We’re thrilled to welcome Max Sartal Sterling to the numero® team as our new Head of SEO. Max joined us on 13th October 2025, bringing over 12 years of expertise in SEO and conversion rate optimisation, with a particular focus on the future of AI-powered search.
The Future of Search Starts Here
If you’ve been paying attention to the marketing world lately, you’ll know that search is changing fast. The rise of AI search engines, LLM-powered answers, and increasingly sophisticated AI panels means the old playbook isn’t quite cutting it anymore. Enter Max – a strategist who doesn’t just understand how search works today, he’s already thinking three steps ahead about how it’s going to work tomorrow.
Who Is Max Sartal Sterling?
Max has spent over a decade mastering the fundamentals of SEO and CRO, but what sets him apart is his commitment to adapting alongside the tools and technologies that shape search.
What Max Brings to Numero®
Experience and Expertise in SEO & CRO
Acquire & Convert – The bedrock of solid SEO: crawlability optimisation, structured content strategy, and building genuine authority signals that search engines recognise and reward.
Leading with AI and Structured Data Innovation
Adaptation to AI Search – The future frontier is based around structured-data engineering for AI agents, sentiment and entity optimisation for AI “best-answer” slots, LLM performance management, and AI crawler optimisation. In other words, Max is helping brands prepare for a search landscape where AI isn’t just processing results – it’s generating them.
Most recently, Max worked with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), where he gained deep insight into the unique challenges facing NZ businesses trying to compete in increasingly global markets. That combination of practical SEO know-how and strategic thinking is exactly what we need at numero®.
What Does This Mean for You (and Our Clients)?
At numero®, we’re all about results. We obsess over ROI, we guarantee what we promise, and we’re constantly pushing to stay ahead of industry changes. Max shares that same philosophy – and then some.
With Max leading our SEO efforts, our clients can expect:
Forward-thinking strategy – SEO approaches that account for AI search evolution, not just today’s Google algorithm.
Measurable outcomes – Max’s work is grounded in data. He’s not interested in vanity metrics; he cares about acquisition, conversion, and the bottom line. This aligns with the numero® approach to performance marketing.
Innovation without losing fundamentals – While Max is excited about emerging technologies, he knows that solid SEO foundations matter. You can’t optimise for AI if your crawlability is a mess. Solid website design and build with both humans and machine viewers underlies our client work.
Tailored solutions – Whether you’re a traditional business getting started with SEO or a sophisticated digital operation ready to navigate the AI search frontier, Max brings the expertise to meet you where you are.
Why Max Fits Numero®’s Culture
numero’s values are about transparency, positive impact, and doing small things well every single day, without compromise. Max embodies those values. He’s a straight-talker who’s interested in real partnerships, not flashy promises. He cares about helping businesses grow, supporting the NZ economy, and building solutions that actually work.
When we talked to Max about joining numero®, he said something that really resonated: “numero®’s results-driven approach and commitment to transparent partnerships resonated with me immediately.” That’s the kind of alignment that leads to great things.
Looking Ahead – The Future of SEO at Numero®
The search landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and Max is exactly the right person to help our clients navigate it. Whether it’s optimising for AI panels, managing LLM rankings, or building the technical infrastructure that AI agents need to parse and cite your content – Max has got the expertise to guide the way.
We’re excited about the innovations he’ll drive, the strategies he’ll develop, and the results he’ll help our clients achieve.
Welcome to the team, Max. Let’s make some numbers matter.
Max Sartal Sterling’s LinkedIn Profile
Want to stay ahead of search trends and marketing innovation? Check out our blog regularly for insights from Max and the rest of the numero® team. Or get in touch if you’d like to discuss how AI-focused SEO can drive growth for your business.
