Shalin Siriwardhana

Search, growth, and digital strategy notes.

Personal notes on SEO, AI search, content strategy, and durable organic growth.

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

The Real Reason Part of Your AI Authority Takes Years, Not Campaigns & Why It Comes from Other People

There is a long habit in this industry of taking something nobody controls and giving it shorthand that sounds controllable. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

7 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

A Practical Way to Spot an Emerging Category in Search Data

Earlier this year, I did some market research for a prospective client, a small consultancy that helps business leaders with AI. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

Google Loses Engineer Who Helped Build Search and Modern AI

DeepMind co founder Demis Hassabis has been the public face of DeepMind and he'll continue to have a role at DeepMind but will. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

AI Referrals Are Recreating the Oldest Mistake in Conversion Optimization

Three separate sources, measuring different things, all landed on the same split, which is what makes the pattern worth taking. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

Does Topical Focus Make Your Brand More Visible?

To test the hypothesis, Semrush was kind enough to provide me with a broad sample of AI Visibility Toolkit data across about. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

The Future of Discoverability

Discoverability is the premise that people encounter your content wherever they spend time. There are three phases of discovery:. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

AI Visibility Measurement: What to Track & What to Ignore

These are a mix of leading and lagging indicators that you have varying degrees of control over. I'll make the case for why each. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

When AI Takes the Click, Click Worthiness Should Guide Your Strategy

Consider two different and specific questions about the same airline. Does United Airlines fly to Buenos Aires? Although the. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 6, 2026

The Real Reason Paid Search Could Be Your AI Search Advantage

Most businesses think of their Google Ads account as a place where budget goes in and leads come out. But it's also one of the. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

Notes / SEO / Aug 5, 2026

What Happens When AI Overviews Contradict Paid Search Ads?

I started with a classic transactional query: "What is the best plumber for a broken pipe?" Directly below it sat an AI Overview. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read