Insights, Tutorials & Best Practices

Checklists

Robots.txt for AI crawlers: the complete config checklist (2026)

A tier-coded, browser-saved 22-item checklist for configuring robots.txt for GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended, and CCBot — without accidentally taking yourself out of Google search.

Andrei

May 26, 2026 • 13 min

Technical SEO

Should you block GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and Google-Extended in robots.txt?

The honest decision guide on whether to block GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended, and CCBot — including the part most guides get wrong about Google-Extended.

Andrei

May 26, 2026 • 13 min

Link Building

Why I don't charge for the size of your backlink portfolio

Every backlink monitor I looked at charges by the number of links in your account. Add link 1,001, get bumped to a pricier tier — even for links you never check. I went the other way: you pay for checks performed, not links stored. Here's the reasoning, a worked month of token math, the real comparison against Linkwatcher and Linkody, and where a flat subscription still wins.

Andrei

May 20, 2026 • 9 min

Technical SEO

Why backlink monitors report false "link lost" alerts

Your monitor says a link is gone, you open the page, and it's sitting right there. That's a false positive, and on modern JavaScript-rendered sites it's common. Here's why backlink monitors cry "lost" when the link is fine, how to tell a real removal from a phantom one, and how to stop chasing ghosts.

Andrei

May 20, 2026 • 10 min

SEO Strategies

GEO vs SEO: why your content strategy needs both in 2026

Your rankings stayed the same but traffic dropped 34%. The culprit? AI Overviews answering queries before users click. Learn what GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is, how it differs from SEO, and which tactics actually work — backed by Princeton research data.

Andrei

Dec 10, 2025 • 8 min

SEO Strategies

How to manage your backlinks: audit, monitor, recover

"Backlink management" is one phrase covering four separate jobs: knowing what you have, watching it for loss, auditing the rare bad link, and recovering the ones that vanish. Here's the honest map of the terrain — including Google's own position that most sites don't need to police their links at all — and where to go deep on each.

Andrei

Dec 10, 2025 • 8 min

Technical SEO

Technical SEO tools: The ultimate selection guide 2025-2026

What tools do you need for technical SEO depending on your budget? We break down everything from free (GSC, Screaming Frog Free) to enterprise (Lumar, Botify). Ready-made toolkits for freelancers, SMBs, and agencies. Honest recommendations after testing 47 platforms.

Andrei

Dec 07, 2025 • 14 min

SEO Strategies

What SEO tools are people actually using in 2026? We read 200+ Reddit threads to find out

We analyzed 200+ discussions from Reddit, LinkedIn, and Quora to find out what SEO tools practitioners actually use daily. From Google Search Console as the undisputed foundation to heated Ahrefs vs Semrush debates — here's what the community recommends (and what they don't).

Andrei

Dec 06, 2025 • 9 min

Link Building

"Link building is dead" — why that's still wrong in 2026

Links didn't die. They just got a new job — verifying reality for AI systems. With 75% of AI Overview citations coming from top-12 organic results, the question isn't whether you need backlinks. It's whether AI trusts you enough to cite you. Here's what actually changed.

Andrei

Dec 05, 2025 • 6 min