The SEO industry will be forever changed by the loss of Bill Slawski, Offshore SEODirector of Search go fish digitaleducators, mentors and friends.
Bill is a lot to a lot of people. he has been a contributor Has been with Search Engine Journal since 2019 and has been a friend and mentor to many of us for decades.
It’s hard to say that someone influenced and shaped an entire industry. But this is one of them.
On May 19, 2022, the SEO industry learned that Bill Slawski had passed away.
The loss and grief in our community is palpable.
Share with our colleagues and dear friends that we are very frustrated, @bill_slawski died. Words simply cannot express our grief. We are forever grateful for the opportunity to work with Bill. We will share more information and arrangements as they become available. pic.twitter.com/5mD6jqw7XR
— Go Fish Digital (@GoFishDigital) May 19, 2022
As a search patent expert, a colleague and mentor to many, and a friend to many more, Bill has impacted the lives of everyone in the search industry.
If you haven’t read one of the thousands of articles he’s written or contributed to, watched one of his interviews, attended one of his talks, or listened to his podcast as a guest – I promise you colleagues, learn from , or work as there.
This is due in large part to Bill’s wealth of knowledge and expertise, as well as his unparalleled passion for the nuances and technological advancements that make search engines work.
I spoke with Bill a few weeks ago when we were planning a feature article on the patents he believes will have the greatest impact on search marketers.
In that interview, he explained his love for patents.
“One of the things I always say about patents is that they are the best place to find assumptions about searchers, about search and the web. In addition to solving problems, these search engineers share their opinions,” he said. .
He likes to know what engineers are thinking and what they have to say when it comes to different issues on the web.
“One of my favorite types of patents to look for is when they duplicate a patent and file a continuation application,” explains Bill. “I like to look at these continuation patents and see how they change because they don’t tell you, ‘This is what we’re doing.'”
Innate curiosity and a genuine passion for unraveling the complexities of the search algorithms we use every day make talking to Bill and reading his work a real pleasure.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to Bill or quoted him in my work over the years, and so have many others.
He has a real talent for making complex concepts easier for readers and marketers of all kinds. As such, his contribution to our collective understanding of how search works is unparalleled.
Bill Slawski’s work and knowledge are the foundation of SEO practice as we know it today.
On behalf of all of us at SEJ, we are so grateful for what he has generously shared with each of us.
He was a close friend and esteemed colleague of our founder, Loren Baker,as well as.
“Bill Slawski was a true friend of mine in many ways. First of all, he was an amazing mentor who helped me early in my career, even before social media or search engine journals. He was me partners and colleagues,” Loren said.
Bill and Loren worked together for a few years and spent a lot of time smoking a cigarette in the parking lot of Havre de Grace, Maryland, talking about Google’s patents.
“If anything, I’d say Bill taught me that SEO is more than just rankings,” Loren explained, adding that Bill taught him the importance of incorporating narrative into all the work you do.
“He taught me the ethics and craftsmanship behind creating a piece of digital art that people want to read, want to share, and ultimately search for and click – that touches their lives,” he said. “I will miss Bill dearly. Losing friends is very difficult.”
Bill started in 1996 and launched SEO By The Sea in 2005, this You can refer to it when you want to understand how search engines work or how they have changed the way we search or live.
But it’s much more than that.
Bill is generous and eager to share his knowledge of search, information retrieval, NLP and other information technologies with everyone.
He excels at grasping complex patents, algorithms, concepts, real-world behavior, and search engines, and explaining how the world of search and information retrieval works in a way that everyone can understand.
Bill seems to have an instinct for what you know and don’t know, or where you’re confused. He can fill in the blanks without making you feel stupid for asking. Even if this is the millionth time he has answered the question.
You also don’t have to be an SEO rock star or seasoned professional.
If you don’t understand something or have questions, he’ll happily spend hours explaining concepts and offering (or creating) resources to help. As many in the industry who met Braggadocio attested, you always feel like a long-lost friend, even if you only “know” him over text messages.
“It’s like you go to a conference and you’re one of the first people to go to the conference. All the seats are still empty and there’s not much discussion going on. That’s what the SEO world was like at the time…I remember it happening Just a lurker on an SEO forum. See what everyone’s talking about and think, ‘This is a weird profession. I’m not sure I can do this. Finally, I did.’
I started working and promoting a website for a few startup friends. So helping them succeed in business is a good motivator. “Bill Slawski, interview with cognitiveSEO Talks, April 5, 2018
Bill’s wealth of knowledge also extends well beyond search.
Bill holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law, and spent 14 years in the Deleware Superior Court as a court manager, administrator, technologist and management analyst.
He loves nature, plants and the sea. He loves traveling and searching for meetings, but he eventually finds peace in nature and uses it often. He shared it with all of us.
Bill pushes everyone beyond titles and keywords.
He was quick to add words of support and congratulations when someone shared the achievement. He encourages everyone to explore what’s possible, don’t be intimidated by new things, and better understand the search ecosystem, not just technology, so we can better serve our families, communities, colleagues and customers.
His kindness, generosity, loyalty and love for the industry knew no bounds.
I’m so sorry to hear this @bill_slawski Passed away 😔 One of the first SEOs I started following and reading. We will greatly miss him and his profound contributions to search patent analysis. Rest in peace Bill, thank you for all you do! 🙏 https://t.co/8dwhaGbWX6
— Aleyda Solis 🇺🇦 (@aleyda) May 19, 2022
At Search Engine Journal, Bill is a familiar face on social media and a VIP contributor, but he’s much more than that.
Matt South, News Writer
One of the things I miss the most about Bill Slawski is the outdoor photography he shares on Twitter.
Despite his deep roots in SEO and online marketing, he always takes the time to step back from the keyboard and appreciate the beauty of life.
I think it’s something we can all benefit from doing more.
Roger Monty, News Writer
I’ve known Bill Slawski for nearly 20 years, from forums and search marketing conferences. Everything he found in the patent made a splash and went a long way to demystifying the search engine.
What impresses me most is his generosity with his time and his encouragement to me and everyone. It is a great honor and honor to be able to call him a friend.
He will be sorely missed.
Brent Csutoras, Consultant and Owner
A large part of our work in the marketing process is not just understanding how something works with Google, but also understanding what they are trying to achieve in the next few years so that we can prepare and adjust when needed.
Bill’s work on patents provides valuable insights that few are able to distill, but that everyone benefits from.
He was instrumental in making us the SEO and digital marketers we are today.
Bill Slawski is a quiet influencer
“My first interaction with Bill Slawski was on Kim Krause Berg’s Cre8asite forum. I was trying to understand what SEO is all about, so I just lurked and took my knowledge from bragadocchio, Black Knight, Grumpus, Barry Welford and others. I know Bill started over 10,000 threads there during his time as one of the admins and the first thing that struck me was his willingness to share his knowledge patiently. At the time, I didn’t know who he was, but very It soon became apparent that he was a man worth listening to.”
~ Dr. SheldonFacebook
he is the one.
Atul Gawande once wrote that life is meaningful because it has a story—one driven by a profound need to recognize purpose beyond oneself and a transcendent desire to see and help others reach their potential.
This is the essence of Bill’s life.
Not only in the vast amount of unparalleled knowledge and resources he has bestowed on us, but in the inspiration, guidance and encouragement he instills in all of us. That was his legacy, and it will live on.
It’s hard to post on this post because I don’t feel like anything we share can do that.
Search engine journals are leaving Bill’s content library is here Never change, we leave a comment below for everyone to share your contribution to Bill’s Memorial.
Bill, thank you for sharing your wisdom, enthusiasm and knowledge with the SEO community.
You will miss it so much.
co-authored Angie Nikolachuk.
