When most people think of Search Engine Optimization, they immediately associate it with Google.
Oh yes!
When people talk of getting to the top of the search engines, they want to get to the top of Google.
However, the term Search Engine Optimization was coined way before Google ever came onto the scene.
Many people associate the term with Danny Sullivan, who is also referred to as the father of SEO, but one cannot talk about him without talking about Bruce Clay.
Bruce Clay started the company Bruce Clay Inc. long before Google was born.
Bruce Clay’s experience with the search engine industry has grown in tandem with SEO.
Even Danny Sullivan admits that he heard the term Search Engine Optimization from Bruce Clay.
Read Also – Inside the Life of Danny Sullivan, Founder of Search Engine Watch and Search Engine Land
Just Who is Bruce Clay?
Bruce Clay is the pioneer of search engine optimization.
Although many are not aware, there were other search engines before the rise of Google and Yahoo.
Some argue that the term does not apply to the search engines before Google and Yahoo, since they were not really “Public” search engines.
Before starting Bruce Clay Inc, Bruce worked as an executive in several businesses that operated within the high-tech industry or niche.
He had an illustrious career with several respected Silicon Valley companies.
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Bruce Clay’s Executive Guide Overview to SEO
Bruce has a Bachelor’s Degree in Math and Computer Science from Western Illinois University.
He also holds an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Let us look at how Bruce Clay Grew with SEO, in order to understand his contribution to Search marketing, and why many still argue that he is the TRUE father of SEO.
Here is the fascinating journey.
In 1990, Alan Emtage from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, created the first search engine, “Archie” which was short for “Archives”.
In 1991, the first websites in the world were developed, mostly by researchers and college fellows.
Between 1994 and 1995, there was a proliferation of other search engines, after Yahoo was founded as a web portal. Most people will have a faint recollection of search engines such as Infoseek and Excite, which started sorting out results based on the keywords used in the search box.
It was in 1996, that Bruce Clay started testing just how changes made to a website affected its ranking on the search engines; at the time he was focusing on Infoseek.
After conducting his research, Bruce Clay launched BruceClay.com and also wrote the first search engine optimization diagnostic tool.
In 1997, Bruce Clay started using the term “Search Engine Optimization” as he approached prospective clients for his business.
It is within the same year, 1997, that Danny Sullivan started Search Engine Watch, a site that hosted research findings and other information regarding search marketing and search engine optimization.
Many think that Danny Sullivan is the father of SEO, but he also defers to Bruce Clay as the person who first used the term search engine optimization. The question has never been fully settled, and some choose to call them “co-fathers of SEO.”
6 Fundamental SEO Truths To Live By Bruce Clay
Professional Growth of Bruce Clay within the SEO industry
Let us go on and talk about the professional life of Bruce Clay, as the search marketing and SEO industries grew.
In 1998, Google was born. Google came into the industry with a big bang, thanks to its patented PageRank algorithm.
After about 3 months, PC Magazine had already called Google the search engine of choice for many, and one that provided “Extremely relevant results”.
In 1999, Bruce Clay gave the first course in SEO training.
Within the same year, he gave a talk during the first Search Engine Strategies conference.
Microsoft later launched MSN Search, which was rebranded to Windows Live, then Live Search, and finally Bing.
It was not long before BruceClay.com outgrew the home office where it began, and Bruce moved it into an office in the Simi Valley in California.
In the year 2000, BruceClay.com is the one hat published the first Search Engine Relationship Chart.
They are the ones who also came up with the SEO Code of Ethics.
In the year 2002, Bruce clay developed the technique called siloing. Which is a form of site architecture, which allowed for the development of themes, which were used in some of the first blogs.
In the year 2004, BruceClay.co is accredited with being the first company to publish an SEO newsletter, and also the first blog post.
This is another great first and the beginning of an industry that really thrives to this day.
In 2005, Danny Sullivan Left Search Engine Watch and formed Search Engine Land. Google also launched Google Maps and bought out YouTube.
In the year 2007, Bruce Clay Inc was included in the Inc 5,000 list of fastest-growing American companies.
It is also in the same year that the company went international, opening an office in South Africa, and later on in Australia, and the United Kingdom.
In 2008, Bruce Clay started the first Search Engine Marketing (SEM) podcast called “Synergy”.
Bruce clay was also elected to become a board member of the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO).
BruceClay.com goes ahead, within the same year, and started a new office in Tokyo, Japan.
Apart from being considered a firebrand within the SEO industry, Bruce also tried out his hand at publishing.
In 2009, Wiley published the first Bruce Clay Book, entitled “Search Engine Optimization, All-in-One for Dummies”.
At this time, Bruce Clay is being considered the primary go-to person in all matters regarding SEO.
He is invited to be the main taring provider for huge search marketing conferences such as SES and SMX.
It is at this time that Bruce opens up new offices in Europe and India.
His company is stretching across the globe, because it is one that truly understood SEO, and one whose ability to get clients to the number one position, was astounding.
In 2010, Bruce Clay releases SEOToolSet Version 5. Over 1,000 people attend an SEO training session with Bruce Clay.
In 2011, Bruce Clay Inc comes together with Pixelsilk and integrates the SEOToolSet features into their own Content Management System (CMS).
In 2012, a revised and improved 2nd edition of entitled “Search Engine Optimization, All-in-One for Dummies”, is published by Wiley.
It is the same year when BruceCla.com published its 100th SEO newsletter.
Bruce Clay completes his second term as a board member for SEMPO. Having served in this position from 2008 to 2012.
In 2013, he co-authored another book, called “Content Marketing Strategies for Professionals”.
Interesting Milestones in Bruce Clay’s Life
In 2013, Bruce Clay was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the History of SEO advisory board. The award was for “Excellence in Vision, Execution and Market Influence in the Practice of Search Marketing”.
In 2014, another award comes from the research firm, Clutch, which names Bruce Clay Inc, the top SEO company in the United States.
BruceClay.com launches a huge 20-page SEO tutorial that had embedded tools to work with.
In 2015, Bruce Clay Inc releases SEOToolSet Version 6.
The company also launches DisavowFiles, which was a crowdsourced resource for backlink information and intelligence.
It is also in 2015, that Bruce Clay publishes the third edition of his book, “Search Engine Optimization, All-in-One for Dummies”.
Bruce Clay Inc continues to expand globally and opens up its Middle East office in Dubai.
In 2015, Bruce Clay Inc makes it into the top 5000 list for the 9th straight year.
In 2016, Bruce clay launches SEOToolSet 6.1 and offer a lower subscription rate. Bruce Clay Inc also publishes the 150th edition of their SEO newsletter.
In 2018, the company continues to grow and opens up a new Australian office in North Sydney.
In the year 2019, Bruce Clay Inc releases the Bruce Clay SEO tool for WordPress. The company also redesigns its website.
In the year 2020, Bruce Clay Inc tested their Online SEO Training Course. It was now time to let everyone learn the deep secrets of SEO, that had propelled the company’s success for several years.
In the year 2021, Bruce Clay Inc celebrated its 25th anniversary as a leading and trusted SEO agency.
To celebrate the anniversary, the company launched SEOtraining.com, which is an interactive membership and training platform, designed to help people learn more about SEO.
Bruce Clay – Advice for Companies Seeking SEO Success
Bruce Clay has some secrets that he shares with companies that truly want to get to the top within the search engine rankings, and here are some of them:
- Define Realistic Goals
The business must create “realistic” goals. Bruce defines “realistic” as the tasks or goals which the company can achieve locally, through keywords, by niche, or by persona. The company must be realistic about how much time it will take and the resources required to achieve the goal.
The company must also be realistic about the time it will take before it can start earning returns on its investment.
All these must be balanced into a single realistic goal.
- Come up with a realistic budget
Most companies do not have a realistic budget when it comes to SEO. Bruce says that in the beginning, it just took one single week to rank at the top of the search engines, but with the birth of Google, things changed drastically.
Suddenly things like on-page and off-page SEO came in; links, penalties, etc. It was now a complex process to be successful in the search engine rankings.
To undertake a successful campaign to rank batter on the SERPs. Companies must have a realistic budget.
Each step takes time and resources which a company must create a separate budget for.
- Be careful in choosing an SEO agency
Bruce says that choosing an SEO agency should be de with diligence since the agency is the one trusted with improving the performance within the SERPs.
The first part is to educate yourself about the strengths and weaknesses of the SEO agencies that you approach. This is where you look at their performance, budgets, etc.
The second part is the qualification process, where you interview each of the agencies based on your needs.
Check on their availability; will they have someone dedicated to your company at all times? What are the financial outlay, and payment milestones? And many more questions.
Bruce Clay YouTube SEO series
Bruce Clay has launched a full series that seeks to answer most of the questions that people ask about SEO.
The playlist has a lot of advice on questions such as “how many words are the best for a blog post?”, all the way to “how many times should you update your website?”
The playlist is quite comprehensive, given that SEO is a very wide topic, and is, therefore, a resource that you should consider watching.
Here is a link to the playlist of over 15 videos that you can benefit from watching.
Notable Accomplishments in Bruce Clay’s Life
Member of SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization) board of directors.
NHK-TV tv hosts a one-hour award-winning program, “Google’s Deep Impact” and names Bruce Clay as the top search engine optimization expert.
Publishes a 750-page book, filled with incredible insights into SEO and digital marketing methodologies and tactics, named “Search Engine Optimization All-In-One For Dummies.”
Co-Authors a book entitled “Content Marketing Strategies for Professionals”, an in-depth guide to how to use content and SEO to get better rankings within the SERPs. It goes further to show how to attract the right audience, build brand loyalty, and convince customers to buy from your business.
He is a well-known speaker within the SEO industry conferences, such as SMX, AdTech, GrowCo by Inc Magazine, Pubcon, Affiliate Summit, DOMAINfest, and many others held internationally as well as within the United States of America.
The History of SEO advisory board gives him a Lifetime Achievement Award.
He has been honored within the SEO community as a “father figure for the industry”
In conclusion
Bruce Clay has earned the title of ‘father figure in SEO”. He was one of the first people to research the effects of search engines on the success of businesses and hence brought about search marketing.
Bruce has done a lot for the SEO industry, together with others such as Danny Sullivan.
After more than 25 years within the industry, it can be said that few know more about SEO than he does.
His new training courses would be the best place to go when you want to learn more about SEO and Search Marketing.
As one of the leading thought leaders in the industry, he has certainly earned a place as an accomplished speaker, educator, and author.
Bruce is invited to speak at leading industry training courses and conferences, for students all over the world, regarding methods and concepts of search marketing.
He has had his insights published in magazines such as Wall Street Journal, PC Week, USA Today, Smart Money, Wired Magazine, and many more.
