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.
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
PPC 101: Customer-Journey Mapping for Intuitive, Resonant Ads
Creating high-performing PPC campaigns starts with understanding your audience’s journey. Customer-journey mapping offers a roadmap to identify how customers interact with your brand and highlights critical touch points influencing their decision-making process. This approach ensures
Email Marketing Flops: 5 Reasons Your Emails Land in Spam Folders
Email marketing is a powerhouse for customer engagement and lead generation. Yet, even the best-crafted campaigns can fail when emails end up in spam folders. This blog unpacks the top five often-overlooked reasons your emails
How to Optimize for Zero-Click Results: Tips and Strategies
Zero-click results are reshaping how businesses approach search engine optimization. These search outcomes provide answers directly on search engine results pages (SERPs) without requiring users to click on a website. With features like local packs,
How to Use AI for SEO: Recommended Techniques & Tools
Artificial intelligence (AI) is sweeping the globe as a tool for making tedious processes more efficient. From computing and analyzing massive amounts of data to facilitating routine administrative tasks, AI tools accomplish them at a
Building Content Strategies that Align with Both SEO and User Intent
In a world dominated by search engines, understanding how to create content that satisfies both search engine algorithms and user expectations is key to online success. Businesses aiming to grow their digital footprint must align
How to Implement Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Strategies
Keeping up with the rapidly shifting digital world, especially as AI reshapes how we create and share content, can be challenging. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) offers a new opportunity to align your brand with AI-driven
How to do an SEO projection
SEO projections can provide valuable insights into how investments can bring more business results. However, with so many uncontrollable factors affecting their results, most search engine optimization practitioners don’t know how to do an SEO
Maximizing Local Search Opportunities for Small Businesses
Nearly 76% of consumers conducting a local search on their smartphone visit a physical location within a day, and 28% of those searches lead to a purchase, according to Think with Google. This highlights the
Top 7 Social Media Strategies for 2025
No other marketing channel lets you reach a massive audience while getting personal with your audience, like social media marketing. Thus, we see continuous efforts from brands to invest in it. To be exact, SproutSocial
How to use Google Search Console’s Recommendations Section
Image 1. A snippet of the Recommendations Section as it appears on the Google Search Console dashboard. Image courtesy of Google at Google Search Central Google Search Console (GSC) is an indispensable tool for search
Local SEO Tips to Rank for ‘Near Me’ Searches
Can’t seem to get your business in front of local customers? It’s a common struggle! More than you might have known, many businesses face the challenge of ranking for “near me” searches, a critical aspect
Google Reviews: Why They Matter to Local SEO and How to Grow Them
Are customers overlooking your business when they search locally on Google? Frustrated by your competitors ranking higher, even though you offer better services? If so, you’re likely missing a critical piece of the local SEO