Bruce Clay, one of the first generation of search engine optimization experts, has passed away. Much of the terminology that he coined and many of the concepts that he pioneered continue to be used today.
Thirty Years Of SEO
Clay was among the cohort of SEOs who were learning and applying the art of optimization in the mid-nineteen nineties. While the SEO industry itself has a history of being divided by various practices and forums they belonged to, Bruce Clay always stood apart, not really belonging to one group or another but rather as his own person.
One of the approaches to SEO he is most remembered for is the concept of siloing content. If you’re one of the SEOs who organizes content in topic silos, you have Bruce to thank for that terminology.
Bruce Clay The Person
Bruce Clay was to many people someone whose articles taught them about SEO, a person to catch up with at search conferences, and to a great many people, he was a friend.
Photo Of Bruce Clay And Ash Nallwalla At A Conference
Michael Bonfils (LinkedIn profile) shared his personal experience:
“There are three people who I learned SEO from back in the mid 90s, that was Danny Sullivan, Bruce Clay and Stephen Mahaney. Each offered me viewpoints that I’d consider valid or invalid. I wouldn’t have had a career without them. Although I personally know Danny, and indirectly corresponded with Stephen, Bruce was actually my friend.
So from a career perspective, I can’t say enough about his solid determination, the care he put into his work, the sheer amount of people who he taught and those who went off to teach others. This guy was the Yoda of search. He was who us OGs relied on.
From a personal perspective, he was my friend. I’m broken hearted. He wasn’t a stranger to me, it was: “Hey Hey Michael!” and a hug. Then a laugh about either something I said to him or something he said to me. So as a friend who just lost a friend. I’m sad. May he rest in peace, legend.”
Dixon Jones, CEO of inLinks (LinkedIn profile) shared a memory of Bruce:
“Many years ago, I was having a lovely dinner with and his eyes twinkled as he shared business secrets and stories freely.
During Covid, one of those secrets caused a potential conflict of interest, that could have scuppered inLinks out of the gate. But Bruce magnanimously fixed the issue with the simplest of contra-arrangements and we started intercontinental Zoom calls just to keep in touch.
I found Bruce to be one of the kindest and most honest people in the industry. I last saw him perhaps 18 months ago, still bringing his own display stand to the conference well into his 70s.”
Bill Hartzer (LinkedIn profile) published a tribute to Clay:
“I lost a friend. I’ve been sitting with this news, trying to figure out how to put into words what Bruce meant to me, to the people who worked with him, and to an entire industry that many people don’t realize he helped build from the ground up.”
He listed all the contributions to the search marketing community, among them having coined the phrase that is central to it:
“Bruce is credited with being the first person to use the term “search engine optimization.” Danny Sullivan himself confirmed that. Think about that for a moment. The very phrase that defines what thousands of professionals do every day — Bruce Clay coined it.”
Debra Mastaler (LinkedIn profile) shared her memories of Bruce:
“I first met Bruce in 2003 at an SES conference in California. When he learned it was my first time speaking at a conference, he went out of his way to introduce me to people and say hello between sessions. It was a kindness I long remembered.
To this day, when I hear the word “silos”, I think of Bruce. I bet Jill, Bill and Eric are in SEO heaven arguing with him over that one. RIP Bruce.”
For me, Bruce Clay’s innovation was to stand apart as an individual with original ideas, freely shared. I met him countless times at search conferences and our interactions were always warm and pleasant. Connecting people’s faces with names is not easy when one meets hundreds of people at search conferences, but he always seemed to remember mine over the course of twenty-plus years. He also had a knack for making people feel at the center of a conversation. There was no ego or overblown self-regard to him. He was just Bruce Clay, and if he was speaking to you, then you were the most important person in that room.
Books Authored By Clay
There are currently two physical books for sale that he has authored:
- Search Engine Optimization All-in-One For Dummies
- Content Marketing Strategies for Professionals: How to Use Content Marketing and SEO to Communicate with Impact, Generate Sales and Get Found by Search Engines
And he has published many digital books and guides as well:
- Declaration of SEO: 6 Fundamental Truths To Live By
- Google Analytics 4: What It Is and How To Get Started
- Google’s Page Experience Update: A Complete Guide
- SEO Siloing: How To Create a Relevant Website
- The Guide to SEO for CMOs: Key Strategies for 2021
- The New Link Building Manifesto: How To Earn Links That Count
Bruce Clay Will Be Missed
Many in the search marketing community are mourning his loss, but his spirit will live on in many of the approaches to SEO that remain relevant today.
