Experienced digital specialist focused on improving the technical quality, discoverability, web performance and accessibility of complex websites and digital platforms for both humans and the systems that interact with them.
And never really stopped, driven by a lifelong curiosity for technology and how it shapes the web we use today.
I still remember the moment I first got my hands on a computer. It was the eighties, and my very first machine was a Commodore 64. Like many others at the time, I was initially drawn to it by the games; it was hard not to be fascinated by the magic that seemed to come to life on the screen. But it didn't take long before curiosity pulled me in even further.
I started learning BASIC, typing in lines of code from magazines and experimenting to see what would happen. Soon after, I ventured into machine language, trying to understand what was really going on under the hood of the C64. It marked the beginning of a lifelong fascination with how computer technology works.
At some point, I expanded my setup with a modem, the Telcom 1200. Through that modem, I discovered Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). These were early online communities where you could upload and download software, read news, and exchange messages with others. Downloading games was especially popular, but for me, it was more than that, it was a glimpse into a connected world. Looking back, those BBS experiences were my personal introduction to what would later become the internet.
Years later, in the mid-nineties, while studying Commercial Economics, I encountered the internet for the first time. I was immediately intrigued, not just by the technology itself, but by the possibilities it created. Websites were still new, and I became fascinated by their technical aspects and potential as a platform for communication and business.
My first real opportunity came in the late nineties, when I was involved in building a website from a marketing perspective, during a period when digital marketing was still an emerging field. It focused on bringing people together, and made me realize the potential of the web as a platform for connection, communication, and growth.
From there, my career evolved into the world of media agencies, just as internet advertising began to take off. Working with leading platforms, publishers, and advertisers during this period of rapid growth, I developed a strong interest in the technical side of measuring, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising.
Over time, my focus shifted toward technical SEO, web performance, and accessibility. Today, I focus on improving the technical foundations of digital platforms, ensuring they are discoverable, fast, accessible, and able to function effectively for both users and the systems that interact with them.
What drew me to the web in the first place was its openness. The ability for anyone to build, connect, share, and discover information through open technologies and shared standards felt incredibly powerful, and it still does today.
That philosophy continues to shape the way I approach digital platforms and the technologies behind them. I believe the web works best when websites are fast, accessible, interoperable, and easy to discover for everyone, from users and browsers to search engines and other systems.
The companies, roles and experiences that shaped my work in Technical SEO, web performance, accessibility and the technical foundations of the web.
Iron/Out is a specialized consultancy that focuses on making websites faster and more efficient through performance optimization and technical expertise.
OrangeValley is a consultancy firm that combines marketing, technology, and data analytics to help businesses grow their digital presence and performance.
Omnicom Media Group Netherlands combines leading media agencies and specialist teams to deliver strategic media planning, data-driven marketing, and digital transformation for major brands.
GroupM is WPP's global media investment and management group, bringing together leading media agencies and specialist capabilities to deliver data-driven media strategy, planning, buying, and digital transformation for some of the world's largest brands.
Mindshare is a global media agency within WPP, delivering strategic media planning, buying, and data-driven marketing solutions to help brands grow and connect with their audiences.
Across agency, consultancy and specialist roles.
Exploring the technical foundations that enable websites to be discovered, understood and experienced by both humans and machines.
Personal projects focused on Technical SEO, Web Performance, and Accessibility. Built from curiosity, practical needs, and a desire to better understand and improve how websites function for both users and the technologies that access and interpret the web.
HttpStatus.io is a widely used web app and API for analyzing HTTP status codes, redirect chains, and response headers. It helps developers, SEO specialists, and digital teams troubleshoot, test, and better understand how websites behave across the web.
HttpStatus.codes is a free API for testing HTTP behavior without configuring your own test infrastructure. It provides predictable endpoints for status codes, redirects, delays, headers, request inspection, GeoIP routing, streaming, response sizes, and content encoding.
"Ask Sander anything and you can trust to get a high quality and comprehensive answer back. His passion, experience and knowledge of technical aspects of the web make Sander a valuable addition to any web related team. His specialties include building web applications, SEO and web standards."
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I typically respond within 1-2 business days.
