankings but also solidified her status as a trusted authority in travel.

I asked, “How did you integrate SEO with your passion for travel and blogging?”

… I’m bougie, I like nice things. And so with liking nice things, I wanted to collaborate with luxury brands, hotels, and destinations because I like going to luxury places…if you have Google Console, which is a free tool that Google uses to tell you how people are finding your content. What phrases people are using to find your content. I started looking when I first started with understanding SEO and Google was telling me that people were finding my safety content. People weren’t finding me via luxury. They were finding me via safety. So then I had to say to myself, okay self, do you wanna keep writing about luxury and you’re not getting paid and you’re just going on press trips and you’re not making any money and it’s really not bringing any traffic to your site or do you wanna talk about safety? … I decided that Google is telling me what my audience wants from me, so I need to listen.

So, What’s Ahead For Tomiko Harvey?

When asked about future projects or goals for 2024, Tomiko shared her exciting projects like the launch of her SEO Consulting and Coaching business, TomikoHarvey.com, new courses, and an E-book launch. She also spoke of her mission to bid farewell to Corporate America before the end of 2024.

“…it’s gonna be sooner than later. I already have the plan in place on when I am exiting. So my husband and I, we are on the same page. We decided that it’s time.”

In addition to her trailblazing in SEO, Tomiko is also doing groundbreaking work as the VP of Black Travel Alliance and as a Conference Director at TBEX (North America), where she’s on a mission to bring in more Black speakers to the world’s largest conference and community of travel creators.

“…I am at TBEX North America, it’s gonna be in Puerto Rico in July. That’s so everybody if you know, you want to meet with brands. That is a great way to meet with travel brands. I’m also speaking at IMM in two weeks. IMM is the largest travel conference in the world. It’s right above TBEX, so I’m gonna be speaking there. I’m just, I am just excited about all of the possibilities.”

And we at 40 Rise are equally excited for her.

Faith Over Fear

Tomiko’s journey is a testament to the power of faith over fear. It’s also a wonderful example of a Black woman over 40 embracing her identity, challenging ageism, and inspiring a new generation of digital creators. Her advice to those venturing into the digital world is simple yet profound: “Be you. The world needs what you have to offer.”

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Watch the complete video interview below. If you are a digital creator, you don’t want to miss this! It’s loaded with good insight and practical advice to amplify your brand. Be sure to subscribe to our new YouTube Channel so you can be notified of new additions to our Her Business: Thought Leadership Spotlights series and more! We also appreciate your likes, shares and comments!

IG: @Tomiko.Harvey

Blog: PassportsandGrub