Shownotes
Want to know how you can do your bit to become a more inclusive marketeer?
Of course you do, because the world is a better place when we show up as allies for one another.
This episode is part 2 of Sarah's brilliant conversation with Laura Iancu: founder of Searchpedia, SEO Gal at Octopus Energy, and proud member of both Women in Tech SEO and Neurodivergents in SEO.
If you haven't caught part 1 yet, you'll find the link in the resources below 👇
In part 1, Sarah and Laura explored why inclusivity matters so much, sharing their own personal experiences and perspectives along the way.
Part 2 gets practical - get actionable strategies you can start using right now to be a better ally in your marketing career.
And make sure you stick around to the end, we wrap up by asking Laura for her best ever piece of career advice, a brilliant person to follow in the industry, and her key takeaway from the conversation.
About Laura:
Laura Iancu is the founder of Searchpedia, the SEO Gal at Octopus Energy, and a proud member of Women in Tech SEO & NDs in SEO. She refers to herself as a search activist, meaning she doesn’t just talk about making search better, fairer, and more useful, she walks the walk. She’s also a mentor, something she genuinely loves, helping others find their confidence, voice, and place in the industry. Born in Romania and shaped by life across the UK, China and Europe, Laura brings an international lens to sustainability, search, accessibility, and inclusive communication.
Where to find Laura:
About 'The SEO Mindset' Podcast
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Each week we will cover topics specific to careers in the SEO industry but also broader topics too including professional and personal development.
Your hosts are Life Coach Tazmin Suleman and SEO Manager Sarah McDowell, who between them have over 20 years of experience working in the industry.
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Mentioned in this episode
Previsible helps brands grow
Search has changed but most strategies haven’t.
If you’re still measuring success purely on rankings and clicks, you’re missing where real decisions are happening.
Previsible helps brands understand and grow their visibility across AI platforms so you’re not just present, you’re chosen.
If you want to see where your brand stands and how to build trust in AI-driven search today.
Free Consultation Call with Tazmin
Interested in personal growth or career development? Book a free consultation call with Tazmin, by visiting her website.
Resources used for episode
- Roxana Stingu LinkedIn
- Women in Tech SEO | Global Community
- Being a Decent Earthling: Inclusion and Representation in SEO with Laura Iancu [Part 1] - The SEO Mindset
Copyright 2026 Sarah & Tazmin
Mentioned in this episode:
Previsible helps brands grow
Search has changed but most strategies haven’t. If you’re still measuring success purely on rankings and clicks, you’re missing where real decisions are happening. Previsible helps brands understand and grow their visibility across AI platforms so you’re not just present, you’re chosen. If you want to see where your brand stands and how to build trust in AI-driven search today.
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Transcripts
Sarah: Laura, are you still with us?
Laura: Yes. Always.
Sarah: You haven't decided to you know, take a break and, uh, step away
Laura: No, not at all. I'm here, very much engaged. I am loving this conversation. I love, I love the fact that, I, I, I told you before actually this podcast is one of those podcasts that you can actually, like, sit down and just binge.
Laura: I mean, I could listen to, to your, to your guests for hours on end. I just don't get bored with it. It's just keeps me so engaged. And I feel like this is, our experience now is a reflection of that. I'm like, yeah, I, we could do this until tomorrow probably.
Sarah: Well, this episode could easily end up being two, three hours long, couldn't it?
Sarah: But, but we will have control. We will- Yes ... have
Laura: control.
Sarah: Fabulous. Fabulous. Okay. So, so we, we had a bit of a heart-to-heart in the first half, and I'm completely using the words that you just used when we had our little, uh, break there. But I like it. We did have a heart-to-heart. We did have a heart-to-heart. And yes, it's good to bring these topics and have these conversations 'cause we need to bring it to the forefront, don't we?
Sarah: What I'd like to do now is get practical. So we love lis- we love leaving our listeners with practical tips, strategies that they can implement. So let's start with SEOs and digital marketers. How can we be better allies? How can we in a pra- like, practically, what can we be doing to be more inclusive and be more aware that, yeah, the world is full of lots of lovely cultures and people that are different from us?
Laura: That is an amazing question, and I think the world of SEO is paramounted. I generally feel so because we're responsible for people getting discovered, people being visible. And I'm gonna quote Uncle Ben from Spider-Man, and if you've never watched Spider-Man, please go do it. It's formative almost. With great power comes great responsibility, and it does, and, and the SEO world is a very good example of that.
Laura: And what you can do regardless of your profession, right, is start looking a bit more inwards and understand that not everything's about you. And yes, it's convenient when things are written for you, and, and you feel like you're being seen, and you can find things quickly. You can shop with your AI assistant and have things delivered the next day and all that, right?
Laura: It's an amazing, it's, it's an amazing opportunity and- And privilege, like you said, being born in a Western society where things are catered to you. But what about the other millions that are being pushed on the edge of the internet and they don't find themselves over there? They're not representative.
Laura: It's almost like bullying them out. It's, it's, it's almost like you don't exist. We di- we didn't even think about you when we created this product, when we wrote this piece of content, when we yada, yada, yada. Right? So it's just being, as I said, a decent earthling at the end of the day. Just make sure you're looking inwards.
Laura: You create space for unrepresented voices, right? If you've- if you're privileged enough to work in a multicultural environment, and have different people from different backgrounds in your team or part of your team or even your clients, right? Make sure you understand them and you create that safe space for them to bring a new perspective.
Laura: So yes, there is so much you can do, and there's no excuse for not doing so. So just do it.
Sarah: I think I'm just gonna pick out something really key there, and you've got to, in your team, you need to have a way of understanding different perspectives. So yeah, if you've got a diverse team- Make sure that you're asking them questions and when you're putting products together, content together step out of your bias.
Sarah: But sometimes it's gonna be hard to step out your bias, and that's why it's really important to get different perspectives. Because I think where things have gone wrong, so let's use Pride, for example. You hear where companies ended up getting backlash because they've tried to do something for Pride, and whether they've done it with the right or wrong intentions, whether they've done it because they're like, "Hey, let's jump on the bandwagon and make money because it's Pride."
Sarah: Even let's give, I'm gonna give people the... What's the, what's the saying? Uh, something of doubt. What is that saying?
Laura: Benefit
Sarah: of the doubt? Benefit of the doubt. The what? Benefit of- Benefit of the doubt. Thank you, Laura. Thank you. I'm gonna give people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm gonna be like, it was well-intentioned, but possibly what has happened is when they've tried to do something, they haven't had anyone that is from the LGBT community- Mm-hmm.
Sarah: Mm-hmm ... ask their opinion or... Because I imagine that most of the times when these things go out in the world, whatever campaign it is, whatever content it is, if you had someone in the team, they would've been like, "This is a massive red flag. We need to address this." So it is so, so important to get different perspectives.
Sarah: And when you're looking at your teams and you're looking at who's making the decisions, is it all white cishet men? Do, do you know what I mean?
Laura: Yeah. Yes. I... W- we started this with you asking me what frustrates me the most. Yeah. So yeah, I... Yes. We love and support absolutely everyone with breathing air right next to us, and that's the attitude that we need to have.
Laura: And you m- you... Honestly the example you just gave with Pride is, yeah, spot on. Um, and I think what people don't understand is that you don't have to be part of a community to support it. You really don't. Like, you, that's not how you become an ally necessarily, right? You, it's, it's not, it's not it. And if you're not part of a community, right, if you don't have that insight, like, how do you get it, right?
Laura: And that's not And th- the problem is a lot of the times, coming back to what we were speaking before, because we are ignorant to the people around us a lot of the times, the people we work with, we end up marginalize them without even without even realizing. And because they've been quieted, they might not even step in to say, "Hey, your campaign might be a total bust because you haven't considered this perspective that I can bring to the table because, yes, I am part of this community," right?
Laura: So it's a circle. It's a very vicious circle and it's just... It, it does start with you being a decent earthling, and it comes back to actually being consistent with it and opening your space for everyone around you, not just- And- ... the people you like or your friends or whatever ...
Sarah: and not getting defensive either.
Sarah: Yeah. So, um, and this is a tricky one because, yeah, I'm just trying to think that maybe in some situations someone has tried to address something and it's not being taken seriously for lots of different reasons, but I imagine there's a bit of defense coming in- Yeah ... where the person is like, "Oh, you're making a mountain out of a molehill.
Sarah: It's fine. Like, don't worry." Like, and maybe there's an element of this person getting defensive because they came up with the idea or they came up with the content- Oh ... and they came up with the campaign. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. But I mean, I'm just trying to think how... So to relate to this-
Laura: Yeah
Sarah: One thing that I'm working on with my relationship with Tash is I'm quick to get defensive because I'm a massive people pleaser and I hate it if I find out that I've upset someone or like... Yeah, so I am getting better, but I'm just trying to relate to it here because I can see how it happens in the workplace, that even if you haven't intended to do something, you've still got to hear someone's thoughts and opinions.
Sarah: And rather being like, "Oh, no, no, no, like, woe is me, I'm a good person. You're saying I'm a terrible per-", do you know what I mean? It's more- Mm-hmm ... s- sort of taking accountability and being like, "I'm really sorry. Thank you- Yeah ... for bringing that up. I will work on that."
Laura: An apology goes a long way if it comes from, from a good place and not because you want to obtain something, which I've seen it happen a bit in a workplace where someone would say sorry but not necessarily think twice about the topic, and then it comes back again.
Laura: And especially when it comes to one's culture or if you've, I've been very direct with, with what I don't like, um, and what I do, right? And in a workplace, I've always sort of set th- those boundaries. If someone would make a f- bit of a, n- I don't know, culturally challenging, right, joke, even if it was about my culture or another culture, I'd always challenge it.
Laura: I'd always be like, "Nah, I don't like that." And I'm very like that. I'm very fun and bubbly when you know me, but I'm... When it comes to these things, I, I turn a bit. You, you don't necessarily th- see that side of me very often. And because of that, I've been... I felt, in, in time excluded from people going out for a drink after work or going for a movie night or someone's had a dinner party at their house, and they're like, "We're not gonna invite the Romanian because they're gonna be like, 'Ooh, you can't joke about that.
Laura: You can't do that. You can't say that.'" So yeah, it was it's it creates a lot of exclusion, and it's really not beneficial for anyone, any parties, because you don't get to learn, right? And people tend to feel excluded and they, you isolate someone who's already probably immigrated, or they've got family in another country, and you're not...
Laura: Yeah, it's, it's different. So I feel like the, the... I'm gonna, I'm gonna wrap it up with bring that curiosity to the table about other cultures without bringing your, what's the word? Ego. Yes. Without bringing your ego into it. Yeah. Just leave it at home. Just, just, yeah, it exists. We all have it, right? It's proven.
Laura: It's psychological. It's philosophical. It's ethical, whatever you wanna call it. But it doesn't, ego does- should not live in a workplace and should not live in your relationship with the people around you. So yeah, that's it.
Sarah: No, it's really important and a good reminder to check your ego, leave that ego at home, and yeah, when you feel like you've reacted to something or something's going on, it's about having that curiosity and the self-awareness of like, what's going on there?
Sarah: What, why am I, why am I acting this way? Yeah. Um, I wanna touch on community, if we can, because I think community is plays a big part in feeling that you're part of something. Community are inclusive. Communities are where you can find your tribe, and you can find your people. But I imagine so community's good for people who feel left out or isolated, but I imagine as well, community plays a role for those of us who want to become better and become more of an ally.
Sarah: So yeah, can we touch on, can we talk about community? Yes. And maybe you can share your experience of community.
Laura: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right. So just a very quick, um, let's say going back in time, I grew up in a very strong, strong knitted community, and it's very, very common for people raised in Eastern Europe after the Iron Curtain fell, right?
Laura: We, we lived in those tall blocks of flats, if you can imagine the brutalist architecture where everyone lives in a very big building, right? And- We all tend to knew each other. It was like nine floors, 10 floors of people, right? So that for me was formative, was incredibly formative. And it, it gave me that mindset of asking questions about people in general.
Laura: And when I moved to the UK, it felt a bit isolating in that way, right? I went to uni, completely different environment, then workplace, then you name it. So and and I never thought about online communities, right? Until, like I generally didn't think, oh, I could find a community online, because for me, communities online were forums, was Reddit, was completely different kind of kettle of fish, right?
Laura: And I've disc- I've discovered Women in Tech SEO during a BrightonSEO a couple of years back, I think more than five, six years now. And I think that's where I was kind of It, it opened my eyes. It opened my eyes in the sense that I was thinking, all right, so if a lot of systems, they consume things like English fluency, right?
Laura: They think in a Western mindset. They think that everyone has the same speed connection, right? Or the high-end devices or anything like that. And we assume that everyone's, like, coming from this privilege and this, this, this sort of culture the same kind of copy-paste culture. And where am I missing the point?
Laura: And then I feel like that kind of community, and there are probably many out there that do the same thing for people, but I think that community opened my eyes to, to that diversity that was close to me. And how I can reach out and connect a bit more organically and not, not s- perhaps not feel like I'm too much for someone and too in, in someone's face and, and maybe too intrusive or...
Laura: It gave me the language. It gave me the... I don't even know how to describe it better than that. I think the language to to kind of... And the awareness in some cases to connect with the people around me and the cultures around me. So yeah it's a safe place that kind of... it educates you, but without the judgment.
Laura: I think that's what I'm trying to say. And I find it hard to find my words for this one because it genuinely means a lot to me and I'd be- I'd talk about it a lot. And yeah, I- big up to both, um, Areej and Erin for honestly what they're doing there. I'm currently reading, Let me show you. So yeah I'm currently reading this.
Laura: I had, I was fortunate enough to have it gifted by Areej during BrightonSEO. I helped them with the Women in Tech SEO stand, so I think that was a way to say thank you.
Sarah: So just for people who can't see, 'cause some of us are listeners you just lifted up the the book that Areej has written, which is called Community Building for Marketers.
Sarah: So it's a fabulous read. It's a fabulous book. So yeah.
Laura: I can't wait to d- to deep dive into it. I'm actually gonna take it in the plane and probably devour it. But it ma- it gave me the inspiration of reaching out and do something with it in the sense that I've always had a bit of background idea, right?
Laura: That I want to build something for my own. And it's al- obviously based around- Eastern Europe and how I grew up and the diverse cultures that come from there, and the fact that I- I've made so many friends in the industry from the Balkan community, from the Slavic community. I know, I f- I just feel like there's a different type of connection sharing that background and that sort of upbringing.
Laura: And yeah I generally thought about connecting people that way, and I've managed to do it organically in person a lot of the times. So yeah I honestly can't wait to read this to see the kind of resources that you need to put in both psychologically time-wise and all that, and i- if it's something that I could potentially do So yeah.
Sarah: And yeah, no it's... Thank you for sharing your experience there, and it's just a reminder of the power of community and the power of, yeah, it doesn't always have to be in person. You can get so much lovely support online, and Women in Tech is a fabulous example of that. But there's lots of different communities out there.
Sarah: And what's lovely is if you think about a topic or if you think about a community of people that you want to join, search for it online 'cause I bet you someone has made it, haven't they? Or if there isn't, then that's an opportunity for you to create it yourself. Exactly. Which is why Women in Tech exists, isn't it?
Sarah: Because Areej was looking for the very community that sh- that she has created. And yeah, so it's just lovely. And I suppose, so from a point of marketeers and SEOs that want to learn and be more inclusive and be an ally, joining these communities is a good way of meeting other people, isn't it, as well?
Laura: Absolutely. Yeah. Like you said, it opens your world. It opens, it opens your world. Even if it's online, you know, it still matters because at the end of the day, that's what it is. A, internet is an accumulation of thi- of things, right? Like we need to, yeah, we need to be aware of the potential the good potential that's out there but also you know, on the negative side of the things that are not there and should be there, or the things that are there and shouldn't be there.
Laura: Um- Yeah. Yeah ... and yeah, it's... And I feel like a community like that could really open your eyes if you're, if you come from a place of inexperience at the end of the day. 'Cause I think that's what it's all about. It's having the experience or not having the experience, and then having the lived experience or the shared experience and so on.
Laura: So yeah, it's community.
Sarah: Community matters. Yeah. I'm very sorry, but my dog is losing it a little bit outside because- Oh no. ... uh, can you hear him? Can you hear him bark? Yeah,
Laura: Benny the dog. He's the star of the show.
Sarah: He wants to have his say, obviously. He's like, "This is a very important topic.
Sarah: This is what I want to say." But obviously someone has dared to come at the door, so just apologies there. I think Ash has managed to quiet him down. Yeah ... but yeah. Just to deal with-
Laura: I'm surprised you, I'm surprised you said, "My dog," 'cause you normally say, "Benny the dog." So I genuinely was like, "Is it Benny or is it a new dog?"
Sarah: I do normally say Benny the dog, and it's hilarious 'cause, yeah, I... It- Benny the dog that's him. That's his that's his name. But yeah, I just wanna derail a little bit. So he has such a big bark that people think that he's much bigger. So there's been a couple of times- Oh, right ... where someone's been at the door, Benny the dog has been barking his little head off, and he's a little Shih Tzu.
Sarah: He's a- Oh, ... a mix. Shih Tzu- He
Laura: does sound like a big
Sarah: dog. Huh? He does sound like a big dog. Yeah. No, he's not. He's got he's got big energy. Yeah. But he is a mix between a Shih Tzu and a Lhasa Apso. Wow ... j- that you can just tell that when some- when I open the door, some people are genuinely surprised, and "I thought you had a massive, I don't know Husky or..."
Sarah: German Shepherd there. And it's, "No, it's just Benny."
Laura: It's good old Benny. Love
Sarah: that. But just on community as well, so what I, what I think is lovely is me and Tasmin are in a really fortunate position where twice a year during BrightonSEO we get to- we team up with Jack, Search with Candour. Mm-hmm. Good egg is Jack, Search with Candour.
Sarah: Another great podcast. Go follow. Give him a bit of promo. You're welcome, Jack. But usually when you're recording an episode you don't ... In this sense, me and you having a conversation and then it gets published. So what I really love is the fact that we get to record in front of a, an audience. So we record a episode in front of an audience, and it's just such a lovely experience because, yes, you get your audience there and they get to be part of the experience, but it's all the conversations that happen before and after.
Sarah: And people ... So we've done it seven times now. Eight times? Seven, eight times? Wow. I can't ... Yeah. But it's just such a love- to be able to, like, be with actual people in real life. And I, and I'm aware that we said that community isn't just in person, it is online as well, and I'm very aware that podcasting can have an online community as well, but it's nice when you can do both.
Sarah: Mm-hmm. And, like, yeah, it's just quite a lovely experience seeing people, catching up with them. And then whatever the topic of the live podcast is, you might end up talking about that more. You're sharing your own experiences, or you end up talking about other things as well.
Laura: Absolutely. And I can vouch for it, as I've been part of it three times now, the live podcast, and I actually spoke every time I've been there.
Laura: And I haven't planned to. Twice I've just been passed the mic, and I was like, "Cool, I'm gonna do it." I definitely have something to say. So there's no instance in which I don't have something to say.
Sarah: Which
Laura: is lovely. Yeah, very opinion- very opinionated person.
Sarah: So Laura, we have ran out of time.
Laura: Yeah.
Sarah: I mean, time flies when you're having fun. So this is gonna be a bit hard 'cause we've delved and explored and talked about lots of different bits and bobs here, but what is the main takeaway for our listeners? So if there's one thing that you want our listeners to either learn, implement, do, what is that?
Laura: Right. With the risk of repeating myself, but I really like something that I said, which is very unlike me to repeat things like, "Oh, wow, I said that," kind of thing. But I like the idea of showing up and bringing on your curiosity, but leaving your ego at home kind of thing. Yeah, I honestly, I feel like that's a very good start to to start implementing whatever to, to be more inclusive and an ally at the end of the day.
Laura: And the other thing that I'd like to mention is just be mindful of the fact that whatever you're putting on the internet has a very deep impact, and it might not have an impact now, but it might in the near future or even in a couple of years. You never know. So b- be extremely mindful of what you put out there because you honestly, sometimes you don't even me- mean anything to what do you call it?
Laura: Mean not mean well, the opposite of that. You don't mean to hurt, I suppose.
Sarah: Yes. Yeah.
Laura: But you end up doing so without even realizing you're doing it. So yeah. And just remember, like the web system is an infrastructure at the end of the day, right? It's an infrastructure for everything from education to jobs to culture, diversity.
Laura: It's healthcare, right? So act more responsible and understand that we're not all the same.
Sarah: Be more responsible. I think that's another key thing I wanna bring out there. May, my brain, w- words just all gone out my brain. It's the
Laura: morning, that's why.
Sarah: Best career advice you've ever received.
Laura: I've received a very good advice from someone I was gonna recommend actually, my friend Roxana Stangu.
Laura: She said to me a couple of years back that you don't have to wear all these multiple hats. You just find your best hats, right? And wear it, but wear it well, and be sure you're wearing the right one. So I know it's a metaphor, and it can be honestly just take what you want from it and what helps you, but that for me was a game changer.
Sarah: Mm-hmm I like that. 'Cause you hear all the time, "Oh, I wear so many hats. I'm a multiple- Yeah ... hat wearer." Um, but yeah, I like the slight change of that and yeah, finding the hat that fits and is the best for you. I, yeah, finding, finding that, I love it. And then, well, you've already said, so is Roxana the person that you'd like to shout out?
Laura: Yes. Always a supporter. She is the queen of image search. And yes, she ... If you don't follow her already, yeah, go do so because image search is one of the easiest ways and best ways to implement accessibility inclusivity. So if you're thinking- Nice ... it is, we're, we're such visual people, aren't we? I- visual creatures.
Laura: Like, that's how you get us. So yeah. Lovely. Go follow
Sarah: Roxana. We'll make sure that we'll pop links in the show notes so you can go and follow and check out Roxana. And where can people carry on the conversation with you? Where are you?
Laura: I am present on LinkedIn, so yeah, if you want to get in touch, that's probably the best channel for me.
Laura: And I also have my own website, searchpija.co.uk, where you can book a call with me if you wanna expand the conversation.
Sarah: Lovely. And again, those links will be in the show notes. And the final thing that I need to say is thank you very much for listening to our episode. Thank you for our wonderful speaker.
Sarah: Thank you so much for being so open, transparent, and having a lovely conversation about things that really matter and that are really important. And a reminder of how you can support the podcast. So you can give us a one-off donation, which costs the same as your favorite beverage from your favorite beverage shop.
Sarah: And if you'd like to give us a one-off donation, it helps covers costs that are involved in having a podcast. Big shout-out to everyone that has done that. And another way is to make sure that you're following us on your preferred platform, and also, why not give us a cheeky little review? We all know how those algorithms work, so if you say nice stuff about us, we up our chances of, you know, Spotify, Apple, all of those recommending us.
Sarah: Right. Without further ado, let's say goodbye, take care of yourselves, and un- until next time
Laura: I wasn't sure if I have to
