Cleverly Engaged Marketing

What Cleverly Engaged Marketing does

Cleverly Engaged Marketing is a privately held, founder-led digital marketing agency founded in 2014 by Corey Barnett. The company provides "search everywhere optimization" services spanning local SEO, content marketing, digital strategy, and analytics measurement, targeting small and mid-sized businesses, multi-location brands with hundreds of locations, and nationwide enterprise brands. Its core differentiation is the extension of traditional SEO beyond Google into AI platforms (ChatGPT), Google Maps, G2, FindLaw, Reddit, Yelp, and other discovery channels, addressing the fragmentation of the modern marketing funnel across multiple websites and sources.

The firm's technology stack is built around an AI-powered delivery layer used to scale website optimization, content creation, headlines, CRO signals, backlinks, and brand mentions, combined with a multi-platform analytics dashboard that integrates GTM, GA4, GSC, and GBP for real-time lead attribution. The agency operates through a structured four-step methodology (Discovery, Planning, Execution, Measurement) and offers a free initial consultation as the primary onboarding mechanism. Distribution is primarily direct via the company website, supplemented by white-label partnerships with other unnamed agencies.

Cleverly Engaged Marketing was originally founded in Lubbock, Texas and relocated to Tallmadge, Ohio (Akron/Cleveland area) ahead of the 2020 pandemic. The business is bootstrapped with no disclosed funding events, no institutional investors, and no parent company. Headcount is characterized as founder-led, and pricing is quote-based with monthly billing across horizontal customer segments.

Name

Cleverly Engaged Marketing

Legal name

Cleverly Engaged Marketing

Website

https://cleverlyengaged.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cleverly Engaged Marketing is a founder-led, bootstrapped digital marketing agency providing search everywhere optimization — SEO, content marketing, and analytics — for small businesses, multi-location brands, and nationwide enterprises across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAFAAAD

Digital Performance Marketing (SEM, Paid Social, Programmatic)

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Full-Service Advertising Agencies

SECONDARYBPAFAJAI

SEO Analytics, Reporting & Attribution (KPIs, Dashboards, Forecasting)

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services

SECONDARYBPAFACAI

Performance Creative & Ad Production (Dynamic/Iterative)

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Digital Marketing & Performance Advertising (SEM, Social, Programmatic)

Keywords

• Search engine optimization
• Local SEO services
• Digital marketing agency
• Content marketing services
• AI search optimization

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Services: Service-based agency model providing ongoing digital marketing engagements including SEO, content marketing, digital strategy, and analytics services. Revenue appears to come from client retainers and project-based work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cleverly Engaged Marketing is a digital marketing agency that delivers 'search everywhere optimization' services spanning Digital Strategy, Local SEO and Digital Brand Optimization, Content Marketing, and Analytics & Measurement. The agency optimizes brands not only for Google but across the entire discovery ecosystem including AI platforms (ChatGPT), Google Maps, G2, FindLaw, Reddit, Yelp, and other discovery surfaces, using AI-powered delivery and multi-platform analytics dashboards connecting GTM, GA4, GSC, and GBP.

Product overview

Cleverly Engaged Marketing is a search everywhere optimization agency offering a unified suite of digital marketing services. The core offering consists of four interconnected service modules: Digital Strategy (including comprehensive audits comparing brands to competitors across AI, Google, and other discovery platforms), Local SEO and Digital Brand Optimization (covering small businesses to multi-location brands with hundreds of locations, plus nationwide brand optimization for AI and search engine discovery), Content Marketing (encompassing content calendars, digital PR, and thought leadership designed to improve brand mentions and sentiment in AI), and Analytics & Measurement (connecting multiple data sources into automated dashboards for real-time marketing performance insights and lead attribution). The agency positions itself as a holistic growth marketing partner that moves clients through a structured four-step process: Discovery, Planning, Execution, and Measurement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Strategy
• Local SEO and Digital Brand Optimization
• Content Marketing
• Analytics & Measurement Comprehensive analytics and campaign measurement services connecting multiple data sources (GTM, GA4, GSC, GBP) into automated dashboards that provide real-time marketing performance insights, lead attribution, and clear return on investment tracking for ongoing optimization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average of 155% growth in online conversions for clients (2025-2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Multiple Agency PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe company has partnered with multiple agencies as an independent contractor for white label support and ongoing engagements. No specific agency names are disclosed.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ignite Visibility: San Diego-based full-service digital marketing agency with a strong SEO practice and multi-location brand experience. Direct competitor to Cleverly Engaged in the mid-market and multi-location SEO niche.
• Higher Visibility: Memphis-based digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, paid media, and web design for small-to-mid-market and multi-location brands. Closely comparable service mix and customer profile.
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Multi-location digital marketing agency offering SEO, web design, and content services with a national footprint. Direct competitor in the small-to-mid-market and multi-location brand space.
• Straight North: Chicago-based SEO and digital marketing agency serving B2B and multi-location brands with a comparable blend of SEO, content, and analytics-led offerings.
• Siege Media: Content-led SEO agency combining editorial, design, and technical SEO. Comparable in its outcome-focused positioning and reliance on measurable organic growth.
• Coalition Technologies: LA-based SEO and web design agency with a similar full-service offering across SEO, content, paid media, and web development for small-to-mid-market brands.
• SmartSites: NJ-based full-service digital agency recognized by industry publications for SEO and PPC services. Closely comparable in service mix, target customer size, and US regional positioning.

Broad incumbents

• WebFX: Large, established US digital marketing agency offering SEO, content, paid media, and analytics under a proprietary platform (MarketingCloudFX). Represents the scaled incumbent that Cleverly Engaged competes against for mid-market and multi-location engagements.

Emerging players

• Directive: B2B-focused digital marketing agency specializing in SEO and content for SaaS and tech brands. Comparable in services offered but skewed toward enterprise B2B buyers rather than local/multi-location brands.
• OuterBox: Digital marketing agency combining SEO, paid media, and e-commerce web design. Comparable in services, with a vertical tilt toward e-commerce and multi-location retailers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cleverly Engaged Marketing