SEO & GEO Governance
SEO & GEO Governance is an independent oversight service providing an unbiased analysis of whether a company’s SEO program is helpful, wasteful, or unclear, with specific recommendations to improve it.
Overview: SEO & GEO Governance
What it is
A fixed-fee review that reveals whether your current (or planned) SEO and/or GEO* program is working at full efficiency to drive sales. This includes evaluating SEO/GEO audits, tickets, communications, governance for SEO work already executed or implemented, and more.
*GEO is “Generative Engine Optimization”. It’s the practice of optimizing for improved AI/LLM visibility. Also referred to as AEO, AIO, and AI SEO.
For companies seeking an expert-level, confidential second opinion on their current or future SEO and/or GEO program. We carry vast experience in large Fortune 500 websites and small local businesses alike. Any industry or niche is eligible.
Who it’s for
Expertise without a sales pitch
Senior SEO Specialists
We are senior-level, enterprise SEO specialists employed with the #1 and #2 most powerful advertising agencies on the planet.
No Conflict of Interest
We’re not taking the work from your existing agency. We’re contractually obligated to refuse ongoing SEO work for our Governance clients.
Jacob Smedley presenting SEO findings to Fairway Mortgage Corp.
Do you need an SEO/GEO Governance evaluation?
If you don’t understand what’s happening within your SEO/GEO program, you need a Governance evaluation.
If you’re considering a significant investment into a new SEO/GEO program, you also need a Governance evaluation.
Why hire Smedley Digital?
The bottom line: we save our clients thousands by showing what’s working, what’s unproductive, and how to move forward with the strongest possible SEO/GEO strategy to drive sales.
Since 2018, Jacob has held Senior SEO & GEO Manager positions with the world’s #1 and #2 ad agencies. In addition to the technical skills required for these enterprise-level roles, he knows where inefficiencies manifest within complex environments.
Jacob Smedley with students from St. Edward’s University’s Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics program after delivering a guest lecture on Organic Search Analytics.
Intake Call
Discuss your SEO & GEO program, goals, possible concerns, and scope of the evaluation.
The SEO/GEO Governance Process
Collection
Hand off deliverables, reports, roadmaps, and other materials needed for the evaluation.
Evaluation
We independently assess the work to determine what should be kept, challenged, or stopped.
Presentation
We present the findings and recommended next steps in clear business terms.
Follow-ups
We’ll provide further guidance as you act on our findings.
This is what creates inefficiency within your SEO program.
Is your SEO agency actually working toward improvement? These are the real issues we see.
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Sometimes, agencies assign non SEO experts to SEO projects. It’s easier for them to utilize existing personnel than hire a dedicated specialist.
In addition, it is commonplace to assign even the most impactful SEO tasks to off-shore and junior talent. These employees are paid about 33% market rate.
Even with a great SEO specialist, the implementation team (developers) must also possess the skills to implement the optimizations.
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Simple exports are sold as audits, which are then uploaded to an LLM, to produce strategic SEO recommendations. This is a problem.
This results in making recommendations for fixing problems that do not exist; or, at best, are severely misprioritized. This is very common upon the advent of AI tools.
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While inevitable to some degree, frequent churn can present major delays and re-learning (which translates into re-paying for you, the client).
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Large agencies undergo weeks of internal approvals to access essential SEO tools, to properly staff your project, and much more.
Your SEO specialist may be afraid to speak up and become proactive since “stirring the pot” is seen as a danger to their internal team members.
As agencies grow, your projects may be progressively (but quietly) neglected as their larger clients are onboarded. -
Due to internal staffing requirements and agency markups, SEO can become unnecessarily expensive. It is common for agencies to quote 2-5x the cost compared to what’s really needed to drive results for your business.
For instance, the agency may have internal requirements that “VP oversight” is provided on all projects over $100K, even with a senior project manager or director present.
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Larger corporations sometimes deploy multiple SEO agencies for one website. While not inherently unwise, there are risks:
Paying for the same work multiple times
Errors due to the “telephone-game” effect
Slower implementation timelines due to communicating simple tasks through multiple contributors
Contradictory recommendations due to one agency not knowing what the other agency is working on
Exaggerated complaints from one agency claiming another agency is doing bad work (in an effort to take the work from them)
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With AI optimization (GEO, AEO, AIO, etc) being a hot topic, many agencies see a gold rush opportunity. Unfortunately, traditional SEO activities are being sold as something new. This results in proposals that “double dip” (i.e. provide the same work twice) for “SEO” and “GEO”. These agencies also tend to overstate results and fail to report LLM-specific metrics.
FAQs
What services do you offer?
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We offer a range of solutions designed to meet your needs—whether you're just getting started or scaling something bigger. Everything is tailored to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
How do I get started?
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Getting started is simple. Reach out through our contact form or schedule a call—we’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.
What makes you different?
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We combine a thoughtful, human-centered approach with clear communication and reliable results. It’s not just what we do—it’s how we do it that sets us apart.
How can I contact you?
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You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.
Get in touch
Smedley Digital offers fancy agency quality at a fraction of the cost.
Submit the contact form and we’ll reach out to you within one business day. Thanks, and we look forward to speaking!
Email: jacob@smedleydigital.com