About Ars Strategica / Ryan Setliff, Full-Stack Digital Marketer

Ryan Setliff is a visionary entrepreneur and digital strategist with a lifelong passion for technology, marketing, and innovation. His journey into the digital world began at elementary school age, when he demonstrated prodigious talent in computers and programming.

Gifted initially with an eidetic memory, as an elementary school-aged child, Ryan drew inspiration from his father’s programming cookbooks. Here, he began reverse-engineering code to understand the commands, functions, and syntax through inductive reasoning, eventually leading him to create his own programs in BASIC. By 1990, he was programming in Visual Basic, and by 1992, he had mastered Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), setting the stage for his future success in web development and digital marketing.

In high school, Ryan expanded his technical expertise into Computer-Aided Drafting and Design (CADD), embracing architectural drawing, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator in graphic design. His exceptional skills led him to draft his first commercial blueprint as a freshman, a design that was later built for a contractor—an extraordinary achievement for a teenager. He later interned for Dewberry, an engineering firm.

At just 18, Ryan co-founded SelectSurf Media in 1997, an innovative boutique digital media venture that curated the best of the web. SelectSurf offered featured site reviews, a selective directory of the Best of the Web, and a search engine, competing directly with early internet giants. It stood out as one of the first Internet guides to offer free real-time stock quotes, besting industry leaders like Yahoo and Excite. The company generated revenue through advertising, e-commerce partnerships, and affiliate marketing, proving Ryan’s early acumen in digital monetization strategies. It was featured in Yahoo Internet Life's 1997 "Best of the Web" issue.

During the late 1990s, he simultaneously worked for Nerds4Rent, a now-defunct IT and software troubleshooting service in Midlothian, Virginia, where he contributed as a web designer and marketer, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the growing information technology industry.

Building on this foundation, Ryan has since established himself as a leader in digital transformation, marketing and business strategy. He has helmed the marketing efforts for three major automotive groups, leveraging his expertise to drive brand visibility, digital engagement, and revenue growth in highly competitive markets.

In 2023 and 2024, Ryan was recognized as a Top Voice on LinkedIn in Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, and Search Engine Marketing.

Today, as the founder of Ars Strategica, Ryan continues to apply his deep knowledge of strategy, business intelligence, and marketing to help companies navigate complex challenges. His early start in technology, coupled with decades of experience across industries, positions him as a forward-thinking strategist with a rare blend of technical proficiency and marketing mastery.

Ryan Setliff draws on his extensive experience in OEM dealership marketing, providing tailored digital strategies for leading automotive brands, including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

With deep industry knowledge, Ars Strategica can help any business amplify their online presence, engage customers effectively, and drive sales growth through targeted campaigns, SEO, SEM, and personalized digital marketing solutions across a variety of verticals.