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
What Is GEO and Why Every Business Needs It in 2026
Generative engine optimization (GEO) helps your business appear in the AI-powered search experiences your customers now use to research options. In 2026, customers ask detailed questions and use the answers they receive to narrow their
Why Traditional SEO Metrics Don’t Tell the Full Story in AI Search
Traditional SEO metrics no longer capture the full impact of your search visibility because AI-driven search experiences are changing how users discover and interact with businesses. While rankings, clicks, and organic traffic remain important, they
Building Local SEO Trust Signals That Influence AI Assistants
When someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google AI Overviews to recommend a local SEO company, PPC agency, or web design firm, the AI doesn’t search the web in real time and return the top-ranking result.
Building AI SEO Dashboards That Go Beyond Rankings and Traffic
The question every marketing leader needs to ask in 2026 is clear: Is your brand being seen, cited, and chosen by the AI systems your customers now use first? Traditional rank reports and traffic dashboards
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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