Would you trust the car salesman or the mechanic who actually built the car?
Dennis Yu asked me that during our recent podcast conversation, and it’s the perfect analogy for what’s wrong with most SEO advice today.
See, Dennis isn’t your typical SEO consultant. He was one of the first engineers at Yahoo in the late 1990s, back when search engines were figuring out how to organize the web’s information. His job? Protect search results from people trying to trick the system. Those people, he told me with a slight grin, are called SEOs.
I’ve been doing SEO for nearly 30 years now. Since before Google was even called Google (anyone else remember BackRub?). I’ve watched this industry evolve from keyword stuffing to link schemes to the sophisticated entity-based search we have today. The practitioners who evolved from gaming tactics to genuine authority building are the ones still succeeding. The others? They’re struggling or they’ve moved on.
When Dennis and I sat down to talk, something fascinating happened. We’d arrived at the same conclusions about modern search from completely opposite directions. He built the systems. I learned to succeed within them. And we both agree: the future of search rewards the genuinely authoritative, not the tactically clever.
Do a Google search right now for “international AI and SEO expert.” I’m #1. Not because I gamed an algorithm. Because I’ve spent three decades building the exact signals that search engines and AI systems look for when determining who’s actually an authority.
What follows is our conversation about why search works the way it does, what Google and AI platforms actually look for, and how to build sustainable visibility when AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and every other generative engine are changing the rules.
This isn’t theory. This is what’s working.
Make sure to watch the entire podcast interview with Dennis Yu right here:
Inside Yahoo’s Search Engine: What Engineers Were Actually Trying to Accomplish
Dennis started at Yahoo as a search engineer in the late 1990s. Before “SEO” even existed as a term. His team faced a simple problem: how do you organize the web’s information when people keep trying to manipulate your results?
“My job was to protect the search results from people trying to trick us,” Dennis explained. “Those people are called SEOs.”
Think about what that means. While most SEO professionals were learning to game systems, Dennis and his colleagues were building those systems specifically to prevent gaming. He understands search from the inside out. What the algorithms are trying to accomplish, what signals they trust, and why certain tactics fail.
This inside perspective completely reframes the SEO conversation.
Search engines weren’t built to reward the cleverest manipulators. They were built to surface the most genuinely helpful, authoritative content. Every algorithm update (from Panda to Penguin to the latest AI-driven changes) has moved further in that direction. If you’re still thinking about SEO as a game of tricks and loopholes, you’re fundamentally misunderstanding what these systems were designed to do.
Dennis’s work at Yahoo involved running analytics across every property. Sports, finance, travel, mail, you name it. They used that data to build custom targeting profiles and to understand how people actually search and what results satisfy their intent.
“We had to build our own operating system to process all those files,” he told me. “The data was larger than any commercial database could handle.”
That’s the scale we’re talking about. Search engines process billions of queries, analyze trillions of connections, and constantly refine their understanding of what makes content trustworthy. You can’t trick systems operating at that scale with clever tactics anymore.
The adversarial approach doesn’t work. The “SEO vs. search engine” mentality, where you’re constantly trying to find loopholes and exploit weaknesses, is dead. I’ve watched practitioners who thrived in that era struggle as Google got smarter.
I started in SEO using the tactics everyone used back then. Keyword density, exact match domains, link schemes. But I evolved. I stopped asking “how can I trick Google?” and started asking “how can I become the authority Google wants to surface?”
That shift changed everything for my agency and my clients.
When Dennis and I compare notes (he from the engineering side, me from the practitioner side), we’ve arrived at identical conclusions. Modern search is about alignment, not manipulation. Building a genuine authority that search engines can verify and trust. Becoming the expert that both humans and AI systems recognize as credible.
Dennis put it perfectly: “If you don’t understand how those objects fit together and the entities, how can you claim to be able to help someone rank better in Google?”
Which brings us to the foundation of modern search: the knowledge graph.
Google’s Fundamental Shift: Why ‘Things Not Strings’ Changes Everything
In 2012, Google made an announcement that changed search forever. They called it the Knowledge Graph. “A big database of objects,” as Dennis describes it. It represented a fundamental shift from matching keyword strings to understanding entities and their relationships.
Most SEO professionals missed the significance of that shift. They kept optimizing for keywords while Google moved to entities. And they’re still wondering why their old tactics stopped working.
Let me explain what that means in practical terms.
An entity is any distinct person, place, thing, or concept that Google can identify. You’re an entity. Your company is an entity. Your city, your methodology, your framework…all entities. Each one gets a unique identifier in Google’s knowledge graph. Basically, a social security number for entities.
During our conversation, Dennis searched for a random audience member named Suzanne Coryell. Within seconds, he pulled up her knowledge graph entry, complete with a confidence score and KG ID number.
“That’s your social security number, Suzanne,” he told her. “And there’s only one of you in here right now.”
That confidence score? It’s how Google determines which entity to show when there’s ambiguity. A higher confidence score means Google is more likely to surface your entity in search features, AI Overviews, and knowledge panels.
But here’s where it gets interesting. And where Dennis revealed something most SEO professionals don’t know.
Suzanne had a knowledge panel. Google recognized her as an entity. But when we clicked to see it, Dennis pointed out something critical: She wasn’t verified.
“Why didn’t you verify yourself on Google?” he asked her.
She didn’t know verification was even possible. And honestly? Most people with knowledge panels don’t know this. They have this incredible asset (a knowledge panel that appears when people search their name), but they can’t manage it, can’t suggest edits, can’t ensure the information is accurate because they’re not verified.
Google gives verified entities priority. When you’re verified, your feedback on your knowledge panel information goes to the front of the queue. You can suggest changes, update images, and ensure accuracy. More critical for SEO purposes? Verified entities carry more authority in Google’s algorithm.
This is where Dennis’s engineering background and my practitioner experience converge. Google built verification as a trust signal. Their way of confirming: “Yes, this entity is who they claim to be, and they have control over their digital presence.”
When I search for my name, my verified knowledge panel appears. When people search for Dennis, his verified knowledge panel appears. We’re not gaming anything. We’re aligned with what Google built the system to recognize and reward.
But entities don’t exist in isolation. They exist in relationships.
Dennis explained it perfectly: “Everything we have, all the facts we publish, are tied to a person or location. That’s how we’re able to rank so well in Google.”
Think of it like a mind map. Your entity connects to your company entity, which connects to your methodology entity, which connects to your content entities, which connect to your social profile entities. Every connection reinforces your authority in Google’s knowledge graph.
When I publish content on my website, it’s clearly attributed to me (verified entity). Mentions Boulder SEO Marketing (verified entity). References our Micro-SEO Strategies℠ methodology (proprietary entity associated with my verified entity). Links to my social profiles (verified entities). Everything connects back to create what Dennis calls an “infinite loop” of self-confirming information.
This is fundamentally different from how most SEO professionals think about optimization.
They’re still focused on keywords and backlinks. Strings and links. They’re not thinking about entities and relationships, the actual architecture of modern search. That’s like trying to build a house using carpentry techniques from 1990, when everyone else has power tools and contemporary materials.
Google has moved from “this page contains these keywords” to “this content was created by this entity, who is an authority on these topics, connected to these other authoritative entities, verified through these signals.”
That’s an entirely different optimization challenge.
And here’s the kicker: AI search makes this even more critical.
ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and every other generative AI tool…they’re trained on knowledge graphs. They understand entity relationships. When someone asks them about AI SEO strategies, they reference entities they recognize as authorities. Verified entities. Entities with strong confidence scores and clear connections to related concepts.
If you’re not building your entity presence, you’re invisible to AI search. Period.
Watch Dennis explain how to take control of your name in search and earn a Google Knowledge Panel:
Why Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust Actually Matter (And How to Build Them)
Let me be direct: E-E-A-T is probably one of the most important ranking signals in Google’s algorithm. It’s one of the few ways Google now differentiates rankings when content quality is similar.
I’ve been doing this forever. Google knows me. They trust me. When I put up a piece of content that’s equally good as somebody else’s, my E-E-A-T score means my content will rank higher.
That’s not me being arrogant. That’s me explaining how the system actually works.
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google added that extra “E” for Experience in 2022, and it’s critical. Because here’s the thing: in the AI era, anyone can generate content at scale. ChatGPT can write a decent blog post about any topic in seconds.
So how does Google differentiate between AI-generated generic content and genuinely expert content?
Watche the video below to learn more:
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
Dennis and I talked about this extensively. From his search engineer perspective, E-E-A-T represents the signals Google uses to verify that content comes from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. Not someone who’s just regurgitating information or generating it with AI.
Let me break down each component from a practitioner’s perspective:
Experience: The First-Hand Factor
This is why Google added that extra “E.” They want to see that you’ve actually done what you’re writing about. You’ve implemented it. You’ve tested it. You have real-world results.
I’ve been adapting to search engine changes for 30 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients. I’ve spoken at conferences globally. I’ve taught digital marketing at the University of Strasbourg. That’s an experience Google can verify.
Dennis built search engines before most people knew what SEO was. He ran analytics on Yahoo’s entire network. He’s now helping local businesses leverage these principles through BlitzMetrics. That’s verifiable experience.
When AI generates content, it can’t have experience. It can only synthesize information. That’s the differentiator.
Expertise: Demonstrable Knowledge
It’s not enough to claim expertise. You have to prove it.
When someone searches “international AI and SEO expert,” I rank #1. That’s Google’s algorithm recognizing my expertise based on years of signals. Content published, presentations given, clients served, results demonstrated.
I developed and trademarked the Micro-SEO Strategies℠ methodology. That’s a proprietary framework that demonstrates unique expertise. I created something that didn’t exist before.
Ask yourself: Could only you have written what you published? Or could anyone have generated that content with the right prompts? If it’s the latter, you’re not demonstrating expertise.
Authoritativeness: Being the Go-To Source
This is where entity relationships matter enormously.
Dennis talks about this from his engineering perspective: When authoritative sources cite you, Google notices. When you appear in high-quality publications, get mentioned by recognized experts, show up in AI Overviews…these are authority signals.
We use Featured.com to find opportunities to contribute expert insights to high-authority publications. When I get published on sites like Marketer Magazine with links back to my profiles, that’s an authority signal.
I run regular AI and SEO webinars where marketing professionals learn about the latest developments. That positions me as an educational authority. Some people turn to it for current information.
I speak at conferences globally. I’ve been featured on podcasts. Other experts reference my work. These are all authority signals that compound over time.
Trustworthiness: The Foundation
Google’s own guidelines say: “Trust is the most important member of the E-E-A-T family.”
This is where verification becomes critical.
I have a verified knowledge panel. Dennis has a verified knowledge panel. That’s Google confirming our identities and giving us control over our entity information. It’s a trust signal.
But trust goes deeper. It’s consistency across every platform. When Google finds information about me on my website, LinkedIn, BlueSky, X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube channel, and conference bio pages, it should all match. Same description, same credentials, same links back to my entity home.
This creates what Dennis calls the “infinite loop.” Every verified source links back to your entity home, which reinforces that you are who you claim to be.
Here’s what most people miss: E-E-A-T isn’t a checklist. It’s a journey.
I didn’t wake up one day with strong E-E-A-T. I built it over 30 years. Every piece of content published. Every presentation given. Every client result achieved. Every citation earned. It compounds.
Google’s algorithm recognizes this compounding. My content today benefits from three decades of trust-building. A new website publishing similar content can’t compete with that history. Not overnight.
But here’s the good news: You can start building E-E-A-T today. And in the AI era, it matters more than ever.
Because when AI tools like ChatGPT decide which sources to cite, they rely heavily on verified entities with strong E-E-A-T signals. Anonymous content, even if well-written, doesn’t carry the same weight as content clearly attributed to a verified expert.
This brings us to the evolution beyond traditional SEO: GEO.
Welcome to GEO: Why We’re No Longer Just an ‘SEO Agency’
Finally. Finally, finally, something is changing with SEO.
I wake up every morning excited now. I read for about two hours, catching up on what’s happened overnight in the AI and search space. My wife and I recently hiked Mount Kilimanjaro, and I’m not going to lie…I was sneaking internet access whenever I could to keep up with developments. This space moves that fast.
And here’s what I’ve realized: When I launched Boulder SEO Marketing back in 2009, we were an SEO agency. We’re no longer just an SEO agency. We’re now a content marketing agency that happens to be really good at AI and SEO because the game has fundamentally changed.
I call it GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
Traditional SEO was about ranking in the top 10 blue links on Google. You optimized for keywords, built backlinks, improved page speed, and hoped your site appeared on page one.
GEO is about being the source that AI models reference and cite.
Think about how search behavior has changed. People aren’t just going to Google anymore. They’re asking ChatGPT questions. They’re using Perplexity for research. They’re seeing AI Overviews at the top of Google search results that synthesize information from multiple sources.
And here’s the critical question: When these AI systems generate answers, whose content do they cite?
That’s GEO.
The fascinating thing is that the same principles apply. Entities. E-E-A-T. Verification. These foundational elements of modern SEO are even more important for GEO.
Dennis explained this from the engineering side: “AI systems are trained on knowledge graphs. They understand entity relationships. They recognize authority signals.”
When ChatGPT is asked about AI SEO strategies, it references recognized experts. Verified entities with strong authority signals. People like me, whose content is clearly attributed, whose expertise is demonstrable, whose entity is verified across platforms.
If you’re not building that entity presence, you’re invisible to AI search.
Let me give you a practical example of how we’ve adapted:
We developed what we call BSM Co-Pilot. An AI agent designed explicitly for our Micro SEO methodology. But here’s the key: it’s AI-assisted, not AI-generated.
We start with source content. Real conversations with clients. Real expertise from our team. We record these conversations (just like Dennis and I are doing here), transcribe them, and feed them into our system. Then BSM Copilot helps us structure that expert knowledge into content that ranks well in both traditional search and AI Overviews.
Every piece of content is clearly attributed to me or our team. It references our verified entities. It demonstrates genuine expertise from real implementation. It’s not generic AI-generated content. It’s AI-assisted expert content.
That distinction matters enormously.
During our conversation, Dennis talked about using AI tools the right way: “They’re like assistants. They need clear management and direction. You can’t just prompt them once and expect greatness.”
He’s right. We’ve been testing content created this way, and it works exceptionally well. I recently published an article about property management SEO using our process. 100% AI-assisted but based on a real expert conversation. It’s already ranking for competitive keywords like “SEO for property managers.”
The content is good because it’s based on genuine expertise. Google recognizes it as valuable. AI systems can cite it as authoritative. It’s clearly attributed to our verified entities.
This is the future of content creation.
Not pure AI generation. Not struggling to write everything manually. But a strategic blend: human expertise + AI assistance + clear attribution = content that works for both SEO and GEO.
We’re also optimizing for platforms beyond Google. When people ask Perplexity about AI SEO, I want my content cited. When they ask Claude about entity optimization, I want my methodology referenced. When they see AI Overviews on Google, I want my verified entity to appear as a source.
This requires thinking differently about content distribution. It’s not enough to publish on your website and hope it ranks. You need to:
- Get cited on authoritative platforms (again, we use tools such as Featured.com for this)
- Build presence across the AI search ecosystem (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini)
- Create content that AI systems can easily understand and reference
- Maintain verified entity connections across all platforms
- Monitor where your brand appears in AI-generated responses
Dennis and I talked about how search queries have changed, too. Traditional Google searches average about four words. AI search queries average 23 words. People are asking more complex, conversational questions.
“Tell me about the best AI SEO strategies for a B2B SaaS company trying to rank for competitive keywords” is an AI search query. It’s specific. It’s contextual. And the AI that responds will reference experts whose content addresses that exact context.
That’s why entity-based content matters. That’s why E-E-A-T matters. That’s why verification matters.
The principles Dennis and I discussed (knowledge graphs, entities, relationships, authority) aren’t just for traditional SEO. They’re the foundation of GEO.
And honestly? This is exciting. After 30 years of watching search evolve incrementally, we’re finally seeing a meaningful transformation. The practitioners who understand these principles and adapt quickly will dominate their niches for the next decade.
Those stuck in keyword-focused, tactics-driven SEO? They’re going to struggle.
From Theory to Practice: Your Strategic Roadmap for Entity-Based Search
Okay. You understand entities. You get why E-E-A-T matters. You see how GEO is evolving search.
Now what?
Let me give you the practical roadmap we use with clients. This is the implementation framework that’s working right now. For us, for our clients, and for anyone willing to do the work.
Step 1: Verify Your Entity
This is non-negotiable. If you haven’t claimed and verified your Google knowledge panel, stop reading and do it now.
Search for your name (or your company name). If a knowledge panel appears, look for “Claim this knowledge panel” at the bottom. Click it and follow Google’s verification process.
You’ll typically need to prove ownership by logging into one of your official profiles. YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and your website through Google Search Console. Google needs to confirm you are who you claim to be.
Why does this matter? Because unverified entities are essentially invisible. You can’t manage your information. You can’t suggest edits. You don’t get priority in Google’s systems. You’re missing a critical trust signal.
When Dennis showed Suzanne her unverified knowledge panel during our podcast, that was the “aha moment” for everyone watching. She had the asset (Google recognized her as an entity), but she had no control over it.
Don’t be Suzanne before verification. Be Suzanne after.
Step 2: Build Entity Consistency
Once you’re verified, create what Dennis calls the “infinite loop.”
Your entity home (usually your personal website or primary business domain) should be the hub. Every other platform should link back to it. And every platform should have consistent information.
Same name format. Same professional description. Same key credentials. Same profile photo. Same links.
When Google (or any AI system) finds information about you across the web, it should all match. This creates confidence. This builds your entity’s trust score.
The platforms that matter most:
- Your website (with proper Schema markup)
- LinkedIn (linked to your entity home)
- Twitter/X (linked to your entity home)
- YouTube (linked to your entity home)
- Google Search Console (verified ownership)
- Professional directories relevant to your industry
- Conference bio pages
- Podcast appearances
- Published articles
Every single one should reference your core entity and link back to your entity home.
Step 3: Create Entity-Rich Content
Stop thinking keywords. Start thinking about entities.
Every piece of content you publish should clearly connect to verified entities:
- You (author entity)
- Your company (business entity)
- Your methodology or framework (proprietary entity)
- Related concepts and experts (connected entities)
- Locations (if relevant to local SEO)
I recently tested this with a conversation I recorded with a property management company in Boulder. We transcribed it, used our BSM Copilot to structure it, and created comprehensive content clearly attributed to both me and the client.
As noted earlier, that article is already ranking for “SEO for property managers.” Because it demonstrates genuine expertise (conversation with a real client), clear entity attribution (me as the verified expert), and valuable insights (practical implementation advice).
This is the Micro-SEO Strategies℠ approach: human expertise + AI assistance + clear attribution = content that works.
Step 4: Build Your E-E-A-T Signals Systematically
Think in timeframes:
Short-term (0-3 months):
- Verify your entities
- Ensure consistency across platforms
- Add proper Schema markup to your website
- Claim and optimize all relevant profiles
- Create author bios that establish credentials
Medium-term (3-12 months):
- Get published on authority sites (we use Featured.com to find opportunities)
- Start speaking at industry events
- Launch educational content (webinars, workshops, courses)
- Build citations from recognized experts
- Create comprehensive, attributable content
Long-term (1-3+ years):
- Compound authority through consistent presence
- Get cited in AI Overviews and LLM outputs
- Build topical authority in your niche
- Become the go-to source others reference
- Let time and consistency work for you
This is how I built my authority over 30 years. You don’t need 30 years (the pace of change is faster now), but you do need consistency and strategic thinking.
Step 5: Optimize for the Full Search Ecosystem
Don’t just think Google. Optimize for:
- Google AI Overviews
- ChatGPT citations
- Claude references
- Perplexity answers
- Gemini responses
- Any other AI search tool your audience uses
The good news? The same principles work across all platforms. Verified entities with strong E-E-A-T get cited more frequently across the entire ecosystem.
Monitor where your brand appears. Ask ChatGPT about topics in your expertise area and see who gets cited. Search your topic in Perplexity and note which sources appear. Check Google AI Overviews for your target keywords and see which entities are referenced.
Then reverse-engineer what made those entities citeable.
Step 6: Stay Current
This space changes fast. Really fast.
I read for about two hours every morning, catching up on overnight developments. I host regular AI and SEO webinars to share what’s working now. I constantly test new tools and approaches.
You don’t need to be as obsessive as I am, but you do need to stay informed.
Join our AI and SEO webinar for regular updates. These aren’t one-time events. They’re ongoing education about what’s actually working as search evolves.
For local businesses, also check out our local SEO webinar, which covers entity building, knowledge panel optimization, and local ranking strategies.
The practitioners who stay ahead of changes will dominate their niches. Those who wait for “best practices” to solidify will always be playing catch-up.
Why This Conversation Matters More Than Ever
Dennis and I arrived at the same conclusions from opposite directions.
He built search engines to protect quality results. I evolved from traditional SEO tactics to strategic authority building. And we both see the same truth: entity-based, authority-driven search is the future.
When the people who built the systems and the people who succeed within them agree, that’s when you should pay attention.
Google AI Overviews are expanding rapidly. ChatGPT is being used for search by millions. Perplexity is gaining traction. Claude, Gemini, and countless other AI tools are changing how people find information.
The window for early adoption is now.
Those building E-E-A-T today (verifying entities, creating expert content, establishing authority) will own their niches for years to come. The compound effect of starting now gives you an enormous advantage over competitors who wait.
During our conversation, Dennis gave excellent closing advice: Ask your AI assistant, “Based on everything you know about me and my business, what am I missing? What blind spots do I have? How can I grow?“
The AI tools we have now are sophisticated enough to analyze your situation and provide genuinely useful insights. Use them strategically.
But remember: AI tools are assistants, not replacements. They augment human expertise. They don’t replace it. Content tied to verified human experts performs better than anonymous AI-generated content. That won’t change.
Here’s the fundamental truth we keep coming back to:
You don’t need to choose between SEO and GEO. The same principles work for both. Verified entities. Genuine E-E-A-T. Strategic content. Clear attribution.
Focus on those fundamentals, and you’ll succeed across the entire search ecosystem. Traditional Google, AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, whatever comes next.
The gaming approaches that failed in traditional SEO will fail even faster in GEO. But genuine authority? That compounds across every platform.
After 30 years in this industry, I’m more excited than I’ve been in decades. Something is actually changing. The shift from keywords to entities, from tactics to strategy, from gaming to authority…this is a meaningful transformation.
And those who understand it will thrive.
Ready to dive deeper into these AI SEO strategies?
Join our upcoming AI and SEO webinar where we share the latest developments in GEO, entity optimization, and AI-driven search. These aren’t recordings. They’re live sessions where you can ask questions and get real-time insights into what’s working now.
For local businesses optimizing for geographic search, make sure to attend our next local SEO webinar.
Have questions about how these strategies apply to your specific situation? Let’s talk. Reach out today and let’s schedule a no-strings-attached call to discuss how our AI SEO strategies can help your business succeed in the AI era.
The future of search rewards the genuinely authoritative. Are you building that authority?
Cheers,
Chris