Most "who to follow" lists are just popularity contests. This one is based on one filter: are they doing real work in AI search, publishing findings, and moving the conversation forward?
This is my personal shortlist. I follow all of these people actively. They cover different angles: some are deep on data, some on strategy, some on the entity and knowledge graph side. Together they give you a complete picture of where AI search is actually heading.
AI Search and Generative Engine Optimisation
Aleyda Solis
The most rigorous practitioner on AI Overviews data. Aleyda runs the SEOFOMO newsletter and is consistently one of the first to publish structured analysis when Google AI Overviews behaviour changes. If you only follow one person for the Google AI side, it is her.
Follow: @aleyda on X, SEOFOMO newsletter.
Kevin Indig
Growth Memo is the best newsletter in AI search. Kevin publishes deep research on citation patterns, how AI systems select sources, and what the data actually shows versus what people claim. Less hot takes, more analysis you can act on.
Follow: growth-memo.com, @kevin_indig.
Cyrus Shepard
Correlation studies and ranking factor analysis. Cyrus does the empirical work most people skip. He runs studies across large datasets to see what actually correlates with AI visibility rather than just theorising about it.
Follow: @CyrusShepard.
Lily Ray
The go-to authority on E-E-A-T, content quality signals, and how Google's AI Overviews are rewarding (and penalising) sites. Lily tracks 220+ sites through algorithm updates and publishes findings on content quality patterns that hold up in AI search as well as traditional Google.
Follow: @lilyraynyc.
Lawrence Hitches
That's me. I'm building out AI search visibility research at lawrencehitches.com, publishing findings from the StudioHawk 100-brand ecommerce dataset (340,000 AI-referred sessions, $690K tracked revenue), and running live tests on signals like AI Instructions pages and EntityMap. I write for Search Engine Land and publish a fortnightly newsletter on AI search citation mechanics.
Follow: lawrencehitches.com, @lawrencehitches, LinkedIn.
ChatGPT and LLM Citation
Wil Reynolds and Alisa Scharf (Seer Interactive)
Wil and Alisa are among the first practitioners to systematically test what gets brands cited in ChatGPT Search. Seer Interactive's AI Information page is one of the earliest documented examples of using a structured brand instruction page to influence AI-generated responses. Their work on AI search measurement is worth watching closely.
Follow: @wilreynolds, Seer Interactive blog.
Steve Toth
SEO Notebook. Steve surfaces emerging tactics faster than almost anyone. He spotted and published the AI Instructions page mechanic early, citing original sources. High signal-to-noise ratio for practitioners who want to know what is actually working before it becomes industry consensus.
Follow: SEO Notebook newsletter, @stevetoth.
Entity SEO and Knowledge Graphs
Dixon Jones
InLinks founder and co-creator of the EntityMap v1.0 standard. If you want to understand how AI systems build entity graphs and why structured entity data matters for AI search, Dixon is the right person to follow. His work on the EntityMap specification is directly relevant to the next generation of AI visibility signals.
Follow: @Dixon_Jones.
Jason Barnard
Kalicube. Jason has been working on entity SEO and knowledge panel optimisation for longer than most people have been thinking about AI search. His framework for building entity authority. Getting AI systems to understand who a brand is before optimising for what they want it to say. That foundation is essential for AI visibility work.
Follow: @jasonmbarnard, Kalicube newsletter.
Technical AI Search
Britney Muller
The most technically rigorous voice at the intersection of machine learning and SEO. Britney explains how language models actually work. Not the surface-level "AI is changing SEO" takes, but the underlying mechanisms of how transformers process and retrieve information. Essential for understanding why certain content structures get cited and others do not.
Follow: @BritneyMuller.
Newsletters Worth Reading Weekly
- Growth Memo (Kevin Indig): AI search research, weekly
- SEOFOMO (Aleyda Solis): weekly roundup, best aggregation of what's new
- Search Engine Land: daily, reliable trade coverage
- Soaring Above Search: my fortnightly newsletter on AI citation mechanics, from the StudioHawk dataset
Who Is Missing from This List
There are good practitioners at agencies who are doing real AI search work but not publishing it publicly. The people publishing findings openly are the ones on this list. If you know someone producing empirical AI search research who should be here, let me know.
The honest caveat: AI search is moving fast enough that anyone's relevance can change within a few months. Check when someone last published before assuming they are still actively in the space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a community or forum for AI SEO practitioners?
The best conversations are currently happening on X (Twitter), in private Slack groups, and in newsletters rather than in a single community. The Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable comment sections also surface practitioner debate on new developments quickly.
What is the difference between AI SEO and traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO targets ranking positions in Google's blue links. AI SEO targets citation frequency in AI-generated responses: ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. The signals overlap but are not identical: backlinks matter less, brand mentions and content structure matter more in AI search.
Who should I follow if I only have time for one newsletter?
Growth Memo (Kevin Indig) if you want research depth. SEOFOMO (Aleyda Solis) if you want breadth and curation. Soaring Above Search if you specifically want Australian market data and AI citation mechanics.
Are any Australian practitioners publishing on AI SEO?
Not many yet. Most Australian SEO practitioners are applying AI search frameworks from US sources rather than publishing original findings. That is the gap I am trying to fill with the StudioHawk dataset and this site.
Soaring Above Search
Weekly AI search insights from the front line. One newsletter. Six sections. Everything that actually moved this week, with a practitioner's take.
Chief of Staff at StudioHawk, Australia's largest dedicated SEO agency. Specialising in AI search visibility, technical SEO, and organic growth strategy. Leading a team of 120+ across Melbourne, Sydney, London, and the US. Book a free consultation →