The SEO Guru

Rank in Search.
Show Up in AI Answers.

Don Phelps is the Director of SEO at FSM, founder of NSYGHT, and author of SEO with a Texas Twist and SEO Myths Debunked. For 20+ years he has helped businesses win the map pack, rank in Google, and get cited by AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

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Don Phelps, The SEO Guru, Austin Texas
20+
Years in SEO
8
Industries Led at FSM
2
Books Published
19
Podcast Episodes

Who Is Don Phelps

SEO + AI Search, Built Together

Don Phelps is a search strategist with 20+ years in SEO who saw the AI shift coming before most. While the industry argued about whether AI search would "kill SEO," Don built a framework that does both - traditional rankings and AI citation.

He is currently the Director of SEO at FSM and a military veteran who served overseas. As the founder of NSYGHT, he works with local businesses and brands that want to stop losing ground to competitors in both Google results and AI-powered answers.

The NSYGHT Stack

SEO
Traditional Search Rankings
Google, Bing - organic positions that compound over time
AEO
Answer Engine Optimization
Featured snippets, People Also Ask, voice search, position zero
GEO
Generative Engine Optimization
ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews - get cited by AI tools
AIO
AI Optimization
Full AI search presence across every major platform

Core Expertise

What Don Works On

Five disciplines that cover the full spectrum of search - from local maps pack to AI-generated summaries.

📍

Local SEO

Google Business Profile, local citations, map pack rankings, and hyper-local content strategy that drives foot traffic and calls.
🎯

Answer Engine Optimization

Featured snippets, PAA boxes, voice search, and position zero. Structure your content to become the answer - not just a result.
🤖

Generative Engine Optimization

Get cited in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Build the entity authority that makes AI tools trust and reference your brand.
🔗

Entity SEO

Build a coherent entity graph so search engines and AI systems understand exactly who you are, what you do, and why you're authoritative.
⚙️

Technical SEO

Core Web Vitals, structured data, crawlability, and site architecture. The foundation every strong search strategy needs to stand on.
🎤

Speaking and Training

Conference keynotes, workshop sessions, and team training on AI search, local SEO strategy, and the future of visibility.

Local SEO Unlocked Podcast

Local SEO Unlocked

Built on Don's frameworks, the podcast digs into local search strategy, AI-powered search changes, Google Business Profile tactics, and what's actually working right now. No fluff, no filler.

Buzzsprout Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music

Recent Episodes

19
From SEO to GEO: Making Your Content AI-Friendly in the Age of Generative Search
Making your content AI-friendly as generative search replaces pages of blue links. · Aug 29, 2025 · 16 min
18
LLMS.txt: The Secret Map for Teaching AI to Understand Your Website
How the llms.txt file helps AI tools understand your website's most important pages. · Jul 7, 2025 · 14 min
17
Beyond SEO: Understanding AEO, GEO, and AIO in the AI-Powered Digital World
Traditional SEO compared with AEO, GEO, and AIO in an AI-powered search world. · Jul 6, 2025 · 8 min

YouTube

Watch Don on YouTube

SEO tutorials, local search walkthroughs, AI search explainers, and strategy breakdowns on the @donphelpsseo channel.

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FAQ

Questions About Don and His Work

What is AEO - Answer Engine Optimization?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content to appear directly in search engine answer boxes, featured snippets, People Also Ask results, and voice search responses. AEO focuses on capturing position zero and giving search engines the exact structured answer format they need to surface your content at the top of results - before organic link #1.
What is GEO - Generative Engine Optimization?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing content to be cited and referenced by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and other large language models. GEO ensures your brand and expertise show up when AI systems generate answers for your target audience's questions - even when they never click a link.
What does The SEO Guru specialize in?
Don Phelps - The SEO Guru - specializes in Local SEO, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), Google Business Profile optimization, entity-driven SEO, and technical SEO. He helps businesses rank in traditional search while also building visibility in AI-powered search results through the NSYGHT Stack framework.
What is the Local SEO Unlocked podcast?
Local SEO Unlocked is a podcast built on Don Phelps's SEO frameworks, covering local search strategy, Google Business Profile optimization, AI-powered search trends, and actionable SEO tactics. The show is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Buzzsprout with 19+ episodes published.
What is the NSYGHT Stack?
The NSYGHT Stack is Don Phelps's framework that combines traditional SEO with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and AIO (AI Optimization) to build full-spectrum search visibility. The stack ensures businesses rank in classic search results and also show up when AI tools answer questions about their industry.
How can I work with Don Phelps?
Don works with businesses and brands on SEO strategy, AI search visibility, consulting engagements, and speaking. You can reach him through the contact page or connect on LinkedIn.

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