Tag: SEO Community

  • Traffic Think Tank Joins Search Engine Land Community

    Traffic Think Tank Joins Search Engine Land Community

    [Boston, MA, July 6, 2026] — I am sharing that Traffic Think Tank has officially joined the Search Engine Land family, creating more opportunities for search marketers like us to connect, collaborate, and keep learning through one of the industry’s most established professional communities.

    I want members to know that Traffic Think Tank will continue operating as a private Slack community. It will remain a trusted place where we can exchange ideas, validate strategies, solve real marketing challenges, and stay current on search engine optimization, paid media, artificial intelligence, and related marketing topics.

    As part of this relationship, I see Search Engine Land supporting the community’s continued growth by increasing visibility across its editorial and marketing channels while preserving the collaborative environment members already value.

    “For years, Search Engine Land has represented the marketing community through its contributor network in a way few other sites have,” said Kyle Morley, Head of Sales and Marketing at Third Door Media, parent to Search Engine Land. “Launching a community like Traffic Think Tank feels like a natural extension of our identity, and I’m thrilled we now have more opportunity to connect with marketers in our space.”

    I am also noting that David Broderick has been appointed Lead Community Manager and will oversee the day-to-day community experience. He will be supported by Liz Dougherty, who will take an active role in encouraging member engagement and helping guide the community’s continued growth.

    Beyond ongoing peer-to-peer discussions, I expect members to benefit from expanded community programming and discussions, increased visibility through Search Engine Land and Third Door Media channels, exclusive discounts on Search Marketing Expo events and training, and new opportunities to connect with search marketers across the industry.

    For me, Traffic Think Tank fits naturally with Search Engine Land’s mission of helping marketers stay informed and succeed in a rapidly evolving search landscape. Together, the publication and community give us access to trusted journalism, practical education, live events, and an active peer network for ongoing professional development.

    Futuristic SEO and AI search illustration showing old tools breaking apart as blue data streams lead to a glowing search platform and digital icons.
    Old search marketing tools give way to a faster, connected future, with data streams, AI icons, and a glowing search hub symbolizing SEO innovation and community growth.

    If you are a search marketer interested in joining the community, I recommend learning more at https://searchengineland.com/trafficthinktank.

    About Search Engine Land

    I view Search Engine Land as a leading publication for news, insights, and education covering search engine optimization, paid media, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing. Through editorial coverage, events, training, and professional resources, Search Engine Land helps marketers stay ahead of industry change.

    About Traffic Think Tank

    I see Traffic Think Tank as a private community for search marketers that connects professionals through expert discussions, peer collaboration, and practical knowledge sharing. Members use the community to exchange ideas, solve challenges, validate strategies, and stay current on what’s working across search engine optimization, paid media, and artificial intelligence.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • Remembering Bruce Clay: SEO Pioneer, Mentor and Leader

    Remembering Bruce Clay: SEO Pioneer, Mentor and Leader

    I’m deeply saddened to share that Bruce Clay, widely known as the Father of SEO, passed away in late May. Bruce was one of the true founding figures of the SEO industry, having launched a professional SEO agency back in 1996, long before search marketing became the discipline we know today.

    For me, Bruce’s impact is hard to overstate. He was the first sponsor of the first-ever SEO conference, and he gave an extraordinary amount of his time, resources and money to help build the search community. Few people have supported this industry for as long, or with as much generosity, as Bruce did.

    Tribute video. The Bruce Clay, Inc. team prepared a tribute video honoring Bruce’s life and legacy. It describes him as a pioneer who devoted much of his life to helping the SEO industry grow. During his three decades as CEO of Bruce Clay Inc., he wrote three books, built tools, spoke at conferences, hosted training events and helped the company expand internationally.

    Because of Bruce’s founding principles, hundreds of employees around the world have contributed to SEO, and thousands of students have benefited from his experience and teaching.

    Here is the tribute video: Watch this video on YouTube.

    The Bruce Clay team told me, “We are absolutely heartbroken, but we find strength in the vibrant community and lasting values that Bruce built. Our teams in the U.S. and  around the world remain dedicated to carrying forward the mission Bruce loved so dearly.”

    Kyle Pouliot, Sr. Video Production Manager at Third Door Media, also shared a personal reflection with me.

    “I’ve gotten to know Bruce on a more personal level over these past few years and interacted with him frequently for our online conferences. What I’ve learned about Bruce in that time is that he was genuinely thoughtful and caring about the search community. Never short of an honest opinion, Bruce shared some really practical ideas for Search Engine Land and SMX. He loved sharing his deep experienced knowledge to everyone, it didn’t matter if you were a beginner or 20+ year industry veteran, he treated everyone the same. We talked about the hundreds of golf balls that would find their way into his property every day, food, raising kids and how incredible the weather was in Simi Valley. He will be greatly missed.”

    On a personal note, I’ve known Bruce Clay since I entered the SEO industry more than 20 years ago. He was a role model to me, often a mentor, and always someone who was approachable, professional and deeply caring. In many rooms, he was likely the most generous and thoughtful person there.

    I loved his SEO talks. I loved meeting him at industry events. And I especially valued the personal emails he sent about shaping the future of our industry. Those moments showed me how much Bruce cared, not just about search, but about the people building it.

    You will be deeply missed, Bruce.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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  • 1/3 of Publishers Plan to Block Google’s AI Features

    1/3 of Publishers Plan to Block Google’s AI Features

    I recently discovered that Google is considering ways to allow websites to opt out of its AI-generated search features, such as AI Mode and AI Overviews. Naturally, I was curious about how the SEO community felt about it, so I conducted a poll on X to see if site owners would actually opt out.

    The results were intriguing. Out of over 350 respondents, the majority mentioned they wouldn’t opt out. However, around one-third indicated they would prefer to block or opt out of these features. Here’s how the responses broke down:

    Question: Would you block Google from using your content for AI Overviews and AI Mode?

    • 33.2% – Yes, I’d block Google
    • 41.9% – No, I wouldn’t block
    • 24.9% – I am not sure yet.

    Here’s the actual poll for reference:

    But how do you opt out? Right now, that remains a mystery. Google has only mentioned it is exploring possibilities, without providing a clear mechanism. Frankly, the ease or difficulty of opting out could significantly influence decisions. If it’s straightforward, more sites might choose to opt out; if not, fewer will do so.

    So why does this matter? We won’t truly know how many sites will opt out until Google officially offers a way to do so. Rest assured, once they do, there will be extensive reporting on the number of sites that decide to opt out.

    To give you an idea, The Press Gazette recently reported that around 79% of nearly 100 top news websites in the UK and US are already blocking at least one AI training crawler, including OpenAI’s GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and others.

    My advice is simple: Once Google makes this opt-out feature available, give it a test. See firsthand what the impact of opting in or out could be.


    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.


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