Who is the best SEO expert in the world?
Asked "Who is the best SEO expert in the world?", ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Perplexity named 31 distinct names across 5 answers on September 7, 2026, and 8 of them in two or more answers, and the engines did not agree; the closest to a consensus, Moz, was named by only 4 of 5.
Measured acrossChatGPTCopilotGeminiGoogle AI ModePerplexity
8 of 31 names confirmed · named in 2 or more of 5 answers · asked September 7, 2026 · 5 engines
There is no single "best" SEO expert in the world, as search engine optimization encompasses many different specializations. Several globally recognized authorities are known for different strengths, including Aleyda Solis, Rand Fishkin, Barry Schwartz, Brian Dean, and Lily Ray.
- 1Moznamed in 4 of 5 answers
'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M20.616%2010.835a14.147%2014.147%200%2001-4.45-3.001%2014.111%2014.111%200%2001-3.678-6.452.503.503%200%2000-.975%200%2014.134%2014.134%200%2001-3.679%206.452%2014.155%2014.155%200%2001-4.45%203.001c-.65.28-1.318.505-2.002.678a.502.502%200%20000%20.975c.684.172%201.35.397%202.002.677a14.147%2014.147%200%20014.45%203.001%2014.112%2014.112%200%20013.679%206.453.502.502%200%2000.975%200c.172-.685.397-1.351.677-2.003a14.145%2014.145%200%20013.001-4.45%2014.113%2014.113%200%20016.453-3.678.503.503%200%20000-.975%2013.245%2013.245%200%2001-2.003-.678z'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-gemini-1-_R_0_)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M20.616%2010.835a14.147%2014.147%200%2001-4.45-3.001%2014.111%2014.111%200%2001-3.678-6.452.503.503%200%2000-.975%200%2014.134%2014.134%200%2001-3.679%206.452%2014.155%2014.155%200%2001-4.45%203.001c-.65.28-1.318.505-2.002.678a.502.502%200%20000%20.975c.684.172%201.35.397%202.002.677a14.147%2014.147%200%20014.45%203.001%2014.112%2014.112%200%20013.679%206.453.502.502%200%2000.975%200c.172-.685.397-1.351.677-2.003a14.145%2014.145%200%20013.001-4.45%2014.113%2014.113%200%20016.453-3.678.503.503%200%20000-.975%2013.245%2013.245%200%2001-2.003-.678z'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-gemini-2-_R_0_)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%20id='lobe-icons-gemini-0-_R_0_'%20x1='7'%20x2='11'%20y1='15.5'%20y2='12'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2308B962'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%2308B962'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3clinearGradient%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%20id='lobe-icons-gemini-1-_R_0_'%20x1='8'%20x2='11.5'%20y1='5.5'%20y2='11'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%23F94543'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23F94543'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3clinearGradient%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%20id='lobe-icons-gemini-2-_R_0_'%20x1='3.5'%20x2='17.5'%20y1='13.5'%20y2='12'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%23FABC12'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='.46'%20stop-color='%23FABC12'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M6.726%2020.16A2.528%202.528%200%20009.152%2022h1.566c1.37%200%202.49-1.1%202.525-2.48l.17-6.69-.357%201.228a2.528%202.528%200%2001-2.423%201.83h-4.32l-1.54-.842-1.667.843h.497c1.124%200%202.113.75%202.426%201.84l.697%202.432z'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-copilot-1-_R_0_)'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M15%200H6.252c-2.5%200-4%203.331-5%206.662-1.184%203.947-2.734%209.225%201.75%209.225H6.78c1.13%200%202.12-.753%202.43-1.847.657-2.317%201.809-6.359%202.713-9.436.46-1.563.842-2.906%201.43-3.742A1.97%201.97%200%200115%200'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-copilot-2-_R_0_)'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M15%200H6.252c-2.5%200-4%203.331-5%206.662-1.184%203.947-2.734%209.225%201.75%209.225H6.78c1.13%200%202.12-.753%202.43-1.847.657-2.317%201.809-6.359%202.713-9.436.46-1.563.842-2.906%201.43-3.742A1.97%201.97%200%200115%200'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-copilot-3-_R_0_)'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M9%2022h8.749c2.5%200%204-3.332%205-6.663%201.184-3.948%202.734-9.227-1.75-9.227H17.22c-1.129%200-2.12.754-2.43%201.848a1149.2%201149.2%200%2001-2.713%209.437c-.46%201.564-.842%202.907-1.43%203.743A1.97%201.97%200%20019%2022'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-copilot-4-_R_0_)'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M9%2022h8.749c2.5%200%204-3.332%205-6.663%201.184-3.948%202.734-9.227-1.75-9.227H17.22c-1.129%200-2.12.754-2.43%201.848a1149.2%201149.2%200%2001-2.713%209.437c-.46%201.564-.842%202.907-1.43%203.743A1.97%201.97%200%20019%2022'%20fill='url(%23lobe-icons-copilot-5-_R_0_)'%20transform='translate(0%201)'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cradialGradient%20cx='85.44%25'%20cy='100.653%25'%20fx='85.44%25'%20fy='100.653%25'%20gradientTransform='scale(-.8553%20-1)%20rotate(50.927%202.041%20-1.946)'%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-0-_R_0_'%20r='105.116%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='9.6%25'%20stop-color='%2300AEFF'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='77.3%25'%20stop-color='%232253CE'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='100%25'%20stop-color='%230736C4'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/radialGradient%3e%3cradialGradient%20cx='18.143%25'%20cy='32.928%25'%20fx='18.143%25'%20fy='32.928%25'%20gradientTransform='scale(.8897%201)%20rotate(52.069%20.193%20.352)'%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-1-_R_0_'%20r='95.612%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='0%25'%20stop-color='%23FFB657'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='63.4%25'%20stop-color='%23FF5F3D'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='92.3%25'%20stop-color='%23C02B3C'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/radialGradient%3e%3cradialGradient%20cx='82.987%25'%20cy='-9.792%25'%20fx='82.987%25'%20fy='-9.792%25'%20gradientTransform='scale(-1%20-.9441)%20rotate(-70.872%20.142%201.17)'%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-4-_R_0_'%20r='140.622%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='6.6%25'%20stop-color='%238C48FF'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='50%25'%20stop-color='%23F2598A'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='89.6%25'%20stop-color='%23FFB152'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/radialGradient%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-2-_R_0_'%20x1='39.465%25'%20x2='46.884%25'%20y1='12.117%25'%20y2='103.774%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='15.6%25'%20stop-color='%230D91E1'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='48.7%25'%20stop-color='%2352B471'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='65.2%25'%20stop-color='%2398BD42'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='93.7%25'%20stop-color='%23FFC800'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-3-_R_0_'%20x1='45.949%25'%20x2='50%25'%20y1='0%25'%20y2='100%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='0%25'%20stop-color='%233DCBFF'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='24.7%25'%20stop-color='%230588F7'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='lobe-icons-copilot-5-_R_0_'%20x1='83.507%25'%20x2='83.453%25'%20y1='-6.106%25'%20y2='21.131%25'%3e%3cstop%20offset='5.8%25'%20stop-color='%23F8ADFA'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='70.8%25'%20stop-color='%23A86EDD'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
- 2SparkToronamed in 4 of 5 answers
- 3Backlinkonamed in 4 of 5 answers
- 4Ubersuggestnamed in 4 of 5 answers
- 5Neil Patel Digitalnamed in 3 of 5 answers
- 6NP Digitalnamed in 2 of 5 answers
- 7Crazy Eggnamed in 2 of 5 answers
- 8Amsive Digitalnamed in 2 of 5 answers
- 9Aleyda Solisnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 10Neil Patelnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 11Rand Fishkinnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 12Brian Deannamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 13Danny Sullivannamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 14Barry Schwartznamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 15Lily Raynamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 16Mike Kingnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 17Arnout Hellemansnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 18Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜRnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 19Eli Schwartznamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 20OneLittleWebnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 21Percepturenamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 22Oraintinamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 23Viwork Digitalnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 24iPullRanknamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
- 25Corkboard Conceptsnamed in 1 of 5 answersone answer
LOCKED
The full measurement
- The position each of the 5 engines gave all 31 names.
- How many of the 5 answers named each of them.
- 39 sampled observations behind this ranking, and where the engines disagree.
- Fan-out — the query each engine actually searched.
- Every citation, and the sources nobody cited.