AI search/SEO/AEO · Chicago

Need a Chicago SEO expert?

My name is Dusty Lawless, no kidding. I'm an AI search/SEO/AEO pro based in Chicago.

Oh, and I built this site, too.

See my work

Brands I've worked with

  • CDW
  • The House Tutoring Lounge
  • EdTech Magazine
  • FedTech Magazine
  • eBay
  • Smile Politely
  • UrbanMatter

What I do

Search, content & the craft in between

Technical SEO

Crawling, indexation, canonicalization, XML sitemaps, robots.txt and Core Web Vitals diagnostics for large e-commerce sites.

Content SEO

Keyword research, site architecture and content strategy, prioritized with data from analytics and Search Console.

Writing & copywriting

Researched, search-optimized articles on technology, education and music, in voices from buyer's guide to backstage casual.

UX writing & content design

Clear microcopy built on semantic, accessible HTML that serves people and crawlers alike.

Selected articles

My writing work

CDW.com

Cat5 vs. Cat6 Ethernet Cables

Learn the differences between Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a Ethernet cables and find the best type of Ethernet cable for your needs. I did the writing, research, SEO research and built the article.

CDW.com

Laptop vs. Desktop: Pros and Cons

This article breaks down the pros and cons of laptops vs. desktops so you can make an informed decision on which is best for you. Used generative AI to outline. I wrote the content and did the SEO research.

CDW.com

CPU vs. RAM

Keep reading to learn more about how both components work and what their specifications can mean for overall performance. I wrote the content, did the SEO research, and built the article.

CDW.com

M.2 vs. NVMe vs. 2.5" vs. U.2 SSDs

This article breaks down the primary types of SSDs. I wrote the content, did the SEO research, and built the article.

CDW.com

Desktop PC vs. All-in-One Computers

Debating between buying an all-in-one vs. a desktop computer? Read this comprehensive guide. I wrote the content, did the SEO research, and built the article.

CDW.com

Top 10 Pros and Cons of Chromebooks

Be aware of the pros and cons of Chromebooks before you make your purchase. I wrote the content, did the SEO research, and built the article.

Smile Politely

A pioneer of the bass guitar

I wrote this performance preview article during college. It's about one of my bass heroes, written in a casual voice.

Side projects

My dev work

Frontend Mentor

Article Component

A little article component, made with a splash of ES6 vanilla JavaScript.

The Odin Project

Library Project

A little app for tracking the books you've read.

The Odin Project

Tic Tac Toe

The timeless classic. Play vs. another player or the computer.

The Odin Project

Etch-a-Sketch

Etch-A-Sketch project from The Odin Project curriculum. Learned about CSS Grid.

The Odin Project

Calculator

Created a basic calculator.

The Odin Project

Software Dashboard

Created the UI for a dashboard with a combo of CSS Grid and Flexbox.

Portrait of Dusty Lawless
  • LinkedIn
  • GitHub
  • Frontend Mentor

Hello!

About me

I'm a subject matter expert and educator in search engine optimization for a Fortune 200 company and tutor community college students on the side.

I am an expert in content, technical, and AI search SEO for e-commerce websites and a student of web development (I hand-built this site with HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript). I'm open to freelance and part-time work in writing or SEO. I particularly enjoy writing about technology, education, and music.

I take a product owner mentality to search engine optimization, creating product roadmaps, presenting SEO business cases, and using data-driven insights to help product owners and SEO teams alike prioritize their initiatives.

SEO skills

  • AI search optimization
  • Answer engine optimization (AEO)
  • Keyword research
  • Link building
  • Site architecture
  • Content writing
  • Content strategy
  • Canonicalization
  • Crawling & indexation
  • Semantic HTML
  • Web accessibility
  • XML sitemaps
  • robots.txt
  • Core Web Vitals

Tools & platforms

  • Claude Code
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Search Console
  • seoClarity
  • Moz
  • Screaming Frog
  • Google Ads
  • Lighthouse
  • PageSpeed Insights
  • WebPageTest
  • AEM
  • WordPress
  • Magento
  • Squarespace
  • Weebly

My personal hobbies include playing bass guitar, creative writing, web development, gardening, boxing, yoga, reading (a lot of Stephen King!), and biking.

Let's make something people can find.

Open to freelance and part-time work in SEO and writing.

Contact Dusty Lawless