Admitted to a ranking on documented work, outside the top three for every question it appears in. None of its 6 documented work claims comes from an independent source.
Best position #10 Local SEO in Houston, of 19 · also in 9 more rankings
Why: Rated from the evidence on file (sources, independence, confirmed quotes), not by an editor.
Opens in your own account with a ready question and a link to the same data. Nothing about you is sent.
on Google4.3/516 reviews as of Nov 2, 2026- 0% written in the last 12 months
- 13% rate it 3 stars or lower
- 80% of Google reviews answered
Clients consistently praise Directory One for deep SEO knowledge, responsive support, and tangible results like higher rankings and more leads. A few negative reviews mention unprofessional behavior or rude phone handling, but they are rare. Overall, reviews are overwhelmingly positive and consistent across platforms.More
- Results and effectiveness6
- Knowledge and experience6
- Customer support and responsiveness4
“you have us ranking number one!”
Show 2 more quotesHide quotes
“The CEO is very knowledgeable because he has many years of experience.”
“quick responses, and helpful suggestions”
- Unprofessional behavior1
- Rude customer service1
“Unprofessional”
Show 1 more quoteHide quotes
“Guy answering the phone was rude and hung up on me”
- SEO4
- Website design3
- Online reputation management1
- Dentist
- Plumbing business
- Local service business
Show 4 named client quotesHide named client quotes
“Our website was dead. Literally getting no traffic. After they optimized it for local SEO, we're getting calls from people in our neighborhood every single day. Game changer for our plumbing business. — Marc Kelley”
“I was skeptical when they said they could help with our online reputation. But Phillip's team responded to negative reviews professionally, encouraged happy customers to leave feedback, and our rating went from 3.2 to 4.7 stars in just five months. People definitely notice that stuff. — Mark Skellenger”
“We needed a new website fast and they delivered. They built it in a month, it looks incredible, and it actually drives real traffic. Seriously impressed with how quickly they worked and the quality they produced. — Sue Ellen Richardson DDS”
“I run a local service business and local SEO is literally everything for me. They optimized my Google Business profile, got my citations cleaned up, fixed all the inconsistencies, and now I'm showing up in maps search every single day. This completely changed my business. — Anthony John”
- Your business matches the client types on file: local businesses.
- You need what reviewers hired it for: SEO (4 of 8 mentions); Website design (3).
- Read the criticism first: "Unprofessional behavior" (1 of 15 reviews read).
- Read the criticism first: "Rude customer service" (1 of 15 reviews read).
- You need a published price before the first call: nothing is disclosed.
No documented work claim comes from an independent source yet.
- None of the 6 documented work claims comes from an independent source; all are the agency's own account or sources it controls.
- Several commercial terms are not published.
- Ask for the hourly rate, minimum term, setup fee: not published.
- Ask for two client references you can call: no independent accounts of its work on file.
- Ask which case is closest to your business and what the measured result was: no proof on file carries a number.
- #9 Bear SEO54Ranks above on this question#9#10 this oneScore5451Independent00PriceFrom $1,250/monthnot disclosedModerate confidence · own published cases · Not verified
- #11 Canopy Media50Ranks below on this question#11#10 this oneScore5051Independent00Pricenot disclosednot disclosedModerate confidence · own published cases · Not verified
All detailsEverything behind the summary above: the same data the machine feed serves for Directory One.Open ↓Close ↑
Score by criterion#10 Local SEO in Houston: 51/100
| Criterion | Weight | Points | Share | What it rests on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence for this query | 30 | 12 | 40% |
|
| Fit to this query | 25 | 19 | 76% |
|
| Capability depth | 15 | 12.2 | 81% |
|
| Reliability | 10 | 7.2 | 72% |
|
| Transparencyweakest | 10 | 0 | 0% |
|
| Reputation | 5 | 2.6 | 52% |
|
| Market credibility | 5 | 0 | 0% |
|
- -2 Profile below decision-ready status: the profile is collected but not reviewed yet.
All claims in the feed6 of 7 on file · 0 of 6 work claims from an independent source
Who says it, across all 7 claims on file: independent source 1 · linked to the agency 0 · listings the agency writes 0 · agency's own words 6. Independent share of work claims: 0%. 3 distinct source pages.
Claims per need in this feed: SEO for Marketplaces 3 · Local SEO 2. The full ledger of 7 is on the proof page.
Directory One helped Mark Skellenger manage his online reputation by responding to negative reviews and encouraging customers to leave feedback. He reports that the rating rose from 3.2 to 4.7 stars in five months.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workin just five monthsSEO for MarketplacesQuote from the source page
I was skeptical when they said they could help with our online reputation. But Phillip's team responded to negative reviews professionally, encouraged happy customers to leave feedback, and our rating went from 3.2 to 4.7 stars in just five months. People definitely notice that stuff., Mark Skellenger
Directory One created TikTok content for an unnamed client, which the client says gained 15K followers in four months.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workin four monthsSEO for MarketplacesQuote from the source page
Our TikTok presence was basically zero because we didn't understand the platform at all. Directory One created content that actually resonates with Gen Z and got us 15K followers in four months. Honestly, it blew all our expectations out of the water., Anonymous
A competitive keyword cluster reached a Page 1 ranking in 7 months.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workin 7 monthsQuote from the source page
🏆 Page 1 ranking in 7 months for a competitive keyword cluster.
Directory One built Sue Ellen Richardson DDS a website in a month, and she reports that it drives real traffic.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workin a monthSEO for MarketplacesQuote from the source page
We needed a new website fast and they delivered. They built it in a month, it looks incredible, and it actually drives real traffic. Seriously impressed with how quickly they worked and the quality they produced., Sue Ellen Richardson DDS
Directory One optimized Marc Kelley's website for local SEO, after which his plumbing business received calls from people in his neighborhood every day.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workLocal SEOQuote from the source page
Our website was dead. Literally getting no traffic. After they optimized it for local SEO, we're getting calls from people in our neighborhood every single day. Game changer for our plumbing business., Marc Kelley
Directory One optimized Anthony John's Google Business profile and cleaned up his citations and inconsistencies. He reports appearing in maps search every day.
Agency's own wordsdirectoryone.comclaimed: Recorded as the source states it; not independently confirmed.quote confirmed, checked Nov 2, 2026describes workLocal SEOQuote from the source page
I run a local service business and local SEO is literally everything for me. They optimized my Google Business profile, got my citations cleaned up, fixed all the inconsistencies, and now I'm showing up in maps search every single day. This completely changed my business., Anthony John
Positions in every ranking10 rankings
10 positions: 10 where a claim on file names the need, 0 listed on offer only. The top 5 by evidence first; the rest open below.
| Ranking | Rank | Score | Claims for the need | Confidence | Weakest criterion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO for Marketplaces · New Yorkon its own published cases | #19 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Miamion its own published cases | #21 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Dallason its own published cases | #22 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Phoenixon its own published cases | #22 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Houstonon its own published cases | #10 of 53 | 52 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
5 more positionsHide the other 5
| Ranking | Rank | Score | Claims for the need | Confidence | Weakest criterion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO for Marketplaces · Chicagoon its own published cases | #19 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · San Franciscoon its own published cases | #19 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Seattleon its own published cases | #19 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| SEO for Marketplaces · Atlantaon its own published cases | #21 of 53 | 43 | 3 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
| Local SEO · Houstonon its own published cases | #10 of 19 | 51 | 2 (0 independent) | Moderate confidence | Transparency 0 of 10 |
Fit and geography
- Headquarters
- Houston, TX, USAAgency's own words
- Service regions
- Houston, TX, USAVendar profile field
- Client types
- local_businessVendar profile field
- Industries
- not statedVendar profile field
- Named clients in confirmed proof
- Mark Skellenger, Marc Kelley, Sue Ellen Richardson DDS, Anthony JohnIndependent source or agency, see the claims list
Only rows marked “Verified by Vendar” were checked. Rankings place an agency in a city by headquarters or by documented work for clients there, never by a service region alone.
Pricing in fullNot disclosed
- Model
- not disclosed
- Minimum monthly budget
- not disclosed
- Project minimum
- not disclosed
- Hourly rate
- not disclosed
- Typical range
- not disclosed
- Minimum term
- not disclosed
- Setup fee
- not disclosed
- Engagement models
- not stated
Source: Not disclosed. Every figure above is the agency's published number; a row marked not disclosed has no published figure.
The Local SEO band tops out at $6,000/month; this vendor does not publish a monthly floor.
Median disclosed monthly floor in each ranking: Local SEO $1,000 (9 of 19 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose) · SEO for Marketplaces $3,000 (27 of 53 disclose)
Reputation
- Google4.3 · 16 reviews
How it counts: 16 third-party reviews at 4.3. Ratings say nothing about work on a specific need and never count as evidence for it.
- Awards
- none on file
- Certifications
- none on file
Company and process
- Founded
- 1995Agency's own words
- Team size
- not disclosedNot disclosed
- Languages
- SpanishVendar profile field
- Services
- SEOVendar profile field
- Technologies
- not statedVendar profile field
- Workflow
- not documentedAgency's own words
- Onboarding
- not documentedAgency's own words
- Reporting
- not documentedAgency's own words
Company fields come from the vendor profile; only fields with status verified were checked by Vendar.
How confidence is computedLower confidence
- Confidence
- Lower confidence, 62 of 100
- Evidence posture
- thin: No independent source documents this vendor's work; treat it as a candidate only.
- Capped by
- Rated from the evidence on file (sources, independence, confirmed quotes), not by an editor.
- Best position confidence
- Moderate confidence
It starts from the data completeness and source reliability of the profile, and is capped when independent proof of work is thin. The next level is Moderate confidence. One independent claim with a measured result for the best-ranked need is the fastest way up.
- Who the company is: website, headquarters, founding year, team size, logo, regions served: team size16/20
- Fit: services, industries, client types: industries10/15
- Commercial terms: model, entry price, hourly rate, minimum term, setup fee: model, entry price, hourly rate, minimum term, setup fee0/20
- Documented work: cases naming a client and a result (target 5) and work claims overall (target 10): 1 cases with a named client and a result, 6 work claims10/30
- Reputation: rating and review count on two or more platforms, each with 10 or more reviews: 1 platform with a rating and 10 or more reviews8/15
- Who is speaking: independent sources among work claims (full marks at 40%): 0 of 6 work claims are independent0/30
- Checked against the source page: confirmed, or half for partly confirmed: 6 confirmed, 0 partly, of 7 with a source21/25
- Numbers backed by a verbatim quote from the source: 0 of 020/20
- Seen within the last 365 days: 6 of 713/15
- Not contradicted: claims their source no longer supports: 0 not supported by their page10/10
These two scores describe the profile itself and never change a position.
Limits and how to correct them
- No independent source names local SEO work; the evidence is first-party or editorial.
- Pricing not disclosed; budget fit cannot be checked before outreach.
- Never verified against official sources.
- Profile below decision-ready status: the profile is collected but not reviewed yet.
- Use as a caveated candidate only: no independent source documents this vendor's work.
- None of the 6 documented work claims comes from an independent source; all are the agency's own account or sources it controls.
- Only one third-party evidence claim is normalized.
- Best position rests on: Published by the agency on its own site.
- 6 of 7 claims on file are the agency's own words or sources it controls; 1 come from an independent source.
- Open: Price signal disclosed (not disclosed; asked in Before you sign)
- Open: Three strongest proofs name a client and a measured, dated result (1 of 3)
- Open: Every claim has an observation date (6 of 7)
- Open: At least a third of documented work comes from independent sources (0 of 6 work claims)
- Open: Founding year, team size and headquarters on file (team size missing)
Machine-readable version
This section carries the same data that AI assistants receive.
- Schema
- vendar.ai.vendor-summary.v1
- Model
- Evidence-weighted ranking 2026.11.7
- Data as of
- Nov 2, 2026
- Generated
- Verification
- Not verified
- Sources checked
- not yet
- Citation readiness
- Candidate only, with a caveat
- Do not infer headquarters from service-area coverage.
- Do not treat paid visibility as organic ranking proof.
- Do not present a source-thin profile as independently verified.
Describe what you need. The request is saved in Vendar first, then routed from there.