A Decade of Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing: The Story of Crane Li
Interviewer: Xiao He | Mother of Success
I. From HR to Digital Marketing
Xiao:
Please introduce yourself!
Crane:
Sure! I’m Crane Li. Xiao and I were high-school classmates — actually deskmates (laughs). I’m now based in Australia and work mainly in digital marketing, focusing on SEO and CRO.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about improving organic search rankings — how to make your results appear higher on Google. But the trend has shifted: the real goal now is to get your content featured in AI Overviews. CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) is about turning visitors into customers.
Besides that, I also work as an interviewer and subject lead at a study-abroad agency, and recently started a small printing studio with some middle-school friends.
Interestingly, my original major was Human Resources. I interned at Microsoft, and after that internship someone in HR asked if I’d like to help with SEO — I hadn’t even graduated yet, but I said yes. Back then, digital marketing was still very new.
At the time, most people thought “marketing” meant subway ads, TV commercials, or YouTube spots. I was fascinated to discover that Google search rankings could actually be optimized through data, not just creative guesswork. That hooked me.
II. From Startup to Microsoft Acquisition
Xiao:
The company you interned at was later acquired by Microsoft, right? Tell us about that experience.
Crane:
Yes, I was very lucky. The company made in-browser video editing software — which sounds normal now but was cutting-edge in 2017–2018. We even collaborated with Bilibili.
Within three years the startup became profitable and caught Microsoft’s attention. Their own Video Editor was terrible (laughs), so they acquired us. The Video Editor built into Windows today actually evolved from that company’s product.
As an intern, I witnessed firsthand how a team of a dozen people grew into hundreds and eventually got acquired — an experience that deeply shaped my career.
III. Culture and SEO Strategy Inside a Startup
That company had a remarkably people-first culture. The founder embodied a true startup mindset. I still remember showing up to my interview in a T-shirt. The HR rep said, “You look like you belong at a startup.” They liked quirky, authentic people — not suit-and-tie types.
Their SEO strategy was brilliant too. With limited budget, they beat giants like Adobe. We couldn’t afford paid ads, so we focused on long-tail keywords — for example, instead of the expensive keyword “video editor,” we targeted phrases like “online video editor no download.” That got us top rankings organically.
Before the acquisition, we were #1 on Google for “video editor.” The massive organic traffic we generated probably influenced Microsoft’s decision to buy us.
IV. Australia’s Startup Ecosystem and Investment
Even though the company was based in Australia, it scaled globally for three reasons:
Strong founding team: The founders came from SAP Germany and had deep industry experience and connections.
Government and pension support: Australia has a massive pension surplus, and the government requires some of it to be invested in local innovation.
Market gap: Unlike the hyper-competitive Silicon Valley, Australia remains a blue-ocean market with room to grow.
V. SEO, CRO, and Paid Media — Practical Insights
Xiao:
You later worked on Paid Media too. Can you explain what that means?
Crane:
Digital marketing has three categories: Paid, Earned, and Owned Media.
Earned Media: Others write about you — like if TIME Magazine features you.
Owned Media: What you create and control — like your Mother of Success platform.
Paid Media: Advertising you pay for — Google Ads, YouTube Ads, or X (formerly Twitter) Ads.
The key difference is targeting. Paid Media lets you precisely reach your desired audience.
For example, if you run a B2B medical-device startup, you can serve ads only to people in that industry. These PPC (pay-per-click) ads might cost anywhere from $0.50 to $2 per click depending on competition.
VI. Landing Page Tips for Startups
Xiao:
If a startup wants to build a landing page, what should they keep in mind?
Crane:
Three things:
Don’t build it from scratch — use a CMS.
WordPress (for non-e-commerce) or Shopify (for e-commerce) are cheap, reliable, and SEO-friendly.Study your competitors.
Search their names, analyze their site structure, navigation, and visual hierarchy.Clarity and trust first:
Header Banner: State clearly what problem you solve.
Trust Elements: Logos of clients or press mentions (even small ones help).
Call to Action: Every screen should invite action — “Learn More,” “Try Free,” etc.
Footer: Include contact info or newsletter signup.
VII. The AI Era and New SEO Challenges
Xiao:
How has AI Overview changed search behavior?
Crane:
A lot. AI Overviews — whether from ChatGPT or Google — mean users no longer click through to websites.
Data shows that impressions are up, but clicks are down. More people see you, but fewer visit your site.
Only the top five ranked pages even have a chance to be featured in AI Overviews. That makes SEO more competitive than ever — but also higher quality. The users who do click now have much stronger buying intent.
VIII. From Marketer to Entrepreneur: An Etsy Business Card Shop
Xiao:
You later started your own business on Etsy. Tell us about that.
Crane:
We sell premium business cards and stationery — not cheap coated paper, but letterpress printed cotton cards with texture and character. Our advantage is differentiation, not volume. Etsy is perfect for small, creative brands like ours.
Each card costs a few dollars, and we serve clients in the U.S., China, and Australia.
When we launched in December 2024, it was tough — we waited two to three months for the first order.
But with SEO + ads + word-of-mouth, sales grew steadily. Now (October 2025) we’re seeing 20–50% monthly growth, and sometimes a single corporate order covers our whole month.
Our three-person team brings different strengths:
Marketing (me)
Product (print factory background)
IT (operations and systems)
That balance helps us optimize everything from workflow to customer experience.
IX. The Hard Parts of Entrepreneurship and Empathy
Crane:
Logistics is the hardest part. Once, U.S. customs suddenly raised import duties and our shipment got stuck — the client’s wedding was days away. I started sending apology emails at 8 a.m. sharp.
That’s when I realized that entrepreneurship is about more than blood, sweat, and tears — it’s also about apologizing.
I’m an optimist, but seeing a client’s special moment affected because of us was heartbreaking. The biggest lesson I’ve learned this year is empathy.
X. Book Recommendation: Manufacturing Consent
Xiao:
Finally, can you recommend a book, film, or podcast?
Crane:
I recommend Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent. It analyzes how American media, under the guise of free speech, shapes public perception. It taught me that the best marketing isn’t about “convincing” someone — it’s making them believe the choice was theirs all along.
“You can lead anybody anywhere if they feel like they are driving.”
That’s become my core philosophy for marketing and brand storytelling.
Xiao:
Thank you so much, Crane — what an insightful conversation!