About John Puno

A senior SEO consultant brings experience, judgment, and strategic clarity to complex search problems. With over 15 years of hands-on experience, the focus is on diagnosing root causes, validating strategy, and reducing risk rather than selling execution. This approach helps businesses make confident SEO decisions in competitive, regulated, and high-stakes environments.

John Puno, SEO Consultant Profile Picture

I am a senior SEO consultant with more than 15 years of experience helping businesses navigate complex search challenges, competitive markets, and periods of uncertainty in organic growth.

My work today focuses on strategy, diagnostics, and advisory rather than execution. That shift did not happen by accident. It came from years of seeing well-resourced teams doing more SEO work without solving the right problems.

How My Approach to SEO Evolved

I started my career working hands-on across technical support, web platforms, and early SEO projects, long before search became as commercialized and automated as it is today. Over time, I worked across local, national, and international websites, supporting businesses operating in highly competitive environments.

In the earlier years, success in SEO often came from effort. Publishing more pages, building more links, and fixing visible issues could move the needle quickly. As algorithms matured and competition increased, I noticed a pattern emerge. The businesses struggling most were not lacking activity. They were lacking clarity.

SEO had become less about tactics and more about decisions.

That realization reshaped how I work. Instead of focusing on execution volume, I began concentrating on understanding root causes, validating assumptions, and prioritizing actions that genuinely reduce risk and compound over time.

What I Actually Do as an SEO Consultant

As an SEO consultant, my role is not to replace in-house teams or agencies. It is to help businesses make better decisions before committing time, budget, and resources.

This typically involves:

  • Diagnosing technical and structural issues that quietly limit growth
  • Validating whether an existing SEO strategy is sound or flawed
  • Identifying why traffic has stalled or dropped
  • Helping teams prioritize what matters instead of chasing every recommendation

Much of this work happens before execution begins. When the direction is wrong, more execution only accelerates failure.

Experience Across Competitive and High-Risk Environments

Over the past 15+ years, I have worked across a wide range of industries and markets, including Australia, the United States, and Europe. My experience includes:

  • Multi-location service businesses operating in aggressive local search landscapes
  • Regulated and high-trust environments, including healthcare
  • Large WordPress websites with legacy technical debt
  • Businesses expanding into new regions or international markets
  • Organizations recovering from algorithm impacts or major traffic losses

While I do not publicly name past clients due to NDAs and sensitive information, the common thread across my work is complexity. These are not early-stage websites looking for basic optimization. They are established businesses where mistakes are costly and clarity matters.

Check out my case studies to see more about my works results.

Why I Focus on Strategy and Diagnostics

SEO is often sold as a checklist or a package. In reality, it is a system where small decisions can have long-term consequences.

I focus on diagnostics and strategy because:

  • Many SEO problems are symptoms, not root causes
  • Conflicting advice creates paralysis rather than progress
  • Execution without prioritization increases risk
  • Senior oversight often saves more money than it costs

By slowing the process down at the right moments, businesses avoid expensive missteps and gain confidence in the direction they are taking.

Where AI Fits Into My Work

AI has changed how search engines interpret content, authority, and relevance. It has also changed how businesses consume information and make decisions.

I use AI as a support system, not a shortcut. This includes:

  • Analyzing patterns across large datasets
  • Interpreting SERP changes more efficiently
  • Stress-testing assumptions against multiple scenarios
  • Improving clarity and consistency in decision-making

AI does not replace experience or judgment. It amplifies them when used correctly.

How I Work With Clients Today

Today, I work with founders, executives, and in-house teams who need senior-level input rather than another layer of execution.

Engagements are typically focused on:

I do not offer low-cost SEO packages or execution-only services. My role is to help businesses understand what is happening, why it is happening, and what to do next.

A Calm, Practical Approach to SEO

SEO does not need to feel overwhelming or uncertain. Most confusion comes from too much noise and not enough prioritization.

My approach is calm, practical, and grounded in experience. I aim to replace uncertainty with clarity and help businesses move forward with confidence rather than guesswork.

If you are looking for a strategic partner to help you think clearly about SEO, you can learn more about how I work through the services on this site or reach out directly to start a conversation.

Start the Conversation

If you are unsure about your current SEO direction, recovering from a traffic drop, or planning your next phase of growth, you can reach out to discuss whether my approach is a fit.

You can contact me directly via the Contact page to start a strategic conversation.

Email

contact@johnpuno.com