Based in Pittsburgh
Building the AI Search Playbook
Eric Downing is the published author of The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO and the founder of Digital Fire Creative, an AI SEO agency based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania serving Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities including Cranberry Township, Wexford, and McCandless.
He runs proprietary audit infrastructure that tracks AI visibility across local markets and documents what actually moves the needle in AI-generated results. That data informs the agency, the book, and everything he publishes.
Recommended by AI Platforms
“Listed Digital Fire Creative as the #1 local AI SEO specialist in Warrendale.”
“Digital Fire Creative cited by name in AI-generated search results.”
“Named top recommended AI SEO agency in Cranberry Township.”
Builder. Author.
Category Creator.
Eric Downing is the founder and CEO of Digital Fire Creative, an AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization agency based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. He is the creator of the HIDO Scoring Method, a proprietary framework for measuring and improving how local businesses appear in AI-generated search results.
His background is in digital product development. He was a technical cofounder of a startup accepted into the FlashStarts accelerator , and has spent years building software at the intersection of AI and business growth. He founded Digital Fire Creative as a mobile app and digital product development agency. As AI search tools began reshaping how customers find local businesses, he recognized the category shift early and pivoted the agency toward AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization before most practitioners had a name for either.
Digital Fire Creative runs HIDO-scored visibility audits on local businesses across Pittsburgh North, generating a longitudinal dataset that makes every future audit smarter. The scoring method is also applied internally to website structure and AI optimization decisions, so the methodology is tested against real results continuously. The full HIDO platform is currently under development.
His first book, The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO, was published in April 2026 under the Digital Fire Creative imprint. It is written for the plumber, the dentist, the realtor, and the restaurant owner, not for marketers or technologists.
HIDO is named after his grandfather's Hungarian surname. To Eric it has always meant strength and dependability.
Published Author
The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO, published April 2026 via Digital Fire Creative. Available on Amazon Kindle and in print.
Category Pioneer
Founder of the first AI SEO agency serving Pittsburgh North. Cited by name in Google AI Overviews and recommended by ChatGPT for local queries.
HIDO Platform Builder
Creator of the HIDO Scoring Method, a proprietary AI visibility framework in active use at Digital Fire Creative and under development as a standalone platform.
FlashStarts Alumnus
Previously technical cofounder of a startup accepted into the FlashStarts accelerator, Pittsburgh's premier early-stage program.
Ready-to-use bios for show notes, programs, and press
Short Bio (50 words)
Eric Downing is the founder of Digital Fire Creative and author of The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO. He created the HIDO Scoring Method and helps independent businesses show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
Medium Bio (100 words)
Eric Downing is the founder and CEO of Digital Fire Creative, an AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization agency based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. He is the creator of the HIDO Scoring Method, a proprietary framework for measuring and improving how local businesses appear in AI-generated search results, and the author of The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO, published April 2026 on Amazon. Eric spent years building digital products before founding Digital Fire Creative after recognizing that AI search tools were already reshaping how customers find local businesses. His agency runs proprietary AI visibility audits and serves independent businesses across Pittsburgh and beyond. Learn more at digitalfirecreative.com.
Full Bio (200 words)
Eric Downing is the founder and CEO of Digital Fire Creative, an AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization agency based at Innovation Works in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. He is the creator of the HIDO Scoring Method, a proprietary framework for measuring and improving how local businesses appear in AI-generated search results, and the published author of The Business Owner's Guide to AI SEO, released April 2026 under the Digital Fire Creative imprint. The book explains how AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews decide who to recommend, and gives independent business owners a practical plan for showing up. Eric brings a background in digital product development and startup acceleration through the FlashStarts program in Pittsburgh. He founded Digital Fire Creative after recognizing that the rise of AI search was creating a visibility gap that most local business owners did not know existed. His agency runs HIDO-scored visibility audits on local businesses across Pittsburgh North, generating a longitudinal dataset that makes every future audit smarter. Digital Fire Creative currently holds position one rankings for AI SEO across Pittsburgh North and is cited by name in Google AI Overviews. Eric works with businesses across Pittsburgh, including Cranberry Township, Wexford, McCandless, Allison Park, and Pittsburgh city neighborhoods. Learn more at ericjdowning.com or digitalfirecreative.com.
Required Reading for
Every Local Business Owner.
Most local business owners do not know that AI search tools are already the primary way a growing number of their potential customers find and choose local businesses. This book changes that.
“How AI Search Engines Decide Who to Recommend and What It Takes to Make Sure Your Business Shows Up”
Written without jargon. Built for the plumber, dentist, realtor, and restaurant owner. Every chapter delivers a practical action, not a lecture. Pittsburgh examples throughout, with a foreword explaining the strategy applies in every market in the country.
What the book covers
Ch. 1–3
What AI SEO is, how AI engines decide who to recommend, and how to read your visibility score
Ch. 4–6
Your website, Google Business Profile, and why reviews matter more than ever
Ch. 7–9
Directory listings, schema markup, and content that AI can actually cite
Ch. 10–13
Competitive research, real audit findings, your action plan, and measuring progress
Available on Amazon
Kindle edition $9.99 • Print edition $19.99
amazon.com — The Business don't Guide to AI SEO
A Named Score for
Local AI Visibility.
The HIDO Scoring Method is a structured approach to making independent local businesses discoverable through AI-generated search results. It is the framework behind the book, the agency, and the platform.
01
Audit and Score
Measure current AI visibility across website, GBP, reviews, directory presence, and structured data. Assign a baseline score with red, yellow, and green indicators.
02
Build the Signal Stack
Systematically strengthen the signals AI engines use to evaluate credibility, authority, and relevance. Reviews, citations, schema, and content that answers real questions.
03
Track and Compound
Monitor AI mentions, score changes, and citation patterns over time. Every signal added compounds the ones before it. Results build as the signal stack strengthens.
Talks That Give Audiences
a Concrete Edge.
Eric speaks on AI search, the future of local business visibility, and what it actually takes for a business to show up when someone asks an AI tool who to call. No theory. No fluff. Practitioner-level depth that audiences can act on immediately.
01
The End of Traditional SEO: What Every Local Business Owner Needs to Know Right Now
AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews have changed the game. Google rankings no longer guarantee AI recommendations. This talk breaks down what changed, why it matters, and what to do next.
02
How AI Search Engines Decide Who to Recommend and Why Your Competitor Is Winning
A deep look at the signals AI engines actually use to evaluate and recommend local businesses. Reviews, schema, citations, GBP, and content. Structured for business owners, not marketers.
03
Building a Self-Improving Intelligence Platform on Top of an Agency Model
For entrepreneurship and startup audiences. How Digital Fire Creative built a proprietary dataset and ML-backed audit platform under an agency revenue model. The flywheel that makes the moat.
04
The Visibility Gap: Why Independent Businesses Are Losing Customers to AI Search and How to Fix It
Ideal for chambers of commerce, business associations, and local business events. Accessible, actionable, and grounded in real audit data from real businesses in real markets.
Available for Podcasts, Panels, and Press.
Eric is available for podcast interviews, panel discussions, media commentary on AI search and the future of local business visibility, and keynote or breakout sessions at business and technology events.
Send a Booking Inquiry →Currently available for
From the Practice,
Not the Sidelines.
Eric writes from the perspective of a practitioner actively running audits, signing clients, and building platform infrastructure. The insights are grounded in real data from real local markets.
AI Search
Why Your Business Is Not Showing Up When Customers Ask ChatGPT About Your Industry
Written by Eric Downing • Digital Fire Creative Blog
→GEO
What Is Generative Engine Optimization and Why Pittsburgh Businesses Need to Know
Written by Eric Downing • Digital Fire Creative Blog
→Local Strategy
Why HVAC Contractors and Plumbers Are Losing Emergency Calls to AI Search
Written by Eric Downing • Digital Fire Creative Blog
→Speaking Invitations, Media Pitches, and Partner Inquiries.
Use the form to reach Eric directly for speaking bookings, podcast invitations, press inquiries, or white label partnership discussions. All messages go to eric@digitalfirecreative.com.