SEO for Google AI Mode: what we know
SEO for Google AI Mode: what Google has said about query fan-out and Deep Search, why normal SEO still applies, and how to structure pages for subtopics.
Writing
Notes from inside the data
We spend our days looking at what is actually ranking. Notes on niche research, Google updates, link prospecting and programmatic SEO — no listicles, and no predictions we cannot back with numbers.
Pillar pages: how to build one that ranks
How to create pillar pages that rank: scope the topic, map cluster posts first, link both ways, and keep the pillar from cannibalising its own clusters.
Link reclamation: recover lost and unlinked links
Link reclamation recovers links you already earned: fix broken URLs with 301s, win back lost links, and turn unlinked brand mentions into real links.
How to rank in ChatGPT search
How to rank in ChatGPT search: let OAI-SearchBot crawl you, keep GPTBot separate, track chatgpt.com referrals, and skip invented ranking factors.
How to use Google Trends for SEO
How to use Google Trends for SEO: it shows relative interest on a 0 to 100 scale, not search volume. Use it for seasonality, comparisons and rising queries.
GEO vs SEO: what changes and what doesn’t
GEO vs SEO: where generative engine optimisation differs from search optimisation, what the original GEO paper measured, and why most of the work overlaps.
Broken link building: a four-step guide
Broken link building in four steps: find dead pages with backlinks, vet why people linked, build a better replacement, then pitch each segment personally.
Robots.txt for SEO: what it controls and what it doesn’t
Robots txt for SEO controls crawling, not indexing. What the file can and cannot do, when to edit it, and how to handle AI crawlers like Google-Extended.
Orphan pages: are they bad for SEO, and how to find them
Are orphan pages bad for SEO? Usually, because nothing links to them. Find them with a crawl, sitemap and analytics, then link, merge or remove each.