Who are the top SEO experts?

Asked "Who are the top SEO experts?", ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Perplexity named 22 distinct people across 15 answers on September 8, 2026, and 17 of them in two or more answers, and all 5 engines agreed on Rand Fishkin, the only person every engine named.

Measured acrossChatGPTCopilotGeminiGoogle AI ModePerplexity

17 of 22 names confirmed · named in 2 or more of 15 answers · asked September 8, 2026 · 5 engines

The top SEO experts include Neil Patel, Rand Fishkin, Aleyda Solis, Barry Schwartz, and Brian Dean, among others, who are widely recognized for their expertise in SEO education, technical SEO, strategy, and industry contributions.

1Rand Fishkinnamed in 15 of 15 answers
2Aleyda Solisnamed in 15 of 15 answers
3Brian Deannamed in 14 of 15 answers
4Lily Raynamed in 13 of 15 answers
5Barry Schwartznamed in 13 of 15 answers
6Neil Patelnamed in 12 of 15 answers
7Mike Kingnamed in 12 of 15 answers
8Glenn Gabenamed in 7 of 15 answers
9Cyrus Shepardnamed in 6 of 15 answers
10Marie Haynesnamed in 5 of 15 answers
11Danny Sullivannamed in 4 of 15 answers
12Evan Bailynnamed in 3 of 15 answers
13Kevin Indignamed in 3 of 15 answers
14Stephan Spencernamed in 3 of 15 answers
15Eric Engenamed in 3 of 15 answers
16Eli Schwartznamed in 2 of 15 answers
17Matt Diggitynamed in 2 of 15 answers
18Wil Reynoldsnamed in 1 of 15 answersone answer
19Glen Allsoppnamed in 1 of 15 answersone answer
20Michael Kingnamed in 1 of 15 answersone answer
21Jason Barnardnamed in 1 of 15 answersone answer
22Brie Andersonnamed in 1 of 15 answersone answer

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The full measurement

The position each of the 5 engines gave all 22 names.
How many of the 15 answers named each of them.
151 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.

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