Independent researchIndependent research
Answered by the FAQ
Eight searches revisited: which passages represented an anonymized page in 2023 and November 2026?
8 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent research
A closer look at
how search works.
Small, focused studies of AI visibility, brand identity and the evidence behind search decisions. The observations, methods and limits are here to explore.
Explore the studies
Independent analysis, separate from client case studies.
Independent research
Independent researchIndependent research
How Search Indexing Works
From posting lists and positions to passages and vectors: a practical explanation of what an index does.
8 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAnonymized archive review
Inside a Real Purge
An anonymized review of a content-maintenance decision sheet, with rounded observations and a closer look at missing dependencies.
9 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAnonymized archive review
Map, Then Remap
Three versions of an anonymized topical map: what changed, what stayed duplicated and how I would record the decisions now.
8 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAnonymized archive review
Too Early to Call
A retrospective look at early core-update reports, rollout timing, overlapping updates and disagreement between metrics.
9 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAnonymized archive review
What Google Knew About 3,801 Pages
An anonymized archive review of the messages displayed by Google’s About this result panel across 3,801 URLs.
7 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchIndependent research
Who AI Recommends for Hotels
A 64-question Google AI Mode snapshot of booking sites, hotel names and sources across the stay journey.
9 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchIndependent research
Who AI Recommends for Private Tours
A 64-question Google AI Mode snapshot of companies and sources across the private-tour booking journey.
8 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchiGaming · Preliminary study
iGaming: Does AI Play by the Rules?
A preliminary audit of operator mentions, citations and safety information in nine Google AI Mode answers about New Jersey online poker.
11 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchInternational schools · Preliminary study
International Schools: The Relocating Parent
A preliminary persona-led study of how Google AI Mode and ChatGPT recommend Singapore international schools to a relocating US family.
10 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchTravel · AI planning journeys
Itinerary First: When Does AI Send Travellers to an Operator?
A two-platform study following a Toronto couple’s Peru-planning conversation to identify when AI names tour operators, guide marketplaces and booking options.
14 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAI search · Evidence review
The 1% Question
An evidence review of AI-search click-through rates, why published studies measure different things, and how to assess visibility beyond direct clicks.
8 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchPassage retrieval · Content structure
Built to Be Retrieved
A controlled study of how section structure, explicit entity names and answer-first writing affect passage retrieval across four open retrieval methods.
9 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchQuery fan-out · Repeated runs
Same Question, Different Searches
Using my Query Fan-out Explorer to examine how reported searches and cited sites change when the same outdoor-gear questions are repeated.
12 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchConversational search · Follow-up queries
The Follow-Up Gap
Using my Follow-Up Query Studio to follow three outdoor-gear conversations and observe when Gemini searches again, carries context forward and cites new sites.
11 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAI retrieval · Citations
Absorbed, Not Credited?
What visible citations can—and cannot—tell us about AI answers to shopping questions.
12 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchE-E-A-T · Evidence
Does Size Buy Trust?
An independent review of visible trust evidence across three Canadian apparel brands.
11 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAI visibility · Retail
The AI Shelf: Skincare
A comparison of Canadian-brand discovery and skin-need recommendations in AI answers.
10 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchAI visibility · Retail
The AI Shelf: Sustainable Apparel
How Canadian apparel brands appeared across shopping prompts in ChatGPT and Google AI Mode.
12 pages · PDFExplore study
Independent researchEntity clarity · Brand
Who Are You, Really?
Checking whether five Canadian B2B brands were described consistently across search and AI.
11 pages · PDFExplore study
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