Editorial Standards
How LocalCatalyst produces, reviews, and maintains its SEO guides and deliverables. Our commitment to accuracy, transparency, and expert oversight.
LocalCatalyst publishes SEO guides, case studies, FAQ answers, and industry resources used by local businesses to make informed decisions about their search visibility. This page explains how that content is produced, reviewed, and maintained.
How Our Content Is Created
LocalCatalyst uses an AI-assisted content production workflow. First drafts are generated by specialized AI agents trained on SEO-specific tasks. Every draft then goes through a human review process before publication:
- AI agents generate structured first drafts based on keyword research, competitive analysis, and topical mapping
- A human editor with SEO expertise reviews every draft for accuracy, tone, and completeness
- Factual claims about Google policies, ranking factors, and industry data are verified against primary sources
- Internal links are added to connect related guides and service pages
- The final version is published only after passing quality review
We believe this is the most honest way to describe our process. AI accelerates production; human expertise ensures quality. Neither alone would produce the content we publish.
Source Citation Policy
When our guides reference Google policies, algorithm behavior, or industry statistics, we link directly to the primary source. Our citation hierarchy:
- Primary sources first — Google Search Central, web.dev, schema.org, and official documentation
- Industry research second — peer-reviewed studies from Moz, Ahrefs, Bright Local, and Search Engine Journal
- Our own data third — metrics from LocalCatalyst client engagements, clearly identified as such
If a guide makes a claim without a citation, it reflects general industry consensus or our direct practitioner experience. We are continuously adding citations to older content as part of our update cycle.
Author Qualifications
All content is authored or reviewed by Cody Schuldt, founder of LocalCatalyst, with over a decade of experience in digital marketing, web development, and SEO. Cody has managed SEO campaigns across 15+ industry verticals and previously founded Brawn Media, a Houston-based digital marketing agency.
Industry-specific content (HVAC SEO, dental SEO, etc.) is informed by data from 500+ completed deliverables across those verticals — not theoretical knowledge.
Update and Review Policy
SEO is a field that changes frequently. Google releases core updates, new ranking signals emerge, and best practices evolve. Our content maintenance process:
- Guides are reviewed when Google announces significant algorithm updates or policy changes
- Outdated recommendations are revised or removed — not left to mislead readers
- Each guide displays its publication date and last-modified date
- The sitemap reflects accurate modification dates for every page
Correction Policy
If you find an error in any of our guides — a broken link, an outdated statistic, a misrepresentation of a Google policy, or any factual inaccuracy — please email support@localcatalyst.ai with the URL and a description of the issue. We will review and correct verified errors promptly.
Commercial Disclosure
LocalCatalyst is a business. Some of our educational content references our own services where relevant. When a guide mentions a LocalCatalyst service, it is because the service directly relates to the topic being discussed — not as a hidden advertisement.
We do not accept paid guest posts, sponsored content, or affiliate placements in our guides. Every recommendation is based on what we believe is best for local businesses, not what generates referral fees.
Case Study Standards
Our case studies document real outcomes from real client engagements. Client names are anonymized to protect business confidentiality, but the data is real:
- All metrics (impressions, calls, rankings, cost per lead) are from actual campaign data
- Timelines reflect the actual engagement duration, not cherry-picked snapshots
- We include the challenge and context, not just the results
- We do not guarantee that any business will achieve the same results
AI Content Disclosure
We use AI tools in our content production and are transparent about it. Our 18 specialized AI agents handle keyword research, competitive analysis, content drafting, schema markup, and quality checks. A human reviewer oversees every output before it reaches a client or gets published on this site.
We believe AI-assisted content with expert human oversight produces better results than either approach alone. If you have questions about our process, we are happy to discuss it — email support@localcatalyst.ai.
Last updated: March 2026