Cyrus Maxx
@zyppy.com
⭕ Founder Zyppy SEO
🧬 SEO/AI, Marketer, Strategist
⚛️ Helping websites w/ Google/AI search
🧰 Follow for posts about Ranking Signals + 10x Content
Learn more at: signal.zyppy.com
🧬 SEO/AI, Marketer, Strategist
⚛️ Helping websites w/ Google/AI search
🧰 Follow for posts about Ranking Signals + 10x Content
Learn more at: signal.zyppy.com
New: How do you “rank” in Google AI? What factors determine if Google’s AI answers recommend your brand or website?
To find out, we asked 130+ search experts, many at the very top of their field, what moves the needle.
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ai-...
Big thanks to all our contributors 🙏
To find out, we asked 130+ search experts, many at the very top of their field, what moves the needle.
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ai-...
Big thanks to all our contributors 🙏
September 16, 2026 at 6:04 PM
New: How do you “rank” in Google AI? What factors determine if Google’s AI answers recommend your brand or website?
To find out, we asked 130+ search experts, many at the very top of their field, what moves the needle.
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ai-...
Big thanks to all our contributors 🙏
To find out, we asked 130+ search experts, many at the very top of their field, what moves the needle.
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ai-...
Big thanks to all our contributors 🙏
10/10 SEO tip via the Google Ranking Factors Survey
"Using AI to help you publish ten times the amount of the same quality content in half the time is not as good as using AI to help you publish the same amount of content,but ten times the quality" Everett Sizemore
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
"Using AI to help you publish ten times the amount of the same quality content in half the time is not as good as using AI to help you publish the same amount of content,but ten times the quality" Everett Sizemore
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
2026 Google Ranking Factors Expert Survey
We asked 131 SEOs, including some of the most respected in the industry, what factors are most important for ranking on Google in 2026.
signal.zyppy.com
September 14, 2026 at 7:03 PM
10/10 SEO tip via the Google Ranking Factors Survey
"Using AI to help you publish ten times the amount of the same quality content in half the time is not as good as using AI to help you publish the same amount of content,but ten times the quality" Everett Sizemore
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
"Using AI to help you publish ten times the amount of the same quality content in half the time is not as good as using AI to help you publish the same amount of content,but ten times the quality" Everett Sizemore
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
New: The 2026 Google Ranking Factors Expert Survey
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
We surveyed 131 top SEOs to score which factors most affect Google's organic search rankings. Together, the experts contributed over 13,000 data points and 100s of comments.
Big thanks to the contributors!
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
We surveyed 131 top SEOs to score which factors most affect Google's organic search rankings. Together, the experts contributed over 13,000 data points and 100s of comments.
Big thanks to the contributors!
2026 Google Ranking Factors Expert Survey
We asked 131 SEOs, including some of the most respected in the industry, what factors are most important for ranking on Google in 2026.
signal.zyppy.com
September 9, 2026 at 5:44 PM
New: The 2026 Google Ranking Factors Expert Survey
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
We surveyed 131 top SEOs to score which factors most affect Google's organic search rankings. Together, the experts contributed over 13,000 data points and 100s of comments.
Big thanks to the contributors!
signal.zyppy.com/p/google-ran...
We surveyed 131 top SEOs to score which factors most affect Google's organic search rankings. Together, the experts contributed over 13,000 data points and 100s of comments.
Big thanks to the contributors!
New - Content Effort: The Google Ranking Signal Nobody Talks About
Google has talked about, measured, and scored qualities like EFFORT for nearly 20 years, and we’ve barely noticed
Effort isn’t what you think it is. Effort ≠ work. It's something way more important
signal.zyppy.com/p/content-ef...
Google has talked about, measured, and scored qualities like EFFORT for nearly 20 years, and we’ve barely noticed
Effort isn’t what you think it is. Effort ≠ work. It's something way more important
signal.zyppy.com/p/content-ef...
August 13, 2026 at 5:33 PM
New - Content Effort: The Google Ranking Signal Nobody Talks About
Google has talked about, measured, and scored qualities like EFFORT for nearly 20 years, and we’ve barely noticed
Effort isn’t what you think it is. Effort ≠ work. It's something way more important
signal.zyppy.com/p/content-ef...
Google has talked about, measured, and scored qualities like EFFORT for nearly 20 years, and we’ve barely noticed
Effort isn’t what you think it is. Effort ≠ work. It's something way more important
signal.zyppy.com/p/content-ef...
Reposted by Cyrus Maxx
Goddamn, I envy the simplicity and clarity that @zyppy.com has when writing articles.
This is a great piece on SEO&AEO, that the overlap is quite significant, including what lever we all have on each case.
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Thank you Cyrus!
This is a great piece on SEO&AEO, that the overlap is quite significant, including what lever we all have on each case.
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Thank you Cyrus!
These SEO Strategies Drive 90% of Your AI Visibility
Google says, “good SEO is good GEO”.
signal.zyppy.com
August 10, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Goddamn, I envy the simplicity and clarity that @zyppy.com has when writing articles.
This is a great piece on SEO&AEO, that the overlap is quite significant, including what lever we all have on each case.
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Thank you Cyrus!
This is a great piece on SEO&AEO, that the overlap is quite significant, including what lever we all have on each case.
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Thank you Cyrus!
Haters will say it's fake, but here's how we started reporting rising Google traffic with this one simple trick 📈
August 5, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Haters will say it's fake, but here's how we started reporting rising Google traffic with this one simple trick 📈
New: These SEO Strategies Drive 90% of Your AI Visibility
Asking if GEO/SEO are the same isn't the right question. If you tweak traditional SEO, you can use the same strategies+tactics for
• AI Inclusion
• AI Citations
• AI Recommendations
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Asking if GEO/SEO are the same isn't the right question. If you tweak traditional SEO, you can use the same strategies+tactics for
• AI Inclusion
• AI Citations
• AI Recommendations
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
These SEO Strategies Drive 90% of Your AI Visibility
Google says, “good SEO is good GEO”.
signal.zyppy.com
August 4, 2026 at 7:11 PM
New: These SEO Strategies Drive 90% of Your AI Visibility
Asking if GEO/SEO are the same isn't the right question. If you tweak traditional SEO, you can use the same strategies+tactics for
• AI Inclusion
• AI Citations
• AI Recommendations
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
Asking if GEO/SEO are the same isn't the right question. If you tweak traditional SEO, you can use the same strategies+tactics for
• AI Inclusion
• AI Citations
• AI Recommendations
signal.zyppy.com/p/seo-strate...
I heard we are supposed to publish self-promotional listicles of questionable accuracy. So here are the world's top bald SEO experts:
1. Cyrus Shepard
2. Mark Williams-Cook
3. John Mueller
4. Nathan Gotch
5. Rand Fishkin
6. Danny Sullivan
7. Matt Cutts
1. Cyrus Shepard
2. Mark Williams-Cook
3. John Mueller
4. Nathan Gotch
5. Rand Fishkin
6. Danny Sullivan
7. Matt Cutts
July 6, 2026 at 7:45 PM
I heard we are supposed to publish self-promotional listicles of questionable accuracy. So here are the world's top bald SEO experts:
1. Cyrus Shepard
2. Mark Williams-Cook
3. John Mueller
4. Nathan Gotch
5. Rand Fishkin
6. Danny Sullivan
7. Matt Cutts
1. Cyrus Shepard
2. Mark Williams-Cook
3. John Mueller
4. Nathan Gotch
5. Rand Fishkin
6. Danny Sullivan
7. Matt Cutts
What happened to 100 "Content" blogs before Google's HCU and AI Overviews?
85% lost traffic, 11 collapsed, but a handful actually GREW (here's where the lesson is)
Great analysis: "The Great Blogging Collapse"
danielstanica.com/posts/Great-...
85% lost traffic, 11 collapsed, but a handful actually GREW (here's where the lesson is)
Great analysis: "The Great Blogging Collapse"
danielstanica.com/posts/Great-...
June 29, 2026 at 10:10 PM
What happened to 100 "Content" blogs before Google's HCU and AI Overviews?
85% lost traffic, 11 collapsed, but a handful actually GREW (here's where the lesson is)
Great analysis: "The Great Blogging Collapse"
danielstanica.com/posts/Great-...
85% lost traffic, 11 collapsed, but a handful actually GREW (here's where the lesson is)
Great analysis: "The Great Blogging Collapse"
danielstanica.com/posts/Great-...
Wish you had screenshots like these with your winning Google traffic? Need to show the boss evidence of your SEO brilliance?
Now you can!
I built a Google Traffic Simulator that generates traffic charts for any value you choose. Now, anyone can be an SEO genius
zyppy.com/traffic-simu...
Now you can!
I built a Google Traffic Simulator that generates traffic charts for any value you choose. Now, anyone can be an SEO genius
zyppy.com/traffic-simu...
June 27, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Wish you had screenshots like these with your winning Google traffic? Need to show the boss evidence of your SEO brilliance?
Now you can!
I built a Google Traffic Simulator that generates traffic charts for any value you choose. Now, anyone can be an SEO genius
zyppy.com/traffic-simu...
Now you can!
I built a Google Traffic Simulator that generates traffic charts for any value you choose. Now, anyone can be an SEO genius
zyppy.com/traffic-simu...
New: You already know about AI fan-out queries
You ALSO likely know that ranking for fan-out queries can increase your chances of getting cited in AI answers
But how do you optimize for this?
I couldn't find a great guide, so I wrote one.
signal.zyppy.com/p/fan-out-fr...
Hope you find it useful
You ALSO likely know that ranking for fan-out queries can increase your chances of getting cited in AI answers
But how do you optimize for this?
I couldn't find a great guide, so I wrote one.
signal.zyppy.com/p/fan-out-fr...
Hope you find it useful
June 25, 2026 at 6:49 PM
New: You already know about AI fan-out queries
You ALSO likely know that ranking for fan-out queries can increase your chances of getting cited in AI answers
But how do you optimize for this?
I couldn't find a great guide, so I wrote one.
signal.zyppy.com/p/fan-out-fr...
Hope you find it useful
You ALSO likely know that ranking for fan-out queries can increase your chances of getting cited in AI answers
But how do you optimize for this?
I couldn't find a great guide, so I wrote one.
signal.zyppy.com/p/fan-out-fr...
Hope you find it useful
Got a site with a big shift in Google traffic?
Give me a URL, and I'll run it through the SEO Competitive Analysis tool I built w/ Agent A (partnered with Ahrefs). I'll post the report here:
• finds your organic competitors
• tracks who gained/lost traffic
• analyzes URL-level content-type shifts
Give me a URL, and I'll run it through the SEO Competitive Analysis tool I built w/ Agent A (partnered with Ahrefs). I'll post the report here:
• finds your organic competitors
• tracks who gained/lost traffic
• analyzes URL-level content-type shifts
June 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Got a site with a big shift in Google traffic?
Give me a URL, and I'll run it through the SEO Competitive Analysis tool I built w/ Agent A (partnered with Ahrefs). I'll post the report here:
• finds your organic competitors
• tracks who gained/lost traffic
• analyzes URL-level content-type shifts
Give me a URL, and I'll run it through the SEO Competitive Analysis tool I built w/ Agent A (partnered with Ahrefs). I'll post the report here:
• finds your organic competitors
• tracks who gained/lost traffic
• analyzes URL-level content-type shifts
Strange to think that Backlinko is owned by Semrush, which is owned by Adobe, which is owned by investor funds like BlackRock and Vanguard
If you have any money in index funds or retirement accounts, you probably own a little piece of Backlinko yourself
It's Backlinko all the way down
If you have any money in index funds or retirement accounts, you probably own a little piece of Backlinko yourself
It's Backlinko all the way down
June 18, 2026 at 4:59 AM
Strange to think that Backlinko is owned by Semrush, which is owned by Adobe, which is owned by investor funds like BlackRock and Vanguard
If you have any money in index funds or retirement accounts, you probably own a little piece of Backlinko yourself
It's Backlinko all the way down
If you have any money in index funds or retirement accounts, you probably own a little piece of Backlinko yourself
It's Backlinko all the way down
Traditional SEO rankings multiply AI citations
Great conversation w/ @chrisraulf.bsky.social on earning AI Citations
• Why Foundational SEO Still Wins
• The Fan Out Multiplier
• How AI Reads Your Page
• How AI Reads Your Page
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNH...
Great conversation w/ @chrisraulf.bsky.social on earning AI Citations
• Why Foundational SEO Still Wins
• The Fan Out Multiplier
• How AI Reads Your Page
• How AI Reads Your Page
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNH...
June 11, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Traditional SEO rankings multiply AI citations
Great conversation w/ @chrisraulf.bsky.social on earning AI Citations
• Why Foundational SEO Still Wins
• The Fan Out Multiplier
• How AI Reads Your Page
• How AI Reads Your Page
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNH...
Great conversation w/ @chrisraulf.bsky.social on earning AI Citations
• Why Foundational SEO Still Wins
• The Fan Out Multiplier
• How AI Reads Your Page
• How AI Reads Your Page
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNH...
My latest podcast episode is now live
June 11, 2026 at 5:36 PM
My latest podcast episode is now live
The State of SEO in 2026
Great conversation with the folks at @Adsy_Com - covered nearly every major SEO topic of the year:
- Why Google doesn't know who should rank number one until you tell them
- How optimizing for CTR can actually hurt you
- More, more, more
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSvv...
Great conversation with the folks at @Adsy_Com - covered nearly every major SEO topic of the year:
- Why Google doesn't know who should rank number one until you tell them
- How optimizing for CTR can actually hurt you
- More, more, more
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSvv...
Traffic Recovery Is Often a Business Problem ft Cyrus Shepard (Adsy Talks ep. 10)
YouTube video by Adsy - Content Marketing Platform
www.youtube.com
June 10, 2026 at 5:56 PM
The State of SEO in 2026
Great conversation with the folks at @Adsy_Com - covered nearly every major SEO topic of the year:
- Why Google doesn't know who should rank number one until you tell them
- How optimizing for CTR can actually hurt you
- More, more, more
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSvv...
Great conversation with the folks at @Adsy_Com - covered nearly every major SEO topic of the year:
- Why Google doesn't know who should rank number one until you tell them
- How optimizing for CTR can actually hurt you
- More, more, more
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSvv...
Reposted by Cyrus Maxx
This video is my weird fantasy about eating, and I think it could become yours. Please enjoy French Bread House. (sound on)
June 4, 2026 at 7:25 PM
This video is my weird fantasy about eating, and I think it could become yours. Please enjoy French Bread House. (sound on)
If Google doesn't want your content anymore, what do you do? Had a blast talking with Aneta Samkoff for the Odsy podcast
-Affiliate sites win by showing real evidence
-93% of winners had proprietary assets
-Ranking No. 1 still beats AI citations
And more, More, MORE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6D...
-Affiliate sites win by showing real evidence
-93% of winners had proprietary assets
-Ranking No. 1 still beats AI citations
And more, More, MORE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6D...
Google Doesn't Need Your Content Anymore. 400-Site Study Shows What It Wants Instead | Cyrus Shepard
YouTube video by Odys Podcast: The High Stakes Growth Show
www.youtube.com
June 4, 2026 at 4:28 AM
If Google doesn't want your content anymore, what do you do? Had a blast talking with Aneta Samkoff for the Odsy podcast
-Affiliate sites win by showing real evidence
-93% of winners had proprietary assets
-Ranking No. 1 still beats AI citations
And more, More, MORE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6D...
-Affiliate sites win by showing real evidence
-93% of winners had proprietary assets
-Ranking No. 1 still beats AI citations
And more, More, MORE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6D...
New: Ask Me Anything on r/SEO_for_AI — run by @seosmarty.bsky.social
- AI Citation Ranking Factors"
- Type of content Google rewards in the age of AI
- Ranking signals rewarded by Google's Helpful Content systems
- Click+engagement signals in ranking content
www.reddit.com/r/SEO_for_AI...
- AI Citation Ranking Factors"
- Type of content Google rewards in the age of AI
- Ranking signals rewarded by Google's Helpful Content systems
- Click+engagement signals in ranking content
www.reddit.com/r/SEO_for_AI...
May 27, 2026 at 6:12 PM
New: Ask Me Anything on r/SEO_for_AI — run by @seosmarty.bsky.social
- AI Citation Ranking Factors"
- Type of content Google rewards in the age of AI
- Ranking signals rewarded by Google's Helpful Content systems
- Click+engagement signals in ranking content
www.reddit.com/r/SEO_for_AI...
- AI Citation Ranking Factors"
- Type of content Google rewards in the age of AI
- Ranking signals rewarded by Google's Helpful Content systems
- Click+engagement signals in ranking content
www.reddit.com/r/SEO_for_AI...
Honored to be named Best Speaker of SEO Vibes Summit '26 (though several others were likely more deserving)
So remember, the next time you read a post from me, you won't be reading a post from just anybody...
You'll be reading a post from award-winning Best Speaker Cyrus Shepard 😏
Think on that
So remember, the next time you read a post from me, you won't be reading a post from just anybody...
You'll be reading a post from award-winning Best Speaker Cyrus Shepard 😏
Think on that
May 24, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Honored to be named Best Speaker of SEO Vibes Summit '26 (though several others were likely more deserving)
So remember, the next time you read a post from me, you won't be reading a post from just anybody...
You'll be reading a post from award-winning Best Speaker Cyrus Shepard 😏
Think on that
So remember, the next time you read a post from me, you won't be reading a post from just anybody...
You'll be reading a post from award-winning Best Speaker Cyrus Shepard 😏
Think on that
Do Google AI Citation links actually matter?
- Best place to rank = #1 Organically
- AI Overviews drop CTRs by 50-60%
- AI citations themselves send very little traffic
But AI Overview citation links have a surprising benefit
sorry for the cheesy thumbnail: youtu.be/ynT4ue7bEu4?...
- Best place to rank = #1 Organically
- AI Overviews drop CTRs by 50-60%
- AI citations themselves send very little traffic
But AI Overview citation links have a surprising benefit
sorry for the cheesy thumbnail: youtu.be/ynT4ue7bEu4?...
Do AI Citations Actually Matter?
YouTube video by Zyppy Signal
youtu.be
May 12, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Do Google AI Citation links actually matter?
- Best place to rank = #1 Organically
- AI Overviews drop CTRs by 50-60%
- AI citations themselves send very little traffic
But AI Overview citation links have a surprising benefit
sorry for the cheesy thumbnail: youtu.be/ynT4ue7bEu4?...
- Best place to rank = #1 Organically
- AI Overviews drop CTRs by 50-60%
- AI citations themselves send very little traffic
But AI Overview citation links have a surprising benefit
sorry for the cheesy thumbnail: youtu.be/ynT4ue7bEu4?...
1st Rule of Ranking Factor Club:
Someone will get mad at you for calling them "Ranking Factors"
Someone will get mad at you for calling them "Ranking Factors"
May 8, 2026 at 8:06 PM
1st Rule of Ranking Factor Club:
Someone will get mad at you for calling them "Ranking Factors"
Someone will get mad at you for calling them "Ranking Factors"
New: AI Citation Ranking Factors
Everyone talks about AI Citations as a way to boost visibility + traffic, but what works?
To find out I gathered every study/experiment from the past 2 years and scored the biggest wins
The result? 22 AI Citation Ranking Factors
signal.zyppy.com/p/ai-citatio...
Everyone talks about AI Citations as a way to boost visibility + traffic, but what works?
To find out I gathered every study/experiment from the past 2 years and scored the biggest wins
The result? 22 AI Citation Ranking Factors
signal.zyppy.com/p/ai-citatio...
AI Citation Ranking Factors Analysis
Evidence-Based Analysis of 54 Experiments, Patents, and Case Studies. Plus a step-by-step checklist.
signal.zyppy.com
May 7, 2026 at 7:53 PM
New: AI Citation Ranking Factors
Everyone talks about AI Citations as a way to boost visibility + traffic, but what works?
To find out I gathered every study/experiment from the past 2 years and scored the biggest wins
The result? 22 AI Citation Ranking Factors
signal.zyppy.com/p/ai-citatio...
Everyone talks about AI Citations as a way to boost visibility + traffic, but what works?
To find out I gathered every study/experiment from the past 2 years and scored the biggest wins
The result? 22 AI Citation Ranking Factors
signal.zyppy.com/p/ai-citatio...
How Can Publishers Survive Google Zero?
YouTube video by Zyppy Signal
www.youtube.com
April 29, 2026 at 5:39 PM