Svet Petkov

Founder at Storyhawk.io & Head of Technical SEO at The Telegraph
I am Svet, a technical SEO leader with over a decade of experience in data-driven optimisation and large-scale digital platforms. At The Telegraph, I lead the technical SEO strategy, streamline workflows and develop AI-driven tools that enhance analysis and decision-making. My expertise spans SEO optimisation for news publishers, with a strong focus on Python, data and automation to deliver meaningful insights and uncover the narratives behind the data. Over the past year, I have concentrated on LLMs and vibe coding, using rapid, intuitive development to automate SEO processes and create practical AI solutions. I am also the founder of StoryHawk.io, a SaaS platform that combines news tracking with AI tooling to help publishers anticipate trends and adapt their content strategies.

Experience

I started back in 2015 with SEO. From 2020 I have a strong passion in the programming language Python, automations and data manipulation.

Expertise

- Technical SEO 
- Site performance
- GenAI for SEO
- Python for SEO
- SEO for news publishers

Latest Posts:

September 25, 2025
Understanding Organic Traffic from Google News, News Tab, and Top Stories: A Guide for Publishers

TL;DR 1. Google News App What it is:Google News is a dedicated product (news.google.com and the Google News app) that aggregates headlines across publishers worldwide. It personalises feeds using a mix of algorithms and user preferences. Why it matters:Appearing in Google News can increase brand discovery and drive recurring visits beyond traditional search intent. Where […]

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September 15, 2025
How to select a Preferred Source in Google Top Stories

Google has dropped a feature that feels a bit like picking your favourite table in a café. It’s called Preferred Source and it’s now showing up in Google Top Stories. In short, you can tell Google which news outlets you’d like to see more often. If you’ve ever thought, “I wish Google would stop showing […]

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July 16, 2025
StoryHawk: The Best Alternative to Trisolute for Tracking Google Top Stories

TL;DRTrisolute News Dashboard offers enterprise-level Google Top Stories tracking but comes at a high, quote-only price. StoryHawk gives you the same speed, visibility, and competitive insights - without the cost or complexity. What Does Trisolute News Dashboard Do? Trisolute News Dashboard (ND) has long been used in big newsrooms. It refreshes Google News and SERP […]

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June 29, 2025
Google Tests “Preferred Sources” in Top Stories: What News Publishers Need to Know

Google is testing a new way to personalise Top Stories in Search results - one that could reshape your visibility overnight. TL;DR What’s Changing in Top Stories? In late June 2025, Google rolled out a Search Labs experiment called “Preferred Sources”. This feature lets users: Source: http://searchengineland.com/google-search-tests-preferred-sources-for-top-stories-457640 This doesn’t replace algorithmic rankings—it supplements them with […]

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February 20, 2025
Tracking Google Top Stories: What We Can Learn

Google Top Stories highlights trending news articles at the top of search results. It updates frequently, showcasing articles from various sources based on relevance, freshness, and authority. Tracking Top Stories helps SEO specialists, audience performance specialists, content creators, and news publishers understand ranking trends. By analysing this data, they can optimise content in almost real-time, […]

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February 13, 2025
LiveBlog Posting and its importance for Google News(Top Stories)

What is LiveBlog Posting? LiveBlog Posting is a form of real-time blogging that provides continuous updates on unfolding events, such as sports matches, political elections, breaking news, or product launches. Why is LiveBlog Posting Important for Google News? Real-time Content Delivery Google loves fresh, up-to-date content — and LiveBlogs delivers exactly that. With frequent updates, […]

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October 12, 2024
Google News XML sitemap for news publishers

A Google News XML sitemap is a specialized XML sitemap created for news websites to help Google News discover and index their content more efficiently. Unlike a regular XML sitemap that includes all the pages of a website, a Google News sitemap specifically lists news articles published within the last 48 hours and allows Google […]

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October 6, 2024
Statistical Insights on How News Publishers Rank in Google During U.S. Elections 2024

The U.S. election season brings a huge surge in online activity, with millions of people turning to search engines for the latest news and updates. During this time, ranking high in Google’s Top Stories becomes crucial for news publishers. Getting featured in this section can drive massive traffic and boost visibility, giving publishers an edge […]

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August 15, 2024
What is Google Top Stories carousel?

Google Top Stories is a prominent section within Google Search that features trending news articles related to users' search queries. It prioritises timely, relevant content from reputable sources, displaying it at the top of the search results page to provide users with the most current news information. Where It Appears? Top Stories typically appear prominently […]

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August 12, 2024
LiveBlogPosting Schema: Booster for Top Stories Success

Live blogs are web pages that are frequently updated during events like the General Elections. Each update can be set up to show as a detailed preview within the blog. Schema.org offers a special LiveBlogPosting type just for this kind of content. How often Google is showing the "Live" badge/pill on Top Stories? During the […]

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