David de Souza

As a search engine optimization strategist, David de Souza is accustomed to getting small websites noticed by big search engines. For the past year, David has been putting his knowledge and experience to work by helping The International Professors Project in their long-term development of global education in the third world.

"One of my resolutions at the start of 2010 was to not only donate money but to also give my time to help people less fortunate than myself," he says.

The International Professors Project was founded in 2004 with the goal of creating a new type of professor, the International Professor (IP). The IP is a new, emerging academic who isn't attached to one location and will serve both short- and long-term assignments in the developing world. The aim of the International Professors Project is to find a vast number of internationally-minded professors and implement a worldwide network to support these professors in assisting the post-secondary institutions in poorer countries.

David, who runs a number of online businesses, including MatchingDonations.org, wanted to make use of his flexible working schedule by giving back to the global community. David's father is a retired school principal so when he saw the search engine optimization volunteer role for the International Professors project, he thought it was the perfect fit with his background and skills.

Since the start of the year David has helped to increase the visibility and exposure of the International Professors Project website by over 67%. Google and the other search engines rank websites by the number and quality of links that each website receives. These links act like a vote, the more quality links you have, the higher you will rank, with more people coming to your website.

(Click here and here to see other search engine optimization volunteer opportunities at VolunteerMatch.)

David says: “I have a passion for helping websites, with a small budget, outrank the big companies who spend hundreds of thousands on their online marketing efforts each year. It's not about how much money you have, it's about how creative you are since search engines typically look down on sites that pay for links to manipulate their rankings. I see it like a David and Goliath battle!"

David has managed to help the International professor project by writing articles in a number of industry publications. He hopes to continue the site's growth into the new year and help gain even more exposure to the project. He feels that increasing the number of professors who want to volunteer and educating the population in the developed world.

And does David have advice for anyone else considering volunteering?

"If everyone in the developed world gave up one hour of television a week to volunteer or give back in some way, think about the difference that would make in the world," he said. "Volunteering will enrich both your life as well as those you help. Find an organization that interests you and support them!"