Manick
Bhan

Overview

Manick Bhan founded Search Atlas, an AI-powered SEO platform serving 30,000+ customers and 5,000+ agencies worldwide, and developed OTTO SEO, the world's first autonomous AI SEO agent.

Manick graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Chemistry. He also founded LinkGraph, a full-service digital marketing agency recognized as a 3x INC 5000 fastest-growing company, SEOTheory, an SEO education platform, and serves as a Subject Matter Expert and Academy Instructor at DigitalMarketer.

His work and perspective have been featured by Forbes, VentureBeat, and the Best AI Search Software Solution at the Global Search Awards 2025.

With more than a decade of experience across technical SEO, machine learning, and growth automation, Manick has built products used by enterprise brands including Shutterfly, Samsung, Roto-Rooter, Serena and Lily, AutoTrader, Vendasta, University of Cincinnati, and Procter and Gamble. His writing has appeared in Content Marketing Institute and more than 30 other publications.

Under Manick's technical leadership, Search Atlas grew from $2M to $30M ARR and from 50 to 250+ employees. In March 2025, the platform integrated with HighLevel (GHL), delivering AI-powered SEO tools to 1.4 million businesses.

Background

From Goldman Sachs to autonomous agents.

Manick was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland to parents from Kashmir. He attended high school in New Jersey near Princeton before earning the A.B. Duke Scholarship to study Neuroscience, Chemistry, and Music at Duke University.

After Duke, Manick joined Goldman Sachs as a quantitative analyst, where he spent approximately five years on the bond trading desk. He later left Wall Street to pursue entrepreneurship and taught himself software engineering.

In 2011, Manick founded Rukkus.com, a live-entertainment ticketing search engine described as the Kayak.com of event tickets. Rukkus aggregated over 100 ticket sites, pioneered VR Seat View technology, held two U.S. patents, and was acquired by TickPick in July 2018.

Rukkus was featured in Crain's New York Business. He later built LinkGraph and Search Atlas into the product and services ecosystem behind OTTO SEO.

1. 2006
   Duke University

   A.B. Duke Scholarship, Neuroscience and Chemistry, Duke Men's Crew
2. 2009
   Goldman Sachs

   Quantitative analyst, bond trading. Advisory on Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger and Groupon IPO.
3. 2011
   Rukkus.com

   Live-entertainment ticketing search engine. Pioneered VR Seat View tech. 2 U.S. patents. Acquired by TickPick.
4. 2019
   LinkGraph

   Co-founded with Arman Advani. #1 Start-Up Agency, U.S. Search Awards 2021. 3x INC 5000.
5. 2020- Now
   Search Atlas

   Co-founded with Sophia Deluz-Bhan. 30,000+ customers, 5,000+ agencies, 250+ employees. Built OTTO SEO.

AI Innovations

Technologies Manick has built and shipped.

Representative Results

Outcomes from tools and strategies Manick has built.

Education

• Duke University (2006-2009): B.S. in Neuroscience and Chemistry; Certificate in Markets and Management; recipient of the A.B. Duke Full Academic Scholarship.
• Self-taught software engineer: studied Google patents, ranking-factor correlations, and technical SEO research while building Search Atlas and LinkGraph systems.

Awards & Recognition

Publications & Bylined Articles

Manick has published 76+ bylined articles across leading industry outlets. View the full portfolio ->

Also published in: WordStream, ReadWrite, Databox, LOCALiQ, Outbrain, OnCrawl, MartechSeries, Digital Summit, Serpstat, Improvado, 20+ more.

Conference Speaking

Manick has spoken at 25+ industry conferences worldwide. View full list ->

Podcast Appearances

Press & Media Coverage

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Manick is the Director of the Animal Heroes Fund, which provides grants, free classes, software, and services to nonprofits protecting farmed animals. He co-operates Paz Sanctuarywith his wife Sophia and supports rescue and social-impact organizations.

Through the LinkGraph Cares program, the company has donated over $150,000to more than 20 organizations, including Farm Sanctuary, Equal Justice Initiative, The Humane Society of the United States, Animal Equality, and Campaign Zero.

The company's plant-based workplace and social-impact programs have been covered by DigiDay, VegWorld Magazine, and Authority Magazine. His local leadership was also noted in a Vegas Inc 40 Under 40 profile.

Personal

Manick lives in San Francisco, California with his wife Sophia Deluz-Bhan, co-founder and COO of Search Atlas Group, their daughter Ruby, and a house full of animals. He manages a fully remote team of 250+ employees across time zones with an async-first culture.