Make SEO Great Again
2026 field map of the folks shaping SEO, AI Visibility, GEO, AEO, citations, inclusion, and machine-selected authority β by Jason Todd Wade of BackTier. Big brain energy only. π AI Dive 5/9
By: Jason Todd Wade (b. 1974 FL, USA) Β· JasonWade.com Β· BackTier.com
TL;DR
SEO Isnβt Dead. It Got Uploaded.
The old SEO playbook just got yeeted into the void. Weβve gone from rankings and blue links to a new boss level: machine-mediated authority. The scoreboard used to be position one through ten. Cute. Now itβs whether the bots even notice your existence.
Visibility now means citation, inclusion, and selection inside AI systems. If ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, or Gemini wonβt cite you, include you, or select you as an answer, youβre basically wearing an invisibility cloak β just not the cool Harry Potter kind.
The new battleground: Mike King, Lily Ray, and Ann Smarty lead this 2026 map because they sit closest to the machine layer, trust layer, and citation/referenceability layer.
The Shift in One Line
Old SEO asked: βDo we rank?β
2026 SEO asks: βAre we cited, included, trusted, and selected?β
Why It Matters Now
AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and answer engines are actively mugging the first page of search results for hundreds of millions of users β every single day. 404: ranking not found.
The Scale of the Shift
The Numbers Don't Lie
The velocity of AI-driven search adoption isn't a vibe check β it's an observable, measurable disruption happening in real time across every major platform and user demographic. Translation: the robot overlords are not βtestingβ search, they are eating it for breakfast.
2B+
Google AI Overviews
Monthly active users experiencing AI-generated answer summaries at the top of search results. Big brain energy, zero-click edition.
~800M
ChatGPT Weekly Users
Weekly active users turning to ChatGPT as a primary discovery and research tool. Yep β ChatGPT ate my traffic and asked for seconds.
25%
Search Volume Decline
Predicted decline in traditional search volume by 2026 as AI answer engines absorb intent. 404: ranking not found.
~60%
Zero-Click Searches
Share of searches that now end without a click to any website β up from an already alarming baseline. Your backlink profile called, it's crying.
500%+
AI Search Traffic Growth
Year-over-year growth in AI search traffic in tracked datasets. The curve is not flattening β it's going full galaxy-brain.
Methodology
How This Map Was Built
This AI Dive was assembled with the kind of cross-referencing energy usually reserved for conspiracy boards and late-night SEO audits. Six major AI research engines and search systems were queried, then the results were wrangled into a final list by spotting repeated names, specialties, credibility signals, and direct relevance to AI Visibility in 2026 β not vibes, not clout, not βI have 47k followers, trust me bro.β
1
Technical SEO Depth
Does this leader actually understand how search systems crawl, index, and retrieve content β or are they just doing alphabet soup with jargon?
2
AI / GEO Relevance
Is their work directly useful for Generative Engine Optimization, Answer Engine Optimization, and AI citation strategy, or is it 404: usefulness not found?
3
Trust & Authority Analysis
How deeply does their expertise intersect with E-E-A-T, trust signals, and machine-interpreted credibility frameworks β aka the stuff that makes bots go βok, respect.β
4
Market-Shaping Visibility
Are they actively shaping how the industry understands and responds to AI-mediated discovery? Do practitioners cite them, or is their influence running on fumes and LinkedIn confetti?
The Core Shift
The Question Has Changed
Old SEO β Pre-2024
"Do we rank on page one?"
- Keyword rankings as the primary KPI
- Backlink quantity as the primary authority signal
- Click-through rate from the SERP
- On-page keyword density and matching
- Domain Authority as a proxy for trust
2026 SEO β The New Mandate
"Are we cited, included, trusted, and selected?"
- AI citation and inclusion in generated answers
- Machine-interpreted trust and E-E-A-T signals
- Brand mentions across authoritative, AI-indexed sources
- Structured, retrievable, machine-readable content
- Selection as the definitive answer by AI systems
Brands still optimizing exclusively for traditional rankings are investing in a shrinking channel. The AI-mediated discovery layer is already serving billions of queries daily β and it selects its sources on entirely different criteria.
2026 Leader Map
The Tier Structure of Influence
This map sorts the big-brain SEO and AI Visibility crew into four tiers based on how deep theyβre vibing with the machine layer, how strong their trust architecture game is, and how much real market heat theyβre actually throwing off. Position in the stack reflects how close they are to where search is going β not where it got lost in the woods. π§ β‘
Top 10
The 2026 SEO Power List
Ten practitioners whose work most directly shapes how brands win machine-layer visibility, citations, and AI-mediated authority in 2026. Each leader got scored across all four evaluation dimensions β because vibes are fun, but receipts are better.
01
Mike King
Technical SEO, retrieval logic, AI search mechanics, content engineering. Basically the person who made your sitemap sweat.
02
Lily Ray
E-E-A-T, trust signals, AI Overviews, algorithm volatility analysis. When Google sneezes, Lily already has the tissue.
03
Ann Smarty
Citation strategy, GEO, AEO, digital PR, Reddit visibility, referenceability. If visibility had a side quest, she already beat it.
04
Aleyda Solis
International SEO, technical frameworks, AI-era strategy communication. Multilingual search wizardry with main-character energy.
05
Rand Fishkin
Search behavior research, zero-click analysis, brand discovery intelligence. The guy who looked at click loss and said, βhold my espresso.β
06
Kevin Indig
GEO strategy, growth-focused SEO, AI Visibility frameworks for scale. Big brain mode: permanently enabled.
07
Patrick Stox
Technical SEO infrastructure, crawl/index optimization, machine readability. If bots had a favorite mechanic, itβd be Patrick.
08
Jason Barnard
Brand SERP optimization, knowledge panels, entity-based authority building. He talks to Googleβs identity crisis in fluent machine.
09
Joy Hawkins
Local SEO, Google Business Profile authority, local AI Visibility signals. The local packβs final boss.
10
Barry Schwartz
Search news intelligence, algorithm documentation, industry pulse tracking. The human API for βwhat did Google break now?β
Rank #1
Mike King
Technical SEO Β· Retrieval Logic Β· AI Search Mechanics Β· Content Engineering
Mike King sits at #1 on this list for one very unglamorous, very powerful reason: he works at the machine layer. While most SEOs are out here trying to politely impress search engines, King is basically in the server room with a flashlight, reverse-engineering retrieval systems, content scoring, and the weird little logic gremlins that decide what AI surfaces β and what gets yeeted into the void.
His work spans technical SEO depth, AI search mechanics, and content engineering for machine interpretation. In a world where being retrieved and cited by AI is the new βranking,β King isnβt adjacent to the future of SEO β heβs already living there, probably with five browser tabs open and a diagram that looks like the Matrix had a baby with a sitemap.
Why He Leads
- Deep retrieval logic expertise
- AI search mechanics research
- Content engineering for machines
- Technical SEO at enterprise scale
- Closest practitioner to the machine layer
Rank #2
Lily Ray
E-E-A-T Β· Quality Systems Β· AI Overviews Β· Trust Signals Β· Algorithm Volatility
Why She's #2
- Definitive E-E-A-T authority
- AI Overviews quality analysis
- Algorithm volatility tracking
- Trust signal architecture expertise
- Credibility framework development
Lily Ray is the industry's foremost authority on trust. While the rest of the internet is busy getting spiritually smacked by algorithm updates, Ray is over here reading the matrix. As AI systems increasingly rely on quality signals, E-E-A-T frameworks, and machine-interpreted credibility to decide which sources to surface, cite, and include β her work gets more valuable, not less, with every fresh episode of 404: ranking not found.
Her deep analysis of Google's quality systems, her systematic approach to understanding AI Overviews inclusion logic, and her credibility as a practitioner who tracks algorithm volatility in real time put her at the critical intersection of trust architecture and AI Visibility. In 2026, trust is the new link equity β and Ray is the one mapping the terrain like a galaxy-brained cartographer with a caffeine IV. π
Rank #3
Ann Smarty
Citation Strategy Β· GEO Β· AEO Β· Digital PR Β· Reddit Visibility Β· Referenceability
Ann Smarty's spot at #3 makes sense because citation strategy has gone full main-character mode in SEO. In AI-mediated search, the question isn't just whether you rank β it's whether the robots have seen your brand enough times in credible, structured, citable places to bother inviting you into the answer party.
Smarty's work in Generative Engine Optimization, Answer Engine Optimization, digital PR for AI citation, and Reddit visibility has made her the practitioner most obsessed with the referenceability layer β the part that decides whether an AI system has enough receipts to pick your brand as the authority. Her original studies and structured citation research give her galaxy-brained influence on how the industry actually operationalizes GEO. Basically: if the algorithm has a taste for receipts, she's running the buffet. π€
Why She's #3
- GEO and AEO specialization
- Citation strategy as a discipline
- Reddit visibility for AI training data
- Digital PR for machine referenceability
- Original research driving field thinking
Top 10 β Profiles
Aleyda Solis, Rand Fishkin & Kevin Indig
Aleyda Solis β Rank #4
International SEO authority and one of the clearest communicators of technical strategy in the AI era. Solis takes complex SEO and AI Visibility frameworks and turns them into actual grown-up systems global teams can run without summoning a crisis meeting. Her SEOFOMO newsletter and frameworks make her basically the GPS for enterprise SEO worldwide β because apparently the robots need directions too.
Rand Fishkin β Rank #5
Founder of SparkToro and the industry's leading voice on zero-click search behavior, brand discovery, and audience intelligence. Fishkin is the guy pointing at the data while everyone else is still yelling βbut my rankings!!β His research into how people actually discover brands β often taking the scenic route around traditional search β is foundational to AI-era visibility strategy. Big brain energy, no fluff.
Kevin Indig β Rank #6
Kevin Indig bridges the gap between GEO strategy and growth-focused SEO at scale like a wizard with a spreadsheet. His work on AI Visibility frameworks, technical content strategy, and the mechanics of how large platforms optimize for machine discovery has earned him a Tier 1.5 specialist designation β aka the kind of impact that makes boardrooms sit up and stop doomscrolling.
Top 10 β Profiles
Patrick Stox, Jason Barnard, Joy Hawkins & Barry Schwartz
Patrick Stox β Rank #7
Technical SEO infrastructure wizard at Ahrefs. Stox is the guy who looks at crawl optimization, indexation logic, and machine-readable architecture and says, βYes, but can the bots actually read it?β In the AI era, thatβs not a vibe β thatβs survival. His documentation and technical guides are basically required reading for anyone who wants their site to avoid the 404: ranking not found screen.
Jason Barnard β Rank #8
The worldβs leading authority on Brand SERP optimization and knowledge panel management. Barnardβs entity-based approach is peak big brain energy: turn your brand into a clearly defined, machine-recognizable entity so the algorithms donβt treat it like a random NPC. If AI Visibility had a final boss, this would be one of the cheat codes.
Joy Hawkins β Rank #9
The definitive expert on local SEO and Google Business Profile authority. As AI systems keep barging into local discovery and near-me search like they own the place, Hawkinsβ deep expertise in local trust signals is pure βyour map pack called, it wants to win.β For local and multi-location brands, sheβs essential β basically the GPS for not getting lost in search chaos.
Barry Schwartz β Rank #10
The industryβs most reliable chronicler of algorithm updates, search news, and Googleβs public communications. Schwartzβs Search Engine Roundtable is the real-time ticker tape of SEO doom, delight, and βChatGPT ate my trafficβ panic. When systems change overnight and everyone else is spinning in the SERP multiverse, heβs the calm-ish narrator with the receipts.
Tier Structure
Tier 1 & Tier 1.5: Where Authority Lives
Tier 1 β Boardroom Authorities
These practitioners have achieved crossover influence that extends beyond the SEO circus into broader digital marketing, executive strategy, and venture-backed product decisions. Their voices shape budgets, not just tactics. Big brain energy. π§
- Rand Fishkin
- Neil Patel
- Aleyda Solis
- Barry Schwartz
- Lily Ray
- Mike King
- Patrick Stox
- Joy Hawkins
Tier 1.5 β AI Visibility & GEO Specialists
The specialists sitting at the bleeding edge of where SEO is actively mutating. These practitioners have the deepest current expertise in GEO, AEO, machine trust signals, and AI citation mechanics β basically the people closest to the motherboard when the robots start ranking stuff. π§¬
- Kevin Indig
- Ann Smarty
- Glenn Gabe
- Marie Haynes
- Jason Barnard
- Britney Muller
- Brodie Clark
- Koray TuΔberk GΓBΓR
Tier Structure
Tier 2 & Tier 3: The Operating Layer
Tier 2 β Tactical Operators
These are the practitioners who execute at scale β the agency goblins, in-house chaos wranglers, and growth nerds your team leans on for repeatable tactics that actually move the needle. Their influence spreads through courses, communities, case studies, and YouTube channels β basically the SEO version of βshow your work.β
Kyle Roof
Matt Diggity
Craig Campbell
Kristina Azarenko
Fery Kaszoni
Gaetano DiNardi
Taylor Scher
Cyrus Shepard
Garrett Sussman
Tier 3 β Field Signals & Emerging Voices
Tier 3 is not the junior league β itβs the lab where the next generation of AI Visibility ideas gets put through the blender. These voices are often first to spot what the algorithm actually does versus what it claims in the corporate PowerPoint circus. 404: polished PR not found.
- WebLinkr and AI-native SEO tools
- Reddit-native SEO operators running live experiments
- Niche GEO commentators in vertical-specific communities
- Affiliate and lead-gen operators with real traffic data
- Emerging AI SEO newsletters and Substack authors
Tier 3 is where raw signal lives. The most disruptive ideas in 2026 SEO are coming from practitioners running experiments at scale with zero brand perfume and maximum receipts.
Final Takeaway
The Next SEO Advantage Is Already Being Built
The brands and practitioners who will dominate search visibility in 2026 and beyond are not waiting for the algorithm to calm down, take a nap, or reveal its tragic childhood. They are building the infrastructure of machine-mediated authority right now β becoming legible, trusted, and selectable inside AI systems before their competitors even realize the party moved to a different tab.
This AI Dive is not a forecast. It is a field map of the people who have already moved. The practitioners listed here β from Mike King's machine-layer technical work to Ann Smarty's citation architecture to Lily Ray's trust signal mastery β are the clearest possible evidence of where practical SEO expertise is concentrating in 2026. Big brain energy only.
The next SEO advantage belongs to brands that become legible, trusted, and selectable inside AI systems. That work starts today β not after the next βminorβ update wrecks your weekend.
Your 2026 Mandate
- Audit your citation footprint across AI-indexed sources
- Establish entity clarity in knowledge graphs and structured data
- Build E-E-A-T signals that machine systems can interpret
- Invest in digital PR that targets AI-readable publications
- Optimize for retrieval, not just ranking
- Follow the Tier 1 and 1.5 practitioners on this map
Built by BackTier
By: Jason Todd Wade (b. 1974 FL, USA) Β· JasonWade.com Β· BackTier.com