John Shehata
John Shehata is the CEO of NewzDash and GDdash, founder of the News and Editorial SEO Summit, and one of the world's leading experts in news SEO. With over 25 years in digital marketing, he has held leadership roles at Condé Nast and Disney ABC, and helped major brands like Vogue, ABC News, and ESPN grow through search. A contributing author of The Art of SEO, John is a globally respected speaker and consultant shaping the future of editorial search.Biography
John Shehata is a globally recognised leader in news SEO and audience development, with over 25 years of experience driving organic growth for some of the most influential media brands in the world. He is the CEO and Founder of NewzDash, an award winning real time SEO platform tailored for publishers, and GDdash, a powerful analytics and optimisation tool for Google Discover. Through these platforms, he equips editorial teams with the data and insights needed to boost visibility in Google Search, Top Stories, Google News, and Discover.
John Shehata is also the founder of NESS, the News and Editorial SEO Summit, which has drawn over 700 attendees from more than 50 countries. As the former Vice President of Audience Development Strategy at Condé Nast, he oversaw SEO, social media strategy, and email operations across 16 premium titles including Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, GQ and Wired. Before that, he led SEO and social media for Disney ABC TV Group, supporting major brands like ABC News, Good Morning America, Oscars, and Disney Channels.
Throughout his career, John Shehata has worked with hundreds of newsrooms and enterprise organisations, helping optimise platforms for major outlets including The Atlantic, Reddit, ESPN, GameSpot, Fandom, and The Sporting News. He has earned a reputation for his deep technical expertise, his ability to bridge the gap between editorial and engineering, and his talent for helping content teams understand and harness search for sustained growth.
A contributing author of the industry standard book The Art of SEO, John Shehata has also been named one of the 10 Most Influential SEO Experts by USA Today’s Listwire. His passion for educating the next generation of journalists and marketers is evident in his ongoing training at NYU’s Journalism Institute and his frequent appearances at global conferences.
By combining practical insight with innovative product development, John Shehata continues to shape the future of editorial SEO, making him one of the most respected and sought after experts in digital publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. John Shehata has spoken at numerous international conferences and is the founder of the News and Editorial SEO Summit (NESS), which draws over 700 attendees from more than 50 countries. He is also a regular guest speaker at institutions like NYU and contributor to industry leading publications.
John Shehata brings a rare combination of technical SEO expertise, deep knowledge of editorial workflows, and a publisher first mindset. He speaks from direct experience leading large teams and building SEO programs at the highest levels of digital media, making his sessions both strategic and highly practical.
John Shehata has led or supported SEO and audience strategy efforts for global brands including Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, ABC News, ESPN, Disney Channels, Reddit, Fandom, and GameSpot. His strategies have helped these brands improve visibility across Google platforms and increase engagement at scale.
John Shehata specialises in news SEO, technical SEO, Google Discover optimisation, audience development strategy, and the intersection of editorial content with search performance. He frequently discusses real time SEO for publishers, how to improve visibility in Google News and Top Stories, and trends shaping search for digital media.