Keeping up with SEO means you need to do more than just read the latest news, you also need to learn from the experts who influence the industry.
SEO speakers have real experience, good strategies, and can explain complex topics easily for different groups of people. From global meetings to specific online seminars, these experts don’t only talk about ideas, they share proven methods, data-supported plans, and creative ways to help brands succeed online.
Whether you’re new and want to learn the basics, or you’re experienced and want to improve, listening to the best SEO speakers can help you get better results faster. The list in this post highlights some of the most respected people in the field.
They are well-known for their knowledge, trustworthiness, and ability to present information in an interesting way. Look at their backgrounds, reviews, and areas of focus to find the best speaker for your event, podcast, webinar, or training.
Criteria for Ranking
We added various criterias into a system and gave each one a score, to make a ranked list. Here’s a simple explanation of what we look for:
# of Keynotes in SEO (25%): A rough count of how many important speeches each speaker has made during their career. Many speeches are linked to how good the speaker is, but some speakers take fewer speeches because they have other job responsibilities.
# Years of Experience in SEO (25%): The length of time each speaker has been in the SEO field. SEO has changed a lot in the last 20 years. The speakers with more experience can use their knowledge of the past to explain how Google’s algorithm works today.
Awards & Distinctions (20%): Honors the speaker has received for their work in SEO, either through speaking or writing. Awards are often linked to good speaking skills and having a unique view on SEO.
Followers on Social Media (15%): This is an estimate of how many followers each speaker has on popular social media sites. Having many followers on social media shows that people care about what the speaker talks about and can help to bring more people to events.
SEO Books Written (15%): The number of books about SEO that each speaker has written. Writing a book means combining a lot of information into one published piece, showing that you are dedicated to sharing knowledge with the SEO community.
Also Read: 12 SEO Metrics to Measure Success (+ Recommended Tools)
Top 10 SEO Speakers Right Now
Navneet Kaushal
Navneet Kaushal started PageTraffic, a successful SEO company in India, and he is the CEO. He has worked in the industry for over 20 years. He has helped clients in more than 30 countries and has spoken at big events like SES, AdTech, and Web Summit.
Navneet is known for his smart planning and honest methods. He focuses on technical SEO, building links, and solutions for large businesses. He helps agencies and new businesses, so his advice is useful for many marketers.
Blog: navneetkaushal.com/blog
Get in touch: navneetkaushal.com/work-with-me/
Online reviews summary: People often compliment Navneet for being professional, knowledgeable, and providing practical advice. Clients and audiences appreciate his global view and dependable SEO strategies that are effective and easy to use.
Lily Ray
She is the Senior Director of SEO at Amsive Digital and is known for her expertise in E-E-A-T, Google updates, and using AI in search engines. She has more than 15 years of experience in SEO and often speaks at events like MozCon, SMX, and other international conferences.
Lily is recognized for her thorough research on changes in algorithms and effective content strategies that follow Google’s quality rules. She regularly shares analysis that others in the SEO field refer to, and she has become a key expert on how SEO relates to trust and authority.
Blog: lilyray.nyc/blog/
Get in touch: lilyray.nyc/contact
Online reviews summary: People say Lily is good at analyzing things, reliable, and always knows what’s new. She is known for explaining tricky SEO changes in simple ways, especially when it comes to Google updates and the quality of content.
Wil Reynolds
Wil Reynolds started Seer Interactive, a digital marketing company that combines SEO with big data and insights about audiences. Wil has more than 20 years of experience and has given talks at major industry events such as MozCon and INBOUND.
His talks focus on understanding people’s feelings, what users really want, and planning for the future instead of just quick successes. Wil encourages marketers to be ethical and responsible while still getting good business results. He often uses real examples from his own experiences and nonprofit work to support his points.
Blog: seerinteractive.com/insights
Get in touch: seerinteractive.com/contact
Online reviews summary: People say Wil is great because he combines his passion with a strong understanding of marketing. People who go to his talks say they are inspiring and real. They appreciate how genuine he is and how he connects SEO to bigger business and human values.
Kevin Indig
Kevin Indig helps businesses grow online by improving their visibility in search engines. He has worked at companies like Shopify, Atlassian, and G2. He writes a popular newsletter called the Growth Memo, which explains trends in search, AI, and SEO strategy.
Kevin’s conference talks are full of useful information, tools, and practical methods that connect SEO and product development. He thinks in both technical and strategic ways, making him appealing to growth marketers, SaaS leaders, and teams that work with engineering and want to increase their visibility.
Blog: growth-memo.com
Get in touch: kevin-indig.com
Online reviews summary: People like Kevin for his clear thinking, organized way of presenting ideas, and his innovative thoughts. Reviewers often describe his talks as “mind-expanding” because he makes complicated SEO and product topics easy to understand.
Cyrus Shepard
Cyrus Shepard is a popular SEO expert and the founder of Zyppy, a company that provides practical SEO solutions. Cyrus used to be the Head of SEO at Moz and has more than ten years of experience helping marketers learn about internal linking, technical optimization, and search testing.
He speaks clearly, lively, and in a way that is practical. He is known for sharing experiments that explain what really affects rankings. This makes his presentations very useful for people who work directly in SEO.
Blog: zyppy.com/seo
Get in touch: zyppy.com/contact
Online reviews summary: People often describe Cyrus as a good communicator and practical thinker. His audience likes his clear, straightforward advice on SEO strategies and tactics based on facts.
Rand Fishkin
Rand Fishkin helped start Moz and SparkToro and is a well-known expert in online marketing. Rand is known for his friendly and clear way of presenting. He mixes his knowledge of SEO with other subjects like understanding audiences, helping startups grow, and being ethical in marketing.
His book, Lost and Founder, shares what he learned while creating Moz. He often gives important speeches that question the usual ways of doing things, encouraging marketers to focus more on understanding their audience and being real with their brand instead of just trying quick tricks for growth.
Blog: sparktoro.com/blog
Get in touch: sparktoro.com/team/rand
Online reviews summary: People say Rand is motivating, genuine, and very knowledgeable. People like his storytelling, jokes, and how he makes difficult marketing ideas easy to understand and relatable.
Craig Campbell
Craig Campbell is an SEO expert from Glasgow with more than 20 years of experience and has spoken at events around the world. Craig is known for his straightforward and funny style. He shares practical SEO tips without any fancy talk.
He has a popular YouTube channel and has taught thousands of marketers through classes and events. Craig won the 2025 ODYS award for “Best SEO Speaker”. He is known for being open and honest, giving useful SEO tips, and discussing topics that others might avoid in the industry.
Blog: craigcampbellseo.com/category/news
Get in touch: craigcampbellseo.com/contact-me
Online reviews summary: People really like Craig’s honest and straightforward style. He is called fun, practical, and really honest, which makes his sessions unique and useful right away.
Neil Patel
Neil Patel helped start NP Digital and came up with Ubersuggest. He has been acknowledged by Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Wall Street Journal for his influence on online marketing. Neil shares his SEO tips with millions of people through his blog, podcast, and YouTube channel.
He often talks at worldwide events and collaborates with businesses of all sizes, from new startups to large, well-known companies. His easy-to-understand content and detailed examples make him a reliable source for marketers looking for strategies that can grow and bring a good return on investment.
Blog: neilpatel.com/blog
Get in touch: neilpatel.com/contact
Online reviews summary: People say Neil is very generous with sharing his knowledge. They describe his content as detailed and easy to understand. Some mention that his marketing can be pushy, but most agree that his tools and tutorials are important in the industry.
Ann Handley
Ann Handley is a leader in digital marketing and the Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs. She wrote the books Everybody Writes and Content Rules, which many people think are important to read in content marketing. Ann’s speeches mix funny stories, caring feelings, and a lot of knowledge about writing.
She shows marketers how to find their true voice, tell better stories, and write with a clear goal. Her talks are known for being fun and very helpful for anyone creating content online.
Blog: annhandley.com/blog
Get in touch: annhandley.com/contact
Online reviews summary: People often describe Ann as charming, thoughtful, and funny. She focuses on telling stories and connecting emotionally in marketing, which makes her a great speaker in SEO and content groups.
Kyle Roof
Kyle Roof helped start PageOptimizer Pro and Internet Marketing Gold (IMG) and is known for using a scientific and test-based way to improve website ranking in search engines. He became famous after getting a silly page to rank high using smart on-page SEO techniques.
This showed how Google’s algorithm could be figured out. Kyle often talks at international SEO meetings, conducts experiments, and teaches honest SEO methods that challenge common beliefs. His approach appeals to marketers and SEO experts who want clear evidence of success.
Blog: pageoptimizer.pro/blog
Get in touch: https://kyleroof.com/#tva-res-179da33dd60
Online reviews summary: Kyle is often called careful, creative, and based on facts. People appreciate how his methods are backed by science, and how he questions traditional SEO ideas using data.
How to Become an SEO Speaker?
Learn SEO with Hands-on Practice
To be seen as a good SEO speaker, you need to be really good at SEO first. That means working on actual websites, fixing real issues, and getting clear results. Begin with your own projects or freelance jobs to gain practical experience.
Then move on to work with clients, do SEO jobs in a company, or work at an agency. Keep a record of your successes: more visitors, increased earnings, or bouncing back from penalties.
Understand what on-page SEO, technical audits, link building, and content strategy mean. Look at Google patents, try out new updates, and understand changes in the algorithms.
Just knowing the theory isn’t enough, practicing helps you understand the details better. No matter if you’re improving a Shopify store or working on international SEO, it’s important to go deep into the topic. When your ideas come from real experiences, your conversations will feel more important.
Create a Personal Brand
To be a popular SEO speaker, you need people to recognize you and understand your ideas. It begins by creating a personal brand. Choose a specific area in SEO, like technical SEO, local SEO, AI, or content strategy, and regularly make content about it.
Share on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), or your personal blog. Create videos, write stories about experiences, and share personal experiments. Don’t wait for others to find you, share yourself with the world.
Join discussions in SEO forums, Slack groups, and events, even if you just attend. People should connect your name with helpful and reliable ideas. The more you show up and help others, the more trust you’ll gain in the SEO community.
As time goes on, more people will notice you, and event organizers will want to invite you. A strong personal brand often makes the difference between unknown experts and popular speakers. It’s not just about pride, it’s about showing your worth and being heard.
Start Small: Local Gatherings, Online Events, and Guest Speakers
Every great speaker begins at some point, and it’s usually not in front of a large audience. Start by talking at local SEO or marketing gatherings, online seminars, or even events within your own company.
Contact coworking spaces, digital marketing groups, or business clubs that hold educational talks. Provide free sessions that help people with common issues, such as improving Google Maps listings, managing SEO changes, or fixing website errors.
Write down everything you do and ask for opinions. This provides you with material for your speaker portfolio. You might also want to work with podcast hosts or YouTube channels that focus on SEO to get more visibility.
These smaller conversations make you feel more at ease and help improve how you present. As you gain more experience and create a list of your speaking events, you’ll look more trustworthy when you apply to bigger conferences. This journey might take a while, but it helps you develop real skills and self-assurance.
Create Engaging Talk Topics and Pitches
To be chosen as a speaker, you need interesting and important topics, and you must be good at presenting them. Look at what the best SEO speakers are discussing and see where you can offer something new.
Create talk titles that address a specific issue, like “How to Handle Google Core Updates?” or “Content Pruning: A Key to Quick Growth”. Be sure to explain who the talk is for, what people will learn, and why you are a good person to give this talk.
Make the pitch short, clear, and highlight the advantages. Make sure to adjust each entry to fit the event’s topic, audience, and knowledge level. The organizers want the discussions to be new, useful, and organized well.
Don’t use basic titles like “SEO Tips for 2025”, instead, choose specific and practical titles that match current trends. Strong ideas supported by real experience and a different way of thinking are the quickest way to get important opportunities.
Use Social Proof and Testimonials
After you’ve given a few talks, it’s important to gather and display proof that others found them valuable. Talk to event organizers, attendees, or hosts to get reviews that you can show on your website, LinkedIn, or brochure.
Record your conversations and cut them into short videos that show how clearly you speak. Post these online so event planners can see what you’re doing. Make a page on your website that lists the topics you talk about, events you’ve done in the past, and quotes from people who have heard you speak.
Submit your information to websites that list speakers. The more public support you get, like videos, compliments, and people interacting with you, the easier it is to get hired. It’s useful to share related content, like a blog post about your talk, preparation details, or answers to audience questions.
This helps maintain progress in discussions. Event organizers want speakers who are valuable and can connect with the audience, and your social proof shows that you can do this.
Wrapping Up
The world of SEO is always changing, what works today might not work tomorrow. That’s why it’s more important than ever to learn from the best experts in the field. The speakers here are not just experts; they are also teachers, creative thinkers, and leaders who help improve SEO.
They do a variety of jobs, including improving technology, using AI methods, marketing content, and local SEO, among other things. Most importantly, they know how to share difficult information in clear and motivating ways.
Whether you are planning a conference, conducting training inside your company, or just want to improve your SEO skills, these speakers provide great benefits. By interacting with their content or inviting them to your event, you’re not just paying for a talk, you’re helping to strengthen your online plans for the future.
FAQs
How do I pick the best SEO speaker for my event?
First, figure out who your audience is and what they already know. Are they business owners, marketers, or developers? Find out what each speaker knows and see how it can help you, some specialize in technical SEO, while others focus on content, local, or ecommerce SEO. Look at previous speeches, feedback, and how the speaker talks. If you can, try to watch videos or online talks. A good match will have important knowledge about the subject, good communication skills, and experience with similar groups of people.
Can SEO speakers help people who don’t know about SEO?
Yes, many top SEO speakers are great at explaining complicated terms in simple ways for people who aren’t experts. They can adjust their talks for business leaders, entrepreneurs, or regular marketers who may not know much about technical stuff. The best speakers know how to focus on results, such as visibility, traffic, and returns on investment, while making the strategies easier to understand. If you are organizing an event for a large group, pick a speaker who explains things clearly and gives useful tips.
What subjects do SEO speakers usually talk about?
SEO speakers usually talk about many topics, like changes to search engine rules, finding the right keywords, improving website technology, planning content, getting links from other sites, local SEO, and how AI affects all of this. Some focus on specific areas like improving online shopping websites, B2B sites, or websites in different languages. Some people look at the overall plan, like how users feel when using a product, the importance of expertise and trust, or how SEO helps a business grow.
How early should I book an SEO speaker?
It’s a good idea to contact speakers 2 to 3 months ahead of time, especially for well-known people who have packed schedules. Booking early gives you the chance to organize topics, sort out details, and promote the event with the speaker’s help. For big conferences or company events, it’s best to plan 4 to 6 months in advance. When you first talk about your event, please include the date, type of event, audience type, and budget.
Can SEO speakers help promote the event as well?
Yes, many speakers are willing to promote events on their social media, blogs, or newsletters, especially if the event is relevant to their followers. It’s not certain and shouldn’t be taken for granted, but some people might promote your event as part of their advertising. When you contact them, ask if they can promote together and give them materials they can easily share. This can greatly increase how many people know about your event and make it more trustworthy.
