Digital Marketer & Creative Technologist
Hi, I'm Ryan Kelly.
I lead digital strategy & build things that tell compelling stories.
20+ years of digital experience means I understand the full picture, from creative vision to execution, and I know how to bring teams and stakeholders along for the ride.
About me
Thoughtful work,
real results.
I'm a digital marketing strategist and brand builder with over twenty years of experience, someone who's equally comfortable shaping a content vision and making sure it actually gets built.
My career spans both agency and in-house: at Wardour, a content marketing agency, I led digital output as Head of Digital, directing designers, video editors, developers and copywriters across client projects. At Real Deals Media, a B2B private equity media brand, I owned all digital properties, email campaigns and paid advertising, and set up HubSpot integrations that turned brand narratives into tangible audience action. I've also delivered editorial-first digital experiences, like UCL Bartlett's centenary microsite, where the story was the product.
My superpower is translation: turning complex ideas into narratives that land with audiences, and turning business goals into briefs that creative teams can run with.
A few quick facts
What I do
Skills & expertise
Digital Marketing
I run campaigns across SEO, paid search, email, and social. Less buzzwords, more results — I care about whether it actually worked.
Digital Strategy
I've been doing this for 20+ years, which means I've seen most things go wrong and know how to avoid them. I help teams work out what to build, in what order, and why.
Front-end Development
I write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Not as a party trick — it means I can build things myself rather than waiting for a developer.
Platform & CMS Delivery
I moved 15+ brands onto a single platform and cut hosting costs by 70%. I know my way around a CMS, a server, and a deadline.
Team & Stakeholder Leadership
I've managed developers, designers, editors, and suits. I know how to get people pointed in the same direction without making it painful.
SEO
Organic search has been part of every role I've had. I know the technical side, the content side, and I've been paying close attention to how AI is changing what actually ranks.
AI & LLMs
I've spent the last couple of years actually building with AI rather than just talking about it — including work with Miso.ai. I know where it helps and where it's still mostly hype.
Media Editing
I edit video and audio for campaigns, social, and events — including producing the Private Equity Talks podcast start to finish.
Security
I take security seriously — access controls, data handling, safe third-party integrations. It's not glamorous but it matters, and most people ignore it until something goes wrong.
Kind words
What people say
From an ad and content-sales perspective, Ryan consistently aligned digital decisions with commercial outcomes. He has a strong grasp of user journeys, SEO, and conversion optimisation, and applies that thinking to support campaign performance and revenue growth.
He’s particularly effective at bridging teams, comfortable with developers, marketers, and commercial stakeholders alike, which makes collaboration smooth and productive.
I worked with Ryan across several high-profile projects for clients like EY, Barclays and British Land, from pitch stage right through to delivery. He brings a rare mix of strategic thinking and hands-on digital expertise, whilst being reliable, creative, and great with clients.
Added to that he’s a great colleague, which makes even the toughest projects enjoyable.
I can’t promote Ryan enough. He is a total specialist at not just juggling 2 or 3 balls at the same time but 12 or 13 and not losing sanity in the process. It’ll be a fortunate organisation that acquires his skills, without question.
I worked with Ryan for three years at Real Deals Media. An excellent coder, developer, master of all things digital, and an all-round nice guy. Highly recommended!
Brands I've worked with
Let's talk
Get in touch
Whether you have a project in mind, want to collaborate, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you.