Will Critchlow
@willcritchlow.bsky.social
Founder and CEO at SearchPilot. Previously founded Distilled (acquired by Brainlabs).
Interest in basketball, whisky, cooking, auction theory and of course organic search.
Interest in basketball, whisky, cooking, auction theory and of course organic search.
It's not every day that we get to talk transparently about these kinds of results because not every large company is happy to do so.
Kudos to the M&S team for what they've achieved - they've built an exceptional experimentation program that has elevated SEO's influence. Great work team!
Kudos to the M&S team for what they've achieved - they've built an exceptional experimentation program that has elevated SEO's influence. Great work team!
November 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
It's not every day that we get to talk transparently about these kinds of results because not every large company is happy to do so.
Kudos to the M&S team for what they've achieved - they've built an exceptional experimentation program that has elevated SEO's influence. Great work team!
Kudos to the M&S team for what they've achieved - they've built an exceptional experimentation program that has elevated SEO's influence. Great work team!
Getting new logos on the SearchPilot site is extremely exciting, and I've talked before about my joy at winning the M&S account.
Even better, is when we get to celebrate great results with the teams we work with on those accounts.
Even better, is when we get to celebrate great results with the teams we work with on those accounts.
November 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Getting new logos on the SearchPilot site is extremely exciting, and I've talked before about my joy at winning the M&S account.
Even better, is when we get to celebrate great results with the teams we work with on those accounts.
Even better, is when we get to celebrate great results with the teams we work with on those accounts.
As is, at this point, traditional in the week of a big presentation, I got hit in the face playing basketball last night.
So, an added reason to sign up for Thursday's @searchpilot.bsky.social product launch: laugh at the state of my nose.
So, an added reason to sign up for Thursday's @searchpilot.bsky.social product launch: laugh at the state of my nose.
November 11, 2025 at 1:59 PM
As is, at this point, traditional in the week of a big presentation, I got hit in the face playing basketball last night.
So, an added reason to sign up for Thursday's @searchpilot.bsky.social product launch: laugh at the state of my nose.
So, an added reason to sign up for Thursday's @searchpilot.bsky.social product launch: laugh at the state of my nose.
The next trillion searches won't look like the last.
I think we need to step into control mode:
I think we need to step into control mode:
November 6, 2025 at 10:35 AM
The next trillion searches won't look like the last.
I think we need to step into control mode:
I think we need to step into control mode:
And there is a key extra variable in GEO experiments when compared to SEO tests:
October 20, 2025 at 4:27 PM
And there is a key extra variable in GEO experiments when compared to SEO tests:
GEO vs. SEO is potential ragebait. I'm more interested in understanding what's going on.
October 20, 2025 at 4:27 PM
GEO vs. SEO is potential ragebait. I'm more interested in understanding what's going on.
I really enjoyed the conversation I had with @aleyda.bsky.social about ecommerce search in an AI-first world, and, for those who prefer to listen rather than watch, the audio is now available on the Business Class Lounge podcast feed.
Go grab it wherever you get your podcasts - it's a good one!
Go grab it wherever you get your podcasts - it's a good one!
October 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM
I really enjoyed the conversation I had with @aleyda.bsky.social about ecommerce search in an AI-first world, and, for those who prefer to listen rather than watch, the audio is now available on the Business Class Lounge podcast feed.
Go grab it wherever you get your podcasts - it's a good one!
Go grab it wherever you get your podcasts - it's a good one!
Almost everything you see about how to do better in AI search is speculation. Guesswork. Predictions.
We need to move from react mode to control mode. We need to go from predicting the future to experimenting to discover it.
We need to move from react mode to control mode. We need to go from predicting the future to experimenting to discover it.
September 29, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Almost everything you see about how to do better in AI search is speculation. Guesswork. Predictions.
We need to move from react mode to control mode. We need to go from predicting the future to experimenting to discover it.
We need to move from react mode to control mode. We need to go from predicting the future to experimenting to discover it.
While we're all very excited about AI, there's another search change that is arguably MORE dramatic for ecommerce and retail in the short term: Google's changing approach to product search.
September 3, 2025 at 8:18 AM
While we're all very excited about AI, there's another search change that is arguably MORE dramatic for ecommerce and retail in the short term: Google's changing approach to product search.
A challenge of testing is that detecting small, single-digit % improvements is hard. Doing so repeatedly can be transformational to business performance, but each individual one can get lost in the noise.
September 2, 2025 at 8:27 AM
A challenge of testing is that detecting small, single-digit % improvements is hard. Doing so repeatedly can be transformational to business performance, but each individual one can get lost in the noise.
"We have no doubt about the value of testing… I can’t imagine running an SEO team without testing now."
-- Organic Search Director, Global Sports Brand
-- Organic Search Director, Global Sports Brand
July 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
"We have no doubt about the value of testing… I can’t imagine running an SEO team without testing now."
-- Organic Search Director, Global Sports Brand
-- Organic Search Director, Global Sports Brand
I have to pinch myself sometimes when I look at our customer list. We set out with a mission to prove the value of SEO for the world's biggest websites, and MAN we have some great logos, not even all of which we can share publicly.
We have published a few new customer stories, and have more coming.
We have published a few new customer stories, and have more coming.
July 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I have to pinch myself sometimes when I look at our customer list. We set out with a mission to prove the value of SEO for the world's biggest websites, and MAN we have some great logos, not even all of which we can share publicly.
We have published a few new customer stories, and have more coming.
We have published a few new customer stories, and have more coming.
Join @rosshudgens.bsky.social and me tomorrow for a conversation about "future proofing e-commerce SEO".
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
June 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Join @rosshudgens.bsky.social and me tomorrow for a conversation about "future proofing e-commerce SEO".
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
Veo3 video generation technology is amazing.
I'm proud to show off the latest @searchpilot.bsky.social advert.
I'm very confident this gives off the exact right message about how we help businesses succeed.
.....hang on a second.
I'm proud to show off the latest @searchpilot.bsky.social advert.
I'm very confident this gives off the exact right message about how we help businesses succeed.
.....hang on a second.
June 25, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Veo3 video generation technology is amazing.
I'm proud to show off the latest @searchpilot.bsky.social advert.
I'm very confident this gives off the exact right message about how we help businesses succeed.
.....hang on a second.
I'm proud to show off the latest @searchpilot.bsky.social advert.
I'm very confident this gives off the exact right message about how we help businesses succeed.
.....hang on a second.
About a decade ago, I ran a study to see how good SEOs were at figuring out which of two pages would rank better for a given query.
The punchline was "about as good as a coin flip".
We recently re-ran the study and put humans up against AI.
Check out the results:
The punchline was "about as good as a coin flip".
We recently re-ran the study and put humans up against AI.
Check out the results:
June 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
About a decade ago, I ran a study to see how good SEOs were at figuring out which of two pages would rank better for a given query.
The punchline was "about as good as a coin flip".
We recently re-ran the study and put humans up against AI.
Check out the results:
The punchline was "about as good as a coin flip".
We recently re-ran the study and put humans up against AI.
Check out the results:
We recently added a shareable PDF to my popular article on SEO depreciation:
www.searchpilot.com/resources/bl...
www.searchpilot.com/resources/bl...
June 2, 2025 at 11:13 AM
We recently added a shareable PDF to my popular article on SEO depreciation:
www.searchpilot.com/resources/bl...
www.searchpilot.com/resources/bl...
Tomorrow, @randfish.bsky.social and I are streaming a conversation we had live and in person in NYC at #SEOweek.
We'll be live answering questions in the chat during the stream, so even though the recording will be available afterwards, you'll get the most out of it by being there live.
We'll be live answering questions in the chat during the stream, so even though the recording will be available afterwards, you'll get the most out of it by being there live.
May 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Tomorrow, @randfish.bsky.social and I are streaming a conversation we had live and in person in NYC at #SEOweek.
We'll be live answering questions in the chat during the stream, so even though the recording will be available afterwards, you'll get the most out of it by being there live.
We'll be live answering questions in the chat during the stream, so even though the recording will be available afterwards, you'll get the most out of it by being there live.
Comparing the ROI of paid and organic search work with @kevingibbons.bsky.social (full video on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel):
May 23, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Comparing the ROI of paid and organic search work with @kevingibbons.bsky.social (full video on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel):
Per click cost inflation in paid search IS A THING.
Here's how PPC leaders think about it and hold Google accountable:
(this is a snippet from my recent conversation with @kevingibbons.bsky.social - find the full thing on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel!).
Here's how PPC leaders think about it and hold Google accountable:
(this is a snippet from my recent conversation with @kevingibbons.bsky.social - find the full thing on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel!).
May 23, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Per click cost inflation in paid search IS A THING.
Here's how PPC leaders think about it and hold Google accountable:
(this is a snippet from my recent conversation with @kevingibbons.bsky.social - find the full thing on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel!).
Here's how PPC leaders think about it and hold Google accountable:
(this is a snippet from my recent conversation with @kevingibbons.bsky.social - find the full thing on the @searchpilot.bsky.social YouTube channel!).
Great to have @searchpilot.bsky.social sponsoring RE:COMMERCE today. Come say hi if you’re here!
May 16, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Great to have @searchpilot.bsky.social sponsoring RE:COMMERCE today. Come say hi if you’re here!
This is happening in under an hour and it's not too late to join @kevingibbons.bsky.social and me talking about all kinds of things related to ecommerce including SEO, hiring, and (as the image says) building marketing strategies as PPC costs rise:
May 14, 2025 at 2:27 PM
This is happening in under an hour and it's not too late to join @kevingibbons.bsky.social and me talking about all kinds of things related to ecommerce including SEO, hiring, and (as the image says) building marketing strategies as PPC costs rise:
One thing wrong with Google's AI overviews: they've shipped the UX from an academic paper!
Excerpt from my conversation with @tomcritchlow.com
Excerpt from my conversation with @tomcritchlow.com
May 9, 2025 at 4:18 PM
One thing wrong with Google's AI overviews: they've shipped the UX from an academic paper!
Excerpt from my conversation with @tomcritchlow.com
Excerpt from my conversation with @tomcritchlow.com
.@adoubleagent.bsky.social has put out a couple of great studies recently that are worth taking together:
1. Only 86% of pages were indexed on ecommerce sites
2. Most pages were not indexed for *quality* reasons
3. Not crawled in the last 130 days? There is a 99% chance it's not indexed
1. Only 86% of pages were indexed on ecommerce sites
2. Most pages were not indexed for *quality* reasons
3. Not crawled in the last 130 days? There is a 99% chance it's not indexed
May 9, 2025 at 4:05 PM
.@adoubleagent.bsky.social has put out a couple of great studies recently that are worth taking together:
1. Only 86% of pages were indexed on ecommerce sites
2. Most pages were not indexed for *quality* reasons
3. Not crawled in the last 130 days? There is a 99% chance it's not indexed
1. Only 86% of pages were indexed on ecommerce sites
2. Most pages were not indexed for *quality* reasons
3. Not crawled in the last 130 days? There is a 99% chance it's not indexed