Burkan Bur
With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and agency work, I’ve led projects for major clients like Amazon, Hilton, Doordash, OWN, SC Johnson, Sharp Healthcare, Intel, American Express, and Experian.
As the Managing Director and Head of SEO at The Ad Firm, my role involves leading client relationships, managing project deliverables, and expanding accounts to provide an exceptional customer experience. I’m responsible for setting strategic direction in various aspects of digital marketing, including SEO, content marketing, digital PR, social networking, and keeping up with the latest trends and algorithm changes.
What I like most about my role
I love collaborating with businesses to help them achieve their sales goals. My role allows me to work closely with my team, focusing on mentoring, training, and running a department that promotes efficiency and value. I enjoy the challenge of communicating complex strategies to technical teams and executives alike, ensuring that everyone is aligned toward our common goals.
Additionally, I take pride in effectively bridging communication between technical development teams and top-level executives, including CMOs and CEOs, which is crucial for cohesive strategy and execution across all levels.
Past Work Experience
Starting my career as a programmer and developer, I have a unique perspective combining technical expertise and strategic acumen. I hold an MBA from Bilgi University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Istanbul, and proud to have started and taught the first-ever SEO and analytics courses at UCSD.Â
My extensive experience includes leading and developing teams. I’ve been in this industry since the early days of Internet marketing, witnessing its evolution and the emergence of new trends firsthand.
Certifications:
- Business Management in Marketing, UCSD
- Web Development, UCSD
- Project Management, UCSD
- Google AdWords certification, Google
- Google Analytics certification, Google
- Advanced Search Engine Strategies, Search Engine Workshops
Hobbies outside work
Outside of my professional life, I’m an avid world traveler, martial artist, basketball player, and dancer. These activities not only keep me physically active but also foster a sense of creativity and balance in my life.
Articles Written by Burkan Bur
Local Entity SEO to Strengthen Your Business Identity
When most local businesses think about SEO, they think about keywords, rankings, and Google Business Profile optimization. Those things matter. But there is a layer underneath all of it that determines how confidently Google surfaces
Building Geo-Relevant Link Profiles for Stronger AI and Local Rankings
Search authorities used to live in one place. Google ranked pages, businesses earned links, and the link profile either helped or hurt the rankings. That model still works, but it is no longer the whole
Answer Engine Optimization: The New Discipline Your Content Team Needs
Search is no longer only about ranking pages. It is about becoming the cited answer inside ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI-driven search tools. Your team may already have strong SEO performance, solid rankings, and
AI Local Search Citations for Local Business Visibility
Local businesses that used to compete on Google Map pack rankings are facing a new question: when AI systems generate answers, does your business get named or get skipped? AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Apple
Building Local SEO Topical Authority with GEO for AI Search
AI-driven features have reshaped how buyers discover local businesses. AI search platforms like Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search now pull citations from a trusted shortlist of pages, not just the typical top ten
How Back Button Hijacking Could Tank Your Google Rankings in 2026
Google made a move on April 13, 2026 that put thousands of websites on notice. Site owners using back button hijacking techniques have until June 15, 2026 to clean up their code or face manual
Local SEO Link Building for Stronger Local Authority
Most local SEO programs treat link building as a volume exercise. Acquire more links, rank higher. That thinking produces messy backlink profiles full of low-value directory submissions that move rankings a fraction of what a
Local Signaling for GEO Using Reviews, Links, and Citations
AI-powered search tools do not rank pages. They synthesize answers. When users search for local services, the business that gets recommended is not always the one with the best website, but the one with the
Tracking Calls and Form Conversions Using GEO for AI Search
You’re investing in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Your brand is showing up in AI-generated answers. But when you open your analytics, the conversions from that visibility are nowhere to be found. This isn’t a performance
Connecting Local Rankings to Revenue with GEO and AI Search
Rankings are only worth what they produce. A first-page position that doesn’t generate calls, leads, or sales is a vanity metric dressed up as a win. For local businesses, the path from search visibility to
Local SEO Authority Building for Recommendations
Visibility puts your business in front of people. Authority makes them choose you. In local search, the businesses that earn recommendations, across Google’s Local Pack, Maps results, review platforms, referral conversations, and AI-generated answers, share
Expanding into New Service Areas Using GEO Signals
Expanding into a new market does not require a physical location. You can build visibility in new regions by strengthening the geographic signals search engines use to determine relevance. Generative engine optimization (GEO) focuses on