01 — Publishing background
A long publishing history
Beginning in July 2000, I wrote approximately 200 articles for ClickZ, published alongside early search leaders including Danny Sullivan and Bruce Clay, with later bylines in Search Engine Land and MarketingProfs. These are historical contributions — a record of the topics I have covered for professional readers over many years.
02 — Selected current writing
Recent essays and the readers they serve
The Two Tests Every AI-Search ROI Claim Should Pass
For business leaders evaluating vendor claims: two tests any AI-search ROI claim should pass before it deserves the label.
What Your AI Visibility Metric Actually Proves
For readers trying to interpret citations, mentions and visibility scores without asking the numbers to prove too much.
Who Checked? What the Confirmation Step Actually Involves
For teams publishing machine-readable descriptions of their organization: why human confirmation is the step that matters.
03 — Continuity
A longer perspective on search
In April 2012 — more than a decade before the term “generative engine optimization” existed — I published “Google Becomes Answer Engine With Semantic Technology — Great News For Retailers” in Search Engine Land (April 12, 2012), examining Google’s shift from ranked links toward synthesized answers built on semantic technology. I mention it not because it predicted today’s systems, but because the questions it raised — how machines interpret and represent businesses — are the questions I still work on.
04 — Topics
Subjects I can contribute on
- Evidence in AI search — what visibility claims can and cannot demonstrate.
- Visibility measurements — how to read citations, mentions and scores honestly.
- SEO and answer-based discovery — how long-established search practice extends into AI answers.
- Testing and human oversight in practical AI adoption.
My aim is original synthesis across sources and meaningful interpretation — not rehashed claims your readers have already seen elsewhere.
05 — Editorial approach
How I work with editors
I cite sources readers can inspect, distinguish evidence from inference, and say plainly where the limits of the evidence are. A person — me — remains accountable for what is published, and I disclose AI assistance in my process. I’m glad to discuss your publication’s specific requirements for contributed work.
Have a topic or column in mind?
Tell me about your publication, your readers and the question you want to explore. I’d welcome a conversation about a contribution that brings them a useful perspective.