SEO Expert Witness

Trusted Expertise in SEO and Digital Marketing Compliance

With more than 20 years of experience leading SEO, paid search, and digital marketing campaigns for organizations across competitive industries, Dan helps litigation teams understand how and why search visibility changes, and whether those changes stem from legitimate optimization or deceptive practices.

He translates the complex mechanics of SEO into plain language that stands up to legal scrutiny, providing opinions grounded in evidence — not speculation.

Core Areas of SEO Expert Witness Testimony

1. SEO Practices and Industry Standards

Dan analyzes whether a company, agency, or individual adhered to accepted SEO best practices, or whether their tactics crossed the line into search engine manipulation or misrepresentation, including:

• Link-building, keyword stuffing, or cloaking practices
• Misleading meta tags, hidden content, or false geographic targeting
• Manipulative redirects or doorway pages
• Negative SEO attacks or defamation via search
• Compliance with Google’s Search Quality Guidelines

2. Search Engine Algorithm Analysis

Dan explains how algorithms evaluate and rank websites, and how changes in visibility may result from normal algorithmic updates rather than intentional harm or fraud.

He offers technical clarity on:

• Core algorithm updates and their expected impacts
• Ranking volatility vs. manipulation
• Use of AI-generated or spun content
• Duplicate content and canonicalization issues
• Algorithmic bias and search visibility disputes

3. Digital Competition & Trademark Infringement

In cases involving digital brand confusion or unfair competition, Dan provides expert analysis on:

• Whether a competitor’s SEO or PPC campaign intentionally diverted traffic
• Use of branded keywords, trademarks, or deceptive domain naming
• The likelihood of confusion created by similar site structures or meta content
• SEO-driven brand impersonation and reputation harm
• 4. Defamation, Deceptive Advertising & Online Harm

When digital campaigns damage a brand’s reputation or mislead consumers, Dan’s analysis helps determine:

• The role of SEO in amplifying false or defamatory content
• Whether online publishers or affiliates exercised due care
• If ranking strategies violated FTC advertising guidelines or state deceptive trade practice laws

5. Forensic SEO & Evidence Preservation

Dan conducts forensic SEO analysis to reconstruct historical search results, rankings, and content, preserving digital evidence that may no longer be visible.

His investigations often include:

• Historical keyword and ranking analysis
• Wayback Machine and archive validation
• Backlink audits and data correlation
• Metadata and HTML structure verification
• Timeline reconstruction of optimization or manipulation events

Expert Credentials

• Nearly 30 years in SEO, digital marketing, and paid media strategy
• Extensive experience testifying and consulting in federal and state cases
• Proven ability to communicate complex search-engine mechanisms clearly for judges, juries, and attorneys
• Deep understanding of Google Search policies, advertising compliance, and consumer perception in digital environments
• Former agency founder and consultant for global campaigns generating millions of impressions and measurable ROI

Types of SEO-Related Cases Supported

• Digital Defamation & Online Reputation Disputes
• Trademark and Brand Confusion Cases
• Deceptive or Misleading Digital Advertising Claims
• Contract and Performance Disputes Between Clients and SEO Vendors
• Algorithmic Manipulation and Search Result Tampering
• False Claims and Affiliate Marketing Fraud
• Due Care and Negligence in SEO Practices
• Deliverables & Services
• Expert Reports & Declarations (Federal & State Court)
• Deposition and Trial Testimony
• Forensic SEO and Digital Evidence Analysis
• Technical Site Audits & Data Reconstruction
• Competitive SEO Intelligence Reports
• Adherence-to-Standards Assessments
• Algorithm & Ranking Factor Explanation for Lay Audiences

Approach

Dan’s approach is defined by three principles:

• Clarity — Translating technical SEO into understandable, factual analysis.
• Evidence — Grounding every opinion in verifiable digital data.
• Integrity — Offering unbiased, defensible insight to support sound legal outcomes.
• Contact for SEO Expert Witness Engagements

If your firm needs an SEO expert witness or search marketing litigation consultant, contact:
📧 dan@stratexdigitalmarketing.com

📞 720-985-7945