The HOTH

What The HOTH does

The HOTH is a privately held SEO and AI visibility services company founded in 2010 and operated under the holding company Next Net Media, LLC, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. The company provides done-for-you SEO programs and AI search citation services targeting local businesses, e-commerce operators, digital marketing agencies, national brands, and franchise networks. Its core product, HOTH X (Managed SEO), bundles citation cleanup, review and reputation management, content creation, web copy, link building, and technical SEO under dedicated campaign managers, with subscription pricing starting at $1,000 per month.

The HOTH's platform-plus-modules architecture spans link building (Link Outreach, Link Insertions, Platinum Links, Press Releases), content services (HOTH Blogger, HOTH Blogger Pro, Web Copy, Content Syndication, Content Refresh), local SEO, and a newer AI Visibility line (AI Discover, Earned Media, Exclusive Media Links, Digital PR) aimed at securing brand citations in AI-generated search responses. The company also operates a free tools suite powered by SEMrush data (backlink checker, traffic checker, keyword planner, SEO report, domain authority checker, headline generator, PPC calculator) used for top-of-funnel lead capture. Underlying technical differentiation is concentrated in the company's distribution network of 300+ media outlets for content syndication and link placements rather than proprietary algorithms.

The company generates revenue through a hybrid of transactional unit pricing (e.g., $399 per location for Citation Cleanup, $80 per post for HOTH Blogger Pro, $25 per page for Web Copy) and recurring managed subscriptions (managed SEO, review and reputation management at $275 per month). Distribution is hybrid: a self-serve website for SMBs, a managed services sales team with consultation calls, and a white-label reseller program that lets agencies repackage HOTH services under their own brand. The company has served 200,000+ businesses since inception, built 1,000,000+ backlinks, and carries 4,000+ client reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5 stars.

Name

The HOTH

Legal name

Next Net Media, LLC

Website

https://thehoth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The HOTH is a privately held SEO and AI visibility services company that provides done-for-you link building, content, local SEO, and managed campaigns to local businesses, e-commerce brands, agencies, and national brands under a white-label reseller model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SEO Services

NAICS

Other Services Related to Advertising (541890)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services (MPAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enterprise SEO (Large Sites, Governance, Workflow) (BPAFAJAF), SEO Analytics, Reporting & Attribution (KPIs, Dashboards, Forecasting) (BPAFAJAI), SEO Content Strategy & Production (Topic Research, Editorial Planning) (BPAFAJAH), E-commerce SEO (Category/Product SEO, Merchant Feeds) (BPAFAJAE), Search, Review & Ratings Management (SEO/Content/Platforms/Local Listings) (MPAAAOAC)

Keywords

• Managed SEO services
• Authority link building
• AI search visibility
• Local SEO optimization
• White-label reseller program

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Managed SEO Services: Full-service done-for-you SEO programs including AI Discover, Managed SEO, and Review & Reputation Management. Clients receive dedicated campaign managers who execute comprehensive SEO strategies using all available products and services.
2. Link Building Services: Authority backlink services including Link Outreach, Link Insertions, Platinum Links, and Press Releases. Offered as individual products or as part of managed campaigns.
3. Content Services: SEO and AI content writing including HOTH Blogger, HOTH Blogger Pro, Web Copy, and Content Syndication. Priced per post or per page with per-location options.
4. Local SEO Services: Map Pack and local visibility services including Citation Cleanup, Review & Reputation Management, Content Refresh, HOTH Blogger Pro, and Web Copy. Offered as ala carte products with bundled managed option.
5. Subscription Plans: Recurring monthly subscription services for paid subscriptions with automatic renewal. 15-day cancellation notice required. Services include Managed SEO starting at $1,000/month.
6. White-Label Reseller Program: Agency-facing white-label SEO reseller program where agencies repackage The HOTH's services under their own brand, paying wholesale rates and marking up for profit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The HOTH provides done-for-you SEO and AI visibility services for businesses and marketing agencies. Its core offering, HOTH X (Managed SEO), bundles citation cleanup, review management, content creation, web copy, link building, and local SEO under a dedicated campaign manager. Supporting offerings include AI Visibility services for getting brands cited in AI search, standalone link building products (Link Outreach, Link Insertions, Platinum Links, Press Releases), content services (HOTH Blogger, Web Copy, Content Syndication, Content Refresh), local SEO (Citation Cleanup, GBP optimization), technical SEO, and a white-label SEO reseller program for agencies.

Product overview

The HOTH is an SEO and AI visibility services company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on done-for-you SEO programs and AI search citation services. The core offering is HOTH X (Managed SEO), which bundles citation cleanup, review management, content creation (HOTH Blogger, HOTH Blogger Pro, Web Copy), link building (Link Outreach, Link Insertions, Platinum Links), and local SEO into a single managed program. Supporting this are standalone AI visibility products (AI Discover, Earned Media, Exclusive Media Links, Digital PR, Content Refresh) designed to get brands cited in AI search results. Free SEO tools include the SEO Report Tool, Backlink Checker, Website Traffic Checker (powered by SEMrush), Keyword Planner, Headline Generator, Domain Authority Checker, and PPC Calculator. A white-label SEO reseller program enables agencies to offer HOTH services under their own branding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOTH X: Managed SEO services program with dedicated campaign managers and full access to all products and services
• HOTH Blogger
• HOTH Blogger Pro
• HOTH Web Copy
• HOTH Gear Store

Products and services

• Managed SEO (HOTH X) Done-for-you full-service SEO program with a dedicated campaign manager who bundles citation cleanup, review management, content, web copy, link building, and local SEO into a recurring managed engagement. Designed for SMBs, agencies, national brands, and franchises needing hands-off SEO execution.
• AI Visibility Service that helps brands get cited in AI-generated answers across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews by combining earned media placements, exclusive media links, digital PR, and content refresh, structured around the Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) framework of entity optimization, chunk-friendly content, and trust signal density.
• AI Discover AI visibility gap analysis identifying AI search queries that cite competitors but skip the client's brand, used as a diagnostic add-on to plan AI Visibility engagements.
• Link Building Authority backlink service umbrella offering link outreach, link insertions, platinum links, and press releases executed via The HOTH's network of 300+ media outlets, bloggers, and news websites.
• Link Outreach Guest post outreach placing backlinks on third-party sites with domain authority ranging from 10 to 50+, used to build referring domains and topical authority.
• Link Insertions Backlink placement service that inserts links into existing articles on relevant websites rather than creating new guest posts.
• Platinum Links Premium tier of authority backlinks sourced from high-domain-authority websites for clients needing stronger trust signals.
• Press Releases Press release writing and distribution service used to generate brand mentions and links from media outlets.
• Earned Media Media coverage and brand mention service across authoritative publications used to build trust signals recognized by AI search systems and Google.
• Exclusive Media Links Dofollow link placements placed inside real articles on high-authority US news sites to improve both traditional SEO and AI search visibility.
• Digital PR Public relations service that earns natural link placements and brand mentions on relevant media outlets and news sites for compounding authority and AI trust signals.
• HOTH Blogger SEO blog content writing service that produces articles with published bylines to increase topical authority and keyword coverage for client sites.
• HOTH Blogger Pro Niche-expert tier of blog writing priced at $80 per post, with writers who have published bylines in specific fields such as law, medical, home services, real estate, and automotive.
• Web Copy Conversion-focused service-area pages, location pages, and local landing pages for multi-location businesses starting at $25 per page.
• Content Refresh Updates existing location pages, service-area pages, and local content for AI summarization, recency, and E-E-A-T signals at $40 per page.
• Content Syndication Distribution of blog articles across a network of 300+ media outlets and news websites to generate backlinks and broader visibility.
• Local SEO Map Pack and local visibility service bundling citation cleanup, review management, location pages, and local content for businesses targeting Google Maps and local search.
• Citation Cleanup Fixes inconsistent business NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across directories and aggregators including Acxiom, Neustar Localeze, Infogroup, Factual, Foursquare, and top business directories, priced at $399 per location.
• Review & Reputation Management Monthly subscription at $275/month that includes GBP optimization with weekly photo uploads, keyword-rich metadata, geotagged images, and review responses to build trust signals for AI Overviews and Map Pack.
• Technical SEO Technical SEO audits and implementation including site speed optimization, crawlability fixes, and Core Web Vitals improvements.
• SEO Reseller Program White-label SEO reseller service that lets digital marketing agencies repackage The HOTH's full suite of SEO products under their own brand, with wholesale pricing, dedicated campaign managers, and brandable deliverables.

Quantifiable outcome

• 334% traffic increase for regional law firm from local SEO
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Directive: Directive is a B2B-focused SEO and performance marketing agency offering managed SEO, content, and link building for mid-market and enterprise clients. It overlaps with The HOTH's national-brand and agency reseller segments.
• HigherVisibility: HigherVisibility is a US-based SEO agency offering managed SEO, link building, local SEO, and reputation management. It competes with The HOTH across the same product set (managed campaigns, citations, link building) for similar SMB and local-business customers.
• Fractl: Fractl is a digital PR and content marketing agency focused on earning high-authority media links and brand mentions. It is comparable to The HOTH's Earned Media, Digital PR, and Content Syndication products.
• Siege Media: Siege Media is a content-driven SEO agency specializing in link building, digital PR, and SEO content. It directly parallels The HOTH's link building, Blogger/Pro, and Digital PR offerings for mid-market and enterprise clients.
• WebFX: WebFX is a full-service digital marketing agency offering managed SEO, link building, content, and local SEO to SMB and mid-market clients. It is comparable to The HOTH as a direct competitor in managed SEO services and digital marketing for similar customer profiles.

Broad incumbents

• Ahrefs: Ahrefs is a major SEO platform known for backlink analysis, keyword research, and content exploration. It competes with The HOTH at the tooling and data layer used by SEO agencies and in-house teams that might otherwise buy managed services.
• Moz: Moz is an established SEO software platform offering rank tracking, link intelligence, and local SEO tools. It is comparable to The HOTH as a broader incumbent in the SEO software-and-services category, especially on the local SEO side.
• SEMrush: SEMrush is a leading SEO platform offering keyword research, backlink analytics, site auditing, and content tools (also powers The HOTH's free tools suite). It competes with The HOTH in the SEO tooling layer and is a partial competitor in agency-flavored offerings.

Emerging players

• PageOptimizer Pro: PageOptimizer Pro is an on-page SEO tool focused on content optimization and ranking factor analysis. It overlaps with The HOTH's content and technical SEO services as a tooling alternative for agencies and SMBs.
• Surfer SEO: Surfer SEO is an AI-driven content optimization platform used by agencies and in-house teams for on-page SEO and content briefs. It is an emerging competitor to The HOTH's content and on-page SEO offerings, particularly for AI-era content workflows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the_hoth
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehoth
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehothseo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1533512

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The HOTH