Shalin Siriwardhana

Search, growth, and digital strategy notes.

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

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Notes / SEO / Sep 26, 2026

The Text Only Version of Your Website Strips Out the Wrong Layer

Heavy JavaScript is absolutely unnecessary for a website that is not some kind of web app, and the visual layer is not essential. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

7 min read

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Notes / SEO / Sep 25, 2026

Your AI Content Watermark Isn’t What Google Is Looking For

A practical view on Your AI Content Watermark Isn’t What Google Is Looking For, focused on the signal to inspect, the risk to avoid, and the decision it should change.

6 min read

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Notes / SEO / Sep 25, 2026

A Working Framework for Ways Claude Can Derail Your SEO If You Don’t Check Its Work

A practical view on A Working Framework for Ways Claude Can Derail Your SEO If You Don’t Check Its Work, focused on the signal to inspect, the risk to avoid, and the decision it should change.

6 min read

A close up shot of a person's hand holding a smartphone displaying a search results page, with a single physical magnifying glass resting on the screen over a block of text.

Notes / SEO / Sep 25, 2026

Google Has Deployed a New AI Spam Detector Called SAFE

This is Google's second system identified in 2026 that is designed to catch AI generated spam. The previously identified system. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

A close up shot of a person's hand holding a smartphone displaying a Google Search results page, with a coffee cup and a notebook resting on a wooden table beside it.

Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

Google Rolls Out September 2026 Spam Update Globally

The September rollout follows three spam updates earlier this year. Google rolled out spam updates in March, June, and August. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read

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Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

A Working Framework for Lessons from 15+ Years in Search

A practical view on A Working Framework for Lessons from 15+ Years in Search, focused on the signal to inspect, the risk to avoid, and the decision it should change.

6 min read

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Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

A Working Framework for Checks to Audit Your AI Visibility Without a Paid Tool

A practical view on A Working Framework for Checks to Audit Your AI Visibility Without a Paid Tool, focused on the signal to inspect, the risk to avoid, and the decision it should change.

6 min read

A close-up shot of a professional's hand holding a smartphone displaying a calendar with several upcoming meetings, resting on a wooden table next to a closed laptop.

Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

The Real Reason Agencies Lose Clients in the First 90 Days (And How to Stop It)

Retention problems can often start before a campaign has even been onboarded. After the point of sale and the client has signed. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

10 min read

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Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

Google Announces New Query Fan Out Framework: R4T Diffusion

R4T generates better query fan outs because it's trained to identify useful aspects of the original search query. It keeps the. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

7 min read

A close-up shot of a person's hand holding a smartphone displaying a Google search result with an AI Overview, while a laptop screen in the background shows a Search Console graph.

Notes / SEO / Sep 24, 2026

Search Console Uses Block Flattening for AIOs, Forget Position & Focus on Outcomes

Even before AI arrived, Search Console's ranking numbers could be misleading because they rely on a simple mathematical average. The practical question is what this changes for SEO, content quality, and AI search visibility.

6 min read