In the ever-evolving world of search, staying sharp means learning from the best. That’s why we’ve curated this followable list of top SEO experts, grouped by their specialties, preferred platforms, and the unique value they bring to the table. Whether you’re diving into technical SEO, mastering local search, or refining your content strategy, this guide connects you with the voices shaping the industry in 2025.

Each expert is linked directly to their most active channels, so you can follow, engage, and grow your skills with purpose.

Brian Dean is the founder of Backlinko, a go-to resource for SEO professionals and marketers worldwide, with over 5 million readers. Known for turning complex search strategies into actionable insights, Brian’s expertise has been spotlighted by major outlets including Forbes, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Vox, Entrepreneur, and U.S. News & World Report. His work continues to shape how brands grow online—one ranking at a time.

Neil Patel is one of the most recognized voices in digital marketing and SEO strategy. As the founder of NP Digital, he’s helped global brands like Amazon, Google, NBC, and Viacom scale their online visibility through data-driven search and content strategies. He’s also the co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, KISSmetrics, and the popular SEO tool Ubersuggest, which he acquired in 2017 and transformed into a go-to platform for marketers worldwide.

Named a Top 100 Entrepreneur Under 30 by President Obama and Under 35 by the United Nations, Neil’s influence spans millions of marketers through his blog, YouTube channel, and the “Marketing School” podcast. His website attracts over 10 million monthly visitors, and his insights have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, and The Wall Street Journal. Neil is known not just for simplifying SEO, but for democratizing it, offering free tools and tutorials that empower businesses of all sizes to compete in search.

Rand Fishkin is a pioneering SEO strategist, author, and entrepreneur best known for co-founding Moz and SparkToro. He launched Moz (originally SEOmoz) in 2004 as a blog and community hub, transforming it into one of the most influential SEO software platforms in the industry. His approachable teaching style and commitment to transparency helped demystify search engine optimization for marketers worldwide, especially through his iconic Whiteboard Friday video series.

After stepping down as Moz CEO, Rand founded SparkToro, an audience intelligence platform that helps marketers understand where their target audiences spend time online, without relying on invasive tracking. He’s also the author of Lost and Founder, a candid memoir about startup life, and co-author of The Art of SEO, a foundational text for search professionals.

Rand’s influence extends beyond tools and tactics; he’s a vocal advocate for ethical marketing, user-first SEO, and data transparency. His insights have shaped how thousands of businesses approach search, content, and audience research in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Aleyda Solis is a globally recognized SEO consultant, author, and speaker, known for her deep expertise in International, e-commerce, Marketplace, and SaaS SEO. Through her boutique consultancy, Orainti, she delivers highly personalized, scalable strategies to help startups and multinationals alike grow organic visibility in competitive, complex environments.

With over 15 years of hands-on experience across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., Aleyda has become a trusted advisor to brands like Turo, FreshBooks, and Trade Republic. She’s also a prolific educator—creator of *LearningSEO.io*, a free roadmap for aspiring SEOs that ranks #1 for “learn SEO,” and founder of SEOFOMO, one of the industry’s most popular newsletters with over 35,000 subscribers.

Aleyda’s impact extends beyond consulting. She’s spoken at more than 200 conferences in 30+ countries, authored *SEO. Las Claves Esenciales*, and contributes regularly to Moz, Search Engine Land, and Search Engine Journal. Her video series *Crawling Mondays* and her advocacy for remote work through *Remoters* reflect her commitment to accessibility, transparency, and community-building in digital marketing.

Named European Search Personality of the Year in 2018 and listed among the 10 Most Influential SEO Experts of 2022 by USA Today’s List Wire, Aleyda continues to shape the future of SEO with a blend of technical precision, strategic insight, and human-centered communication.

Marie Haynes is a leading authority in SEO, best known for her deep expertise in Google algorithm updates, site quality assessment, and the evolving role of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) in search rankings. Through her consultancy, Marie Haynes Consulting, she’s helped major brands like eBay and Airbnb recover from traffic drops and align with Google’s increasingly complex ranking systems. Her podcast and newsletter, Search News You Can Use, are trusted by thousands of marketers for timely, actionable insights, and her Quality Rater Guidelines Workbook has become a go-to resource for evaluating site trust signals.

Marie’s influence extends beyond consulting—she’s a respected educator, speaker, and researcher whose work has been cited by Google and featured at top conferences like Pubcon, SMX, and BrightonSEO. In 2025, she was invited to Google I/O to discuss AI Overviews, Gemini 2.5, and Project Mariner, underscoring her role at the forefront of search innovation. Her writing on algorithmic shifts, Navboost, and Helpful Content updates continues to shape how SEOs interpret Google’s priorities. With a focus on transparency, ethical SEO, and AI’s impact on search, Marie remains one of the most trusted voices guiding marketers through the future of organic visibility.

Patrick Stox is a highly respected technical SEO expert and Product Advisor at Ahrefs, known for his deep understanding of how websites work under the hood. With a background as a developer and years of experience at IBM, agencies, and in-house teams, Patrick brings a rare blend of technical precision and strategic insight to SEO. He’s contributed extensively to the industry through speaking engagements at conferences like Pubcon, SMX, and TechSEO Boost, and has authored over 100 articles for platforms like Search Engine Land, Ahrefs, and Search Engine Journal.

He’s also a community builder—organizing the Raleigh SEO Meetup (one of the most successful in the U.S.), co-running the Technical SEO Slack group, and moderating the /r/TechSEO subreddit. Patrick was the lead author of the SEO chapter in the 2021 Web Almanac and a reviewer for the 2022 edition. If you’re looking to follow someone who not only understands technical SEO but actively shapes its future, Patrick is a must-follow for his clarity, depth, and commitment to sharing knowledge.

Kristina Azarenko is a Toronto-based SEO consultant and the founder of MarketingSyrup, renowned for bridging the gap between marketers and developers. She discovered her passion for technical SEO after investing two salaries into her first SEO course and tackling critical issues on a major UK e-commerce site. Today, she leads programs like SEO Academy and Tech SEO Pro, helping students adopt developer-friendly solutions and psychology-driven tactics that accelerate buy-in and deliver measurable improvements.

Her flagship course, Tech SEO Pro, boasts a 4.9★ rating from over 700 students, and her free Technical SEO Audit Checklist has been downloaded by more than 6,000 professionals. Following Kristina means accessing battle-tested frameworks for site migrations, JavaScript SEO, performance optimization, and more—all grounded in her hands-on experience with agencies, in-house teams, and freelance consulting. If you’re serious about mastering the code-centric side of search, she’s the expert to watch.

Glenn Gabe is a seasoned SEO consultant and the founder of G-Squared Interactive (GSQi), with over 27 years of experience in digital marketing and technical SEO. He’s widely respected for his deep expertise in Google algorithm updates, site migrations, and forensic SEO audits, especially for sites hit by penalties or ranking drops. Glenn’s work spans industries from e-commerce and publishing to healthcare and finance, making his insights highly adaptable and grounded in real-world recovery scenarios.

What sets Glenn apart is his relentless documentation of Google’s algorithm behavior, often shared through his blog The Internet Marketing Driver, his video podcast SEO From The Front Lines, and columns at Search Engine Land. He’s known for breaking down complex updates with clarity, using case studies and data to show exactly what went wrong and how to fix it. If you’re serious about mastering technical SEO and want to stay ahead of Google’s ever-evolving landscape, Glenn Gabe is one of the most trustworthy and transparent experts to follow.

Barry Schwartz is one of the most prominent voices in the SEO industry, best known as the founder of Search Engine Roundtable and a long-time contributor to Search Engine Land. He’s been covering search engine news, algorithm updates, and SEO trends daily for over two decades, making him a go-to source for staying current with Google’s ever-changing landscape.

John Mueller is a Search Advocate at Google, widely recognized as one of the most trusted voices in the SEO community. He regularly communicates with webmasters and SEOs through Google Search Central, Twitter, and office hours, offering insights into how Google Search works and clarifying algorithm behavior. Known for his transparency and thoughtful responses, John helps bridge the gap between Google’s engineering teams and the broader SEO world, making him an essential figure to follow for anyone serious about search optimization.

What makes Greg stand out is his ability to simplify complex local SEO strategies—like citation building, Google Business Profile optimization, and localized content creation—into actionable steps that drive real results. He’s also known for his movie-themed slide decks and engaging delivery, making technical SEO both fun and memorable. If you want to master local search and stay ahead of algorithm changes that affect brick-and-mortar visibility, Greg Gifford is one of the most entertaining and insightful experts to follow.

Joy Hawkins is a leading authority in local SEO and the founder of Sterling Sky, a top-tier local search agency based in Canada. With over 17 years of experience, she’s known for her deep expertise in Google Business Profiles, local algorithm updates, and spam-fighting tactics that help businesses dominate the local pack. Joy regularly contributes to industry publications like Search Engine Land and runs the Local Search Forum, where she shares insights and answers questions from SEOs around the world.

Alex Cleanthous is a seasoned digital strategist and co-founder of Webprofits, a growth-focused digital consultancy known for driving results across SEO, content, and paid media. With over 20 years in the industry, Alex has helped scale e-commerce and local businesses through disruptive marketing strategies that blend technical SEO with high-impact content and conversion optimization.

He’s also the host of the Growth Manifesto Podcast, where he interviews top entrepreneurs and marketers about scaling businesses in competitive markets. Alex’s approach emphasizes full-funnel thinking—connecting SEO with broader business goals—and his insights are especially valuable for brands looking to dominate local search or expand their e-commerce footprint. If you’re seeking a strategic, performance-driven SEO voice, Alex Cleanthous is one to follow

Cyrus Shepard is one of the most influential voices in SEO when it comes to content strategy and link building. As the founder of Zyppy and a former Moz contributor, he’s known for distilling complex SEO concepts into clear, actionable insights that help websites grow sustainably. His work emphasizes creating high-quality, user-focused content that earns links naturally—avoiding spammy tactics and focusing on long-term value.

Cyrus frequently shares experiments, case studies, and data-backed strategies that reveal how Google evaluates content and links. Whether it’s optimizing for E-E-A-T, improving internal linking, or crafting pages that attract editorial backlinks, his advice is grounded in real-world testing and algorithmic understanding. If you’re serious about building authority and driving organic traffic through ethical, effective SEO, Cyrus Shepard is a must-follow.

Andy is especially known for his expertise in content hubs, original research, and outreach strategies that lead to natural link acquisition. He’s a frequent speaker at top conferences like Content Marketing World and author of Content Chemistry, a go-to resource for SEO-savvy marketers. If you want to master the art of creating content that ranks and earns links without shortcuts or spam, Andy’s insights are among the most actionable and respected in the industry.

Olga Zarr is a top-tier technical SEO expert and the founder of SEOSLY, a platform dedicated to deep-dive SEO audits, tutorials, and tool reviews. With over a decade of experience, she’s known for her meticulous approach to site auditing—often uncovering hidden issues that others miss—and for empowering SEOs with practical, step-by-step guidance. Olga’s background spans both agency and in-house roles, giving her a well-rounded perspective on how to scale SEO across different environments.

Nathan Gotch is a respected SEO strategist and founder of Gotch SEO, known for his practical, results-driven approach to content creation and link building. He’s helped thousands of marketers and business owners through his Gotch SEO Academy, where he teaches scalable systems for ranking content and acquiring high-quality backlinks without resorting to spam or shortcuts.

Nathan emphasizes building topical authority through strategic content planning, internal linking, and outreach that earns links naturally. His blog, YouTube channel, and training materials are packed with case studies, templates, and real-world tactics that make SEO accessible—even for beginners. If you want to learn how to grow organic traffic with clean, effective strategies, Nathan Gotch is a smart expert to follow.

Tim Soulo is the Chief Marketing Officer at Ahrefs and one of the most influential voices in SEO, especially when it comes to content strategy, link building, and product-led growth. He’s known for turning Ahrefs into a powerhouse not just through its tools, but through high-quality, data-driven content that ranks, earns links, and converts. Tim’s philosophy centers on creating genuinely useful content that solves real problems—then amplifying it through smart outreach and distribution.

He frequently shares insights on how Ahrefs built its traffic without relying on traditional paid ads, using SEO as the engine for sustainable growth. His blog posts, Twitter threads, and conference talks are packed with actionable advice on keyword research, link acquisition, and building topical authority. If you want to learn how to scale content and links with precision and integrity, Tim Soulo is one of the best experts to follow.

What makes Eli worth following is his emphasis on innovation—he teaches marketers how to align SEO with product development, user experience, and long-term brand value. His insights are especially valuable for SaaS, marketplaces, and platforms where traditional SEO tactics fall short. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, Eli empowers teams to think beyond rankings and build SEO strategies that drive real business outcomes. If you’re looking to evolve your SEO mindset and learn from one of the industry’s most forward-thinking educators, Eli Schwartz is a must-follow.

Jack Chambers-Ward is a rising voice in the SEO world, known for his thoughtful interviews, community engagement, and practical insights into content strategy and link building. He’s the host of SaaS & SEO, a podcast where he dives deep with industry experts on everything from technical audits to digital PR, making complex topics accessible and actionable. Jack also contributes to SEO platforms like Search Engine Journal and has worked with agencies and SaaS brands to grow organic visibility through smart, scalable strategies.

What makes Jack worth following is his ability to synthesize expert knowledge and ask the right questions—whether he’s exploring algorithm updates, dissecting outreach tactics, or unpacking the nuances of topical authority. He’s especially valuable for SEOs who want to stay plugged into the broader conversation and sharpen their skills through curated insights and real-world examples.

Areej AbuAli is a respected technical SEO consultant and the founder of the Women in Tech SEO community, a global network that empowers and connects women working in the SEO industry. With a background in computer engineering and years of experience leading SEO strategies for large-scale websites, Areej is known for her ability to simplify complex technical concepts and advocate for inclusive, thoughtful SEO practices.

She’s a frequent speaker at top conferences like BrightonSEO and MozCon, where she shares insights on site architecture, migrations, and stakeholder communication. Areej’s work stands out for its clarity, empathy, and commitment to elevating others—making her not just an innovator in technical SEO, but also a powerful educator and community builder. If you value both technical excellence and industry leadership, Areej AbuAli is an inspiring expert to follow.

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