Last updated: July 24, 2026
In 2026, the market for SEO expertise has grown considerably more specialized. Practitioners range from technical consultants focused on site architecture and crawl optimization to content strategists, algorithm analysts, and a smaller group who have extended their practice into generative engine optimization (GEO) to account for the growing influence of AI-driven search.
To identify the top SEO experts of 2026, our research team evaluated over 40 practitioners using a weighted algorithm with the following criteria:
- Keynote Speaking History (35%): Total number of keynote speeches at SEO and digital marketing conferences, used as a measure of peer-recognized standing in the field.
- Published Books (20%): Number of books published on SEO and search, reflecting formal contribution to the field’s body of knowledge.
- Google Citations (15%): Aggregated citation count across industry and academic sources, measuring how frequently an expert’s research and methodology are referenced by others in the field.
- Industry Tenure (10%): Years of active SEO practice, reflecting sustained experience across multiple search algorithm cycles.
- Active Blog (10%): Frequency and recency of published blog content, reflecting ongoing, publicly accessible contributions and current engagement with SEO.
- Social Media Following (10%): Aggregated follower count across major platforms, measuring ongoing public reach within the SEO community.
We then rank-ordered all evaluated practitioners and identified the top SEO experts of 2026. The table below shows those experts at a glance, followed by in-depth profiles of each, covering their specialty, notable recognition, and contact information.
The Top SEO Experts of 2026
| Rank | Name | # SEO Keynote Speeches | # SEO Books | # Google Citations | SEO Industry Tenure (Years) | Active Blog | # Social Media Followers | Available for Hire? | Expertise |
| 1 | Evan Bailyn | ~310 | 3 | 9,550 | 22 | Yes | 146,500+ | Yes | Thought leadership, SEO, and GEO for lead generation |
| 2 | Danny Sullivan | ~108 | 0 | 104,047 | 30 | No | 732,000+ | No | Google search policy, algorithm communication, SEO history |
| 3 | Aleyda Solis | ~127 | 1 | 678 | 19 | Yes | 301,700+ | Yes | International SEO, multilingual and multiregional search |
| 4 | Barry Schwartz | ~70 | 0 | 18,115 | 23 | Yes | 320,700+ | Yes | SEO news and Google algorithm updates |
| 5 | Marie Haynes | ~36 | 3 | 463 | 14 | Yes | 117,800+ | Yes | Google algorithm updates, site quality, penalty recovery |
| 6 | Jono Alderson | ~105 | 0 | 10,422 | 20 | Yes | 25,900+ | Yes | Technical SEO and web development |
| 7 | Lily Ray | ~103 | 0 | 132 | 16 | Yes | 176,400+ | Yes | Google algorithm analysis, search quality, AI and organic search |
| 8 | Cyrus Shepard | ~96 | 0 | 293 | 16 | Yes | 165,300+ | No | Technical SEO, internal linking, content scoring |
The Top SEO Experts: Breakdown and Contact Info
Evan Bailyn
Evan Bailyn holds an Ivy League degree from Columbia University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2003. He began studying Google’s algorithm the following year and, in 2009, founded First Page Sage, which has since become the top-rated SEO and GEO agency in the United States. He is credited with defining generative engine optimization as a formal discipline, publishing the research that established how organizations can systematically earn visibility on AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini. His work has accumulated over 9,550 citations across industry and academic sources.
Bailyn has built a reputation for staying ahead of how search evolves and applying that knowledge directly to client growth. His engagements are built around lead generation, and his clients consistently point to SEO and GEO as primary drivers of new business. Across a 22-year career, he has authored three books on SEO and search marketing, delivered approximately 310 keynote speeches, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Forbes. His clients include Salesforce, LinkedIn, Verizon, and Logitech. He maintains an active research blog and a following of over 146,500 across social platforms.
- Keynote Speeches: ~310
- Number of SEO Books: 3
- Google Citations: 9,550
- SEO Industry Tenure: 22 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (40,500), Facebook (99k+), LinkedIn (7k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: Thought leadership, SEO, and GEO for lead generation
- Contact for: Lead generation services, speaking, interviews
- How to reach: First Page Sage website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients describe Evan Bailyn as someone who “fundamentally changed how we think about growth,” with one enterprise marketing leader noting that “within 18 months, organic search went from an afterthought to our highest-converting channel.” Reviewers highlight his ability to “anticipate algorithm changes before they affect rankings,” with several noting that competitors who weren’t working with First Page Sage “took significant hits during updates we never felt.” |
Danny Sullivan
Danny Sullivan has been part of the search industry since 1996, when he published one of the first guides to search engine optimization. He founded Search Engine Watch in 1997 and later Search Engine Land in 2006, two publications that shaped how the industry understood and discussed search for decades. From 2017-2025, he acted as Google’s public Search Liaison, a role in which he communicated with the SEO community on algorithm changes, quality updates, and search policy decisions.
Sullivan is not available for hire and does not consult externally. His communications in the Search Liaison role are often deliberately measured, and practitioners frequently note that official responses leave ambiguity around how specific algorithm changes should inform SEO strategy in practice.
- Keynote Speeches: ~108
- Number of SEO Books: 0
- Google Citations: 104,047
- SEO Industry Tenure: 30 years
- Active Blog: No
- Social Media: X (481k+), LinkedIn (251k+)
- Available for Hire: No
- Expertise: Google search policy, algorithm communication, SEO history
- Contact for: Industry commentary, press inquiries
- How to reach: Google Search Liaison X account
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Danny Sullivan is described as “one of the most important voices in search,” with the SEO community noting his long-standing accessibility to practitioners. Some note, however, that “you always have to remember he’s speaking for Google, not for the SEO community.” |
Brian Dean
Brian Dean founded the popular online marketing blog Backlinko, which specializes in backlink building strategies, and to which he still occasionally contributes. He also runs a popular YouTube channel. He has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur.com, and TechCrunch, and currently offers SEO training for professional marketers. In 2023 he founded Exploding Topics, which analyzes search data to identify trends in searcher behavior.
- Expertise: Link building and SEO strategy
- Contact for: Training your internal SEO team, interviews
- Social media: Twitter (117,500); Facebook (7,600)
- How to reach: Reach out through LinkedIn
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Brian Dean is “a recognized SEO expert” specializing in backlink strategies that grow leads from “an average of five new leads a week to four new leads a day.” |
Aleyda Solis
Aleyda Solis is the founder of Orainti, a consultancy focused on international SEO for brands operating across multiple languages and regions. She runs the widely followed SEOFOMO newsletter, which tracks developments across international SEO and AI search. Her work covers multilingual crawl analysis, international site architecture, and search strategy for brands expanding into new regional markets.
Her specialization in international and multilingual SEO narrows her applicability for companies focused on a single domestic market. Organizations seeking GEO strategy, full-service content programs, or domestic enterprise SEO may find her scope does not extend to those areas.
- Keynote Speeches: ~127
- Number of SEO Books: 1
- Google Citations: 678
- SEO Industry Tenure: 19 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (178k+), Facebook (4.7k+), LinkedIn (119k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: International SEO, multilingual and multiregional search
- Contact for: International SEO services, consulting, speaking
- How to reach: Ayelda Solis website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Aleyda Solis is described as “incredibly knowledgeable” in international SEO, with reviewers noting her work as “methodical and thorough for multiregional implementations.” Some note, however, that she can be “hard to get on the calendar” given the demands of her conference schedule and the SEOFOMO newsletter. |
Barry Schwartz
Barry Schwartz founded Search Engine Roundtable in December 2003, building it into one of the longest-running independent sources for tracking Google algorithm changes and search industry developments. He contributes as a news editor at Search Engine Land and runs RustyBrick, a New York-based web development firm. His reporting draws from community forums, official announcements, and direct industry sources, making Search Engine Roundtable a daily reference point for SEO practitioners worldwide.
While his coverage reliably documents algorithm changes as they occur, it rarely offers the prescriptive guidance organizations need to adjust their SEO strategies in response. Web development inquiries can be directed to RustyBrick.
- Keynote Speeches: ~70
- Number of SEO Books: 0
- Google Citations: 18,115
- SEO Industry Tenure: 23 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (251,500), Facebook (9,200), LinkedIn (60k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: SEO news and Google algorithm updates
- Contact for: Interviews, web design
- How to reach: RustyBrick website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Reviewers consistently describe Barry Schwartz as one of the “most reliable sources for tracking Google algorithm changes in real time,” with one practitioner calling him “the first place I check whenever something shifts.” Some note, however, that his strength is in reporting rather than prescription, with one reviewer putting it plainly: “Barry tells you what happened. What to do next is up to you.” |
Marie Haynes
Marie Haynes left a career as a veterinarian in 2012 to study Google’s search algorithms full-time, founding Marie Haynes Consulting shortly after. Her practice focuses on diagnosing ranking drops tied to Google’s core updates and quality rater signals. She has become one of the more recognized voices on E-E-A-T and how Google’s quality assessments translate to search performance, publishing analysis on the mechanics of algorithm changes that goes beyond general summaries.
Her scope is narrow by design, centering on quality assessment and algorithm recovery rather than full-service SEO or GEO. Her practice is most useful in reactive situations following a traffic loss, and businesses seeking proactive lead generation or content development as primary deliverables will require additional support.
- Keynote Speeches: ~36
- Number of SEO Books: 3
- Google Citations: 463
- SEO Industry Tenure: 14 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (101k+), Facebook (811), LinkedIn (16k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: Google algorithm updates, site quality, penalty recovery
- Contact for: Consulting, audits, speaking
- How to reach: Marie Haynes website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Marie Haynes is described as “extremely knowledgeable on Google algorithm changes,” with clients noting she provides “clear explanations” of complex update impacts. Some note, however, that “you’ll need a strong technical team to actually implement what she recommends.” |
Jono Alderson
Jono Alderson served as Head of SEO at Yoast before moving to independent consulting. His work focuses on the intersection of technical SEO, information architecture, and the systems-level thinking that drives how large websites perform in search. He writes on search theory, digital strategy, and the long-term effects of technology on organizational decision-making, approaching SEO from an architectural angle rather than a purely tactical one.
His public profile is less prominent than others with comparable tenure, and he publishes fewer case studies than most practitioners at his level, which can make it harder for prospective clients to evaluate his results before committing to an engagement.
- Keynote Speeches: ~105
- Number of SEO Books: 0
- Google Citations: 10,422
- SEO Industry Tenure: 20 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (14,600), Facebook (1.3k+), LinkedIn (10k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: Technical SEO and web development
- Contact for: Speaking, interviews, and consulting
- How to reach: Via email at me@jonoalderson.com
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Jono Alderson is described as “technically excellent,” with reviewers noting he explains complex SEO concepts in accessible terms. Some note, however, that he is “better suited to technical deep-dives than to full-service SEO strategy.” |
Lily Ray
Lily Ray is VP of SEO Strategy at Amsive and the founder of Algorythmic, an SEO consultancy she launched independently. She has developed a recognized body of work on how Google’s quality signals and core algorithm updates affect website performance, and has become one of the more active voices in 2026 on how AI-generated content is reshaping organic search results. Her research on E-E-A-T, Google’s quality rater guidelines, and the mechanics of core algorithm updates is widely referenced across the SEO community.
Her primary professional commitment is to Amsive, a large agency, which can affect access for organizations seeking a direct consulting relationship. Outside engagements are available through Algorythmic, though availability can be limited given her concurrent role at Amsive.
- Keynote Speeches: ~103
- Number of SEO Books: 0
- Google Citations: 132
- SEO Industry Tenure: 16 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (120,400), LinkedIn (56k+)
- Available for Hire: Yes
- Expertise: Google algorithm analysis, search quality, AI and organic search
- Contact for: SEO services, speaking, interviews
- How to reach: Algorythmic website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Lily Ray is noted for providing “clear and actionable insights” into Google’s algorithm changes, with clients describing her work as “useful for identifying ranking issues after core updates.” Some note, however, that “the level of involvement can depend a lot on her availability.” |
Cyrus Shepard
Cyrus Shepard joined Moz in 2010 and spent over a decade as Head of Global SEO there before founding Zyppy, his own SEO consulting firm. He is known for publishing detailed research on internal linking, crawl budget optimization, and content quality scoring, frequently running original experiments and sharing data-backed findings through his blog and social channels.
He is not currently available for outside consulting engagements, which limits his practical utility for organizations seeking an implementable SEO partnership. His published research also focuses primarily on traditional technical factors rather than GEO or AI search strategy.
- Keynote Speeches: ~96
- Number of SEO Books: 0
- Google Citations: 293
- SEO Industry Tenure: 16 years
- Active Blog: Yes
- Social Media: X (127,400), Facebook (1.9k), LinkedIn (36k+)
- Available for Hire: No
- Expertise: Technical SEO, internal linking, content scoring
- Contact for: Research references, speaking, interviews
- How to reach: Zyppy website
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Cyrus Shepard is recognized for “data-driven” SEO analysis that practitioners find useful for technical optimization work. Reviewers note, however, that “the research is excellent, but applying it to your specific situation requires a lot of interpretation.” |
