Jake Ward

Rank #1 in ChatGPT and AI Search: My next LIVE SEO session on 8th April. Co-Founder at Contact (and 3x SaaS companies).

I've spent 10 years in SEO and 8 years working with SaaS companies, from high-growth startups like beehiiv to billion-dollar platforms like Kajabi. Launched multiple SEO products like Byword.ai (2 weeks before ChatGPT) to scale SEO programmatically, and Mentions.so to win AI visibility. Ran high-profile experiments like the world's largest AI SEO case study, SEO speedruns, and the infamous SEO heist.

I'm leading product and SEO innovation at Contact.so across 25+ active clients and a 20-person SEO and content team. And building and growing Kleo.so to help entrepreneurs scale their personal brand and turn LinkedIn into a lead generation machine (like I have).

Most of my work today focuses on one question:

"How can SaaS companies win marketing (and SEO) in this AI era?"

Founder

We help software companies get more qualified traffic, sales and revenue through conversion-focused SEO and content marketing. Turn your blog into a 6 figure sales channel.

"I don't know how to do SEO in 2026"

Start from level 1 in The New SEO Game:

SEO isn't just Google rankings anymore.

It's now "Search Everywhere Optimisation".

Reframe your “New SEO” project as a game, and you'll become addicted to levelling up.

Level 1: Traditional SEO

- Fix technical problems killing your rankings
- Research keywords and target quick wins
- Optimise on-page elements (titles, content)
- Earn quality backlinks through outreach and PR

Level 2: AI Search Optimisation

- Format content so AI can parse it easily
- Build pages that AI platforms want to cite
- Structure information for machine consumption
- Test how your brand appears in AI search results

Level 3: Paid Search Visibility

- Run Google Ads for high-intent keywords
- Target competitor terms with YouTube Search Ads
- Capture Bing traffic through Microsoft Ads
- Measure paid performance across every platform

Level 4: LLM Answer SEO

- Produce authoritative content LLMs trust
- Build a knowledge base for AI training data
- Position your brand as the definitive source
- Monitor brand mentions in LLMs with Mentions

Level 5: Brand Authority SEO

- Get unlinked brand mentions across the web
- Feature in industry roundups and expert lists
- Build brand recognition without traditional backlinks
- Track brand mention volume and sentiment

Level 6: Community SEO

- Provide value in relevant Reddit threads
- Share expertise on Quora in your space
- Engage in Slack communities and Discord servers
- Build reputation in industry forums and groups

Level 7: Parasite SEO

- Repurpose content on Medium and LinkedIn Pulse
- Publish beehiiv newsletters to rank in Google
- Guest post on high-authority platforms/websites
- Leverage existing domain authority for quick rankings

Level 8: Platform-Specific SEO

- Optimise for Amazon search if selling products
- Focus on YouTube SEO for video content
- Master TikTok's algorithm for short-form content
- Optimise App Store listings for apps/extensions

Level 9: Topic Domination

- Own conversations across ALL channels
- Create content ecosystems to reinforce each platform
- Become the go-to expert mentioned everywhere
- Monitor and maintain authority across all channels

Completed all levels?

SEO is constantly evolving in 2026.

Stay ahead or get left behind.

PS. Need help levelling up? We'll help build and execute your “New SEO” domination strategy.

Book a call: https://www.contact.so/

SEO has been dying since 1997.

Some notable "deaths" include:

- Web 3.0
- Google Ads
- Social media
- TikTok search
- Voice assistants
- Featured snippets
- Zero-click searches
- Every Google update
- AI Overviews in Google
- GEO/AEO as the new SEO
- ChatGPT replacing Google

And now... AI agents?

Here’s the reality:

- SEO will always evolve
- People will always use search
- Search habits take time to change
- Google handles 14B+ daily searches
- Sends 190x more traffic than ChatGPT
- SEO is a $100B+ industry (growing ~12% YoY)

Even the newest "SEO killer" (GEO/AEO) is literally built on SEO fundamentals.

Richard Hoy said this in 1997:

"I’m beginning to believe that search engines are a dead-end technology and fretting over where your site comes up is a big waste of time."

Don’t be him in 2026.

SEO is very much alive.

SEO?
“Just add some keywords”
”Get green lights on Yoast”
”Let’s write a blog and rank #1?”
”Can’t we just buy some backlinks?”

But SEO in 2026 is a totally different beast.

Here’s what it actually involves:

- Total Addressable Search Market
- Google Search Console
- “Don’t change URLs”
- Quick win keywords
- Customer research
- Programmatic SEO
- Entity optimization
- LLM optimization
- Keyword Insights
- Topical authority
- Site architecture
- Schema markup
- Core Web Vitals
- Monthly reports
- Log file analysis
- Google updates
- Brand mentions
- Screaming Frog
- Technical audit
- Content decay
- Internal linking
- XML Sitemaps
- Topic clusters
- “llms.txt file?”
- Search intent
- Link building
- “It depends”
- Crawlability
- Canonicals
- Robots.txt
- Digital PR
- Mentions
- Semrush
- E-E-A-T

Just adding keywords or getting green lights on Yoast doesn't get SEO results.

True SEO and holistic marketing does.

I can’t stop thinking about this Tweet.

ChatGPT now handles over 2.5 billion queries per day and Google is eventually defaulting to "AI Mode."

This is the future of SEO.

6 tips you need to rank in AI platforms:

1. Win brand mentions

- Get your brand mentioned on high-authority websites
- Contribute to industry publications
- Be featured in news outlets
- Engage in forums and community discussions
- Encourage authentic UGC and word-of-mouth mentions

2. Build brand equity

- Monitor online reviews and brand sentiment
- Respond to feedback and address complaints
- Build a consistent, trustworthy public image
- Use tools like Mentions.so to track visibility, sentiment, and competitors

3. Be the source

- Publish authoritative, reference-style content
- Use neutral, factual, data-backed tone
- Avoid excessive personal takes or fluff
- Regularly update key content for accuracy
- Include credible citations and external data sources

4. Embrace passage-level SEO

- Structure content into short, focused paragraphs
- Use clear subheadings for logical segmentation
- Include concise, standalone answers
- Avoid burying insights in long text block
- Add structured data (e.g. schema markup)
- Make each paragraph extractable and cite-ready

5. Cover the conversation

- Use tools like Semrush for question research
- Monitor forums/socials for emerging questions
- Identify and answer sub-questions users ask
- Add relevant FAQs and support content
- Internally link related topic clusters

6. Optimise for crawlability

- Ensure AI crawlers are allowed in robots.txt
- Verify CDN settings aren't blocking crawlers
- Submit up-to-date XML sitemaps in GSC
- Optimise for fast page speed and clean HTML
- Review server logs for GPTBot, BingBot, etc. behaviour

But first, start with an audit:

- Your current visibility across all LLMs
- Prompt and content gaps vs your competitors
- Technical issues preventing AI from citing your site

Use a tool like Mentions.so to find this information.

Don’t regret not starting AI SEO sooner.

SaaS SEO in 2026: Join my (free) LIVE session on 4th March. Co-Founder and Head of Strategy & Innovation at Contact (and 3x SaaS companies).

I literally live and breathe this SEO framework.

5 years ago, I watched a SaaS company burn through 6 months of content budget. 60 blog posts on topics like "what is email marketing" and "benefits of newsletters."

Their traffic skyrocketed, but their revenue flatlined.

Their entire content game was backwards.

So that's when I built my "SEO Content Pyramid" to flip it completely and start at the top.

Here's how it works:

1. Convert (Top of Pyramid)

High-intent content for people ready to buy.

A. Competitor Comparisons
↳ "beehiiv vs Kit"
↳ "Kit alternatives"

B. Product Reviews
↳ "beehiiv reviews" (brand)
↳ "Kit review" (competitor)

C. Buyer Guides
↳ "Best newsletter platforms in 2026"
↳ "Best newsletter tools for beginners"

D. Product Pages
↳ "Email newsletter software"
↳ "Newsletter platform pricing"

2. Discover (Middle of Pyramid)

Solution content for people exploring options.

A. Solve Pain Points
↳ "How to start a newsletter"
↳ "Newsletter best practises"

B. Case Studies
↳ "Email marketing case studies"
↳ "How [Brand] grew to 100k subscribers"

C. Data Studies
↳ "Open rate benchmarks 2026"
↳ "Email marketing statistics"

D. Templates and Tools
↳ "Newsletter templates"
↳ "Email subject line generator"

3. Awareness (Bottom of Pyramid)

Educational content for people learning and exploring.

A. Definitions
↳ "What is open rate"
↳ "Email deliverability explained"

B. Educational Guides
↳ "How to increase email open rate"
↳ "How to write engaging emails"

C. Industry Trends and News
↳ "Gmail manage subscriptions feature"
↳ "Email marketing trends 2026"

D. Ideas
↳ "Newsletter content ideas"
↳ "Email campaign ideas for holidays"

Start at the top with Convert content. Only move to Discover once you've covered every competitor comparison, product review, and buyer guide. Then tackle Awareness last.

This framework will 10x your SEO results.

A single "Competitor Alternatives" blog post made $1M+ in revenue for my SaaS client over 3 years.

They are ALWAYS the highest converting articles.

Alternative articles help users discover a better alternative (i.e. your product) to what they're currently using or considering buying.

For example:

You might target the following keywords if you're a team communication platform.

- Microsoft Teams Alternatives
- Discord Alternatives
- Slack Alternatives

= 16.5K/mo Google searches

These searchers are the most ready-to-buy AND they’re highly cited by LLMs once ranking in Google.

Here’s how to write your own:

PS. I’m hosting my very first SaaS SEO in 2026 LIVE session on March 4th. Register for free: https://lnkd.in/eherWr2a

I've been doing SEO for 10 years and AI search is making me rethink everything I know, here are 10 changes I’m seeing:

PS. Join my (free) SaaS SEO in 2026 live session on Wednesday, March 4th @ 12pm EST.

Add it to your calendar: https://lnkd.in/eherWr2a

SEO vs AI SEO/AEO/GEO...

I just built SEO strategies for beehiiv and Kleo.

A ~$300M newsletter platform and my own 7-figure SaaS we launched 43 days ago.

(Sadly I didn't make this pic with Tyler Denk)

Completely different products, audiences, and business stages. But I'm using the same playbook.

SaaS SEO in 2026 isn't what it was 2-3 years ago.

The old playbook:

- Target high volume keywords
- Build comparison pages
- Rank in Google and get clicks

But in 2026:

1. Search is as fragmented as ever across Google, LLMs, socials, and other platforms.

2. Even if you rank, SERPs are busy with AI Overviews and ads making position 1 less valuable.

3. Zero-click searches mean AI is answering queries before any clicks to your website.

4. AI has commoditised average content and the quality bar is much higher.

I'm breaking down how I built the strategies for beehiiv and Kleo in a live session tomorrow at 12PM EST.

You'll see:

- What 20% of SEO to focus on in 2026
- How to rank across Google AND AI platforms
- The exact playbook for turning SEO into revenue

Register for free: https://lnkd.in/eherWr2a

PS. The next 20 SaaS companies that register and comment below get a free AI visibility report from my team (normally only for our clients like beehiiv).

Bunzl Canada

- Write content Bunzl websites and post it online using WordPress
- Research and develop value-add articles for multiple businesses (Cleaning & Hygiene, Safety, Grocery/Retail/Processor, Industrial, Redistribution)
- Write and distribute email communications including newsletters, product promos, company updates and more
- Develop copy and visual assets for social media content shared across our various channels
- Help with the creation of multimedia content including webinars, video content and other rich content
- Monitor and track digital content engagement and apply learnings to crafting content and developing compelling messaging
- Research and write accurate, engaging press releases

Digital Content Specialist

The Self Confidence Coach

I help individuals dissolve self-doubt and discover self-confidence over the course of 90 days.

Whether you've struggled with your self-image for years or a certain set of challenges have broken you down, I will guide you by the hand to reveal the unlimited self-confidence that always lies within you.

Founder & Lead Coach

GloWell Magazine

-Continually improved knowledge, skills and performance based on
feedback and self-identified professional developmental needs.
-Quickly learned new skills and applied them to daily tasks, improving
efficiency and productivity.
-Utilized exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills to produce
engaging and error-free content.
-Researched and wrote technical articles on Lifestyle for Wellness
publications.
-Evaluated project requirements and content standards for each project in
order to produce copy in line with creative structure.
-Completed thorough research into assigned topics.
-Used content management system to analyze user engagement and
website traffic metrics.
-Managed content distribution to online channels and social media
platforms.
-Produced original video content by working collaboratively with producers,
designers and art specialists to facilitate multimedia production.
-Set up for shots according to production schedules, weather and lighting
conditions and available equipment.

SEO Specialist & Content Strategist

Healavate

-Wrote content and uploaded it to content management system.
-Developed original content through social listening and independent sources.
-Rewrote and reorganized site content to better position products and services.
-Generated multiple daily new blog posts by monitoring industry news and cultivating sources.
-Organized collected information to produce 15 well-written articles per week.
-Collaborated with SEO and content team to produce website content for Financial and Entertainment sectors.
-Identified and documented detailed business rules and use cases based on requirements analysis.
-Analyzed SAP transactions to build logical business intelligence model for real-time reporting needs.

Financial Content Specialist

Escape From The 6

-Wrote content and uploaded it to Game Room's content management system.
-Applied current editing and photography tools to tell great stories.
-Managed and coordinated all post-production aspects , including video editing, motion graphics design, compositing and quality assurance reviewing.
-Developed marketing content such as blogs, promotional materials and advertisements for social media.
-Analyzed and reported social media and online marketing campaign results.
-Improved page content, keyword relevancy, and branding to achieve search engine optimization goals.

Content & Social Media Lead

Rock This Way

-Wrote content and uploaded it to Rock This Way's content management
system.
-Conducted extensive research to provide factual statistics for articles,
blogs and landing pages.
-Added meta descriptions, keywords and image tags to increase clients'
SEO presence 68%.
-Collaborated with SEO and content team to produce website content for
Educational and Retail sectors.
-Increased website and social media traffic by 56% by creating dynamic
graphics and pieces.
-Generated multiple daily new blog posts by monitoring industry news and
cultivating sources.

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Humber College

-Interacted with university and prospective students and parents during tours and student visit days, answering questions and providing insight.
-Mentored students to increase satisfaction and help each engage in campus life.
-Led campus tours for prospective students every week.
-Answered questions, pointed out important features, and offered further details about special exhibits to educate visitors.
-Developed tour programming to enhance guest experiences.
-Entertained tour guests with various props and signs for maximum engagement, fun, and lasting memories.

Student Ambassador

The Pseudo Italian

-Networked among donors and fundraised to generate money for
campaign.
-Defined all campaign roles and filled positions.
-Utilized social media advantageously for free and persuasive media.
-Created grassroots campaign initiatives mobilizing local community
support.
-Planned and executed events with public and private donors.
-Exceeded goals through effective task prioritization and great work ethic.

Literary Campaign Manager

Private Doctor

-Utilized exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills to produce
engaging and error-free content.
-Wrote and proofread blog and social media posts, website copy and
articles.
-Researched and wrote technical articles on specialized medicine for
medical journal publications.
-Managed competing deadlines with efficiency.
-Interviewed individuals by phone, video chat and in person to write medical
stories for weekly newspaper column.
-Completed thorough research into assigned topics.

Medical Writer

🌟 ARE YOU READY TO STOP PEOPLE-PLEASING AND START SPEAKING UP?

🌟 Empowering You to Speak Up & Stop People-Pleasing in 90 Days

🔥 Dissolve Self-Doubt | Boost Self-Esteem | Set Healthy Boundaries

I specialize in helping individuals overcome self-doubt, boost their self-esteem, and set healthy boundaries in their personal and professional lives. With my proven coaching techniques, I guide my clients to:

1. Uncover and challenge limiting beliefs that hold them back
2. Develop effective communication skills to assertively express their needs and desires
3. Cultivate a strong sense of self-worth and self-acceptance

My approach combines evidence-based strategies from psychology, neuroscience, and personal development to create lasting change and empower my clients to live their most authentic and confident lives.

Book a FREE consultation by clicking the link at the top of my bio OR visit my website: kyledelucacoaching.com

📚 Learn more about my work experience, education, and success stories on my LinkedIn profile.

Your confidence isn't somewhere "out there"...it's just buried within you. But don't worry, I can guarantee I'll help you find it!

taplio

The Battle

Jake Ward

Kyle De Luca

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJake Ward's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jake Ward

Kyle De Luca

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jake Ward's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJake Ward's LinkedIn Performance