Buyer’s directory · evidence graded

Best Google Penalty and Traffic Recovery Consultants in 2026

Recovery work begins with diagnosis, not a promise. This ranking favours specialists who can distinguish manual actions, algorithmic shifts, technical failures, demand changes and measurement problems while communicating uncertainty clearly.

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RANKED FOR THIS CATEGORY

10 consultants matched

Reviewed September 11, 2026

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Marie Haynes

Google search-quality and site-recovery consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Google quality issues, algorithm recovery, helpful-content analysis and AI-assisted SEO

Technical SEOAI searchFounder of Marie Haynes Consulting

LocationCanada · Remote

2026 activityHer 2025-2026 work increasingly covers AI agents, model-assisted analysis and Google's quality systems.

Clients & collaboratorsClient work is typically confidential; no current named-client roster was verified.

Credentials & productsMedical degree often referenced in biographies, extensive algorithm analysis, newsletter and conference teaching. Course, training or education offer.

Experience & resultsMedical degree often referenced in biographies, extensive algorithm analysis, newsletter and conference teaching. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofLong-standing SEO newsletter and podcast audience; exact LinkedIn count not captured.

Main buying checkRecovery outcomes are difficult to attribute because Google updates and client changes overlap; request a comparable case with timeline.

What people sayLong-standing SEO newsletter and podcast audience; exact LinkedIn count not captured. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 4.7/5 editorial fit score

Category score94/100

Pricing$10,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★★4.7/5

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Glenn Gabe

Technical SEO and algorithm-update consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Major Google update recovery, technical diagnostics, publishers and complex quality problems

Technical SEOEnterprise SEOFounder of G-Squared Interactive

LocationNew Jersey, United States

2026 activityIn 2026 he continues publishing detailed Google-update analysis and a Search From the Front Lines podcast.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with sites affected by core and spam updates; client identities are usually confidential.

Credentials & productsMore than 24 years in digital marketing, extensive Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable coverage. No separate book, course or product was documented in this pass.

Experience & resultsMore than 24 years in digital marketing, extensive Search Engine Land and Search Engine Roundtable coverage. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofWidely followed by technical SEOs and publishers; exact social count not captured.

Main buying checkPublic commentary shows diagnostic expertise but not a standardized delivery process; confirm scope, capacity and implementation support.

What people sayNo defensible independent review pattern was established. Request two recent, comparable client references before making a service-quality claim.Separate from the 4.6/5 editorial fit score

Category score92/100

Pricing$10,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★★4.6/5

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Kaspar Szymanski

Technical SEO and Google-penalty recovery consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Manual actions, link-risk recovery, technical SEO and enterprise search quality

Technical SEOEnterprise SEOInternationalFormer Google Search Quality team member

LocationGermany · International

2026 activityIn 2026 he continues specialist penalty, disavow and technical consulting.

Clients & collaboratorsSearch Brothers client identities are commonly confidential.

Credentials & productsFormer Google Search Quality specialist, author and international speaker. Book or long-form publication referenced in the authority field.

Experience & resultsFormer Google Search Quality specialist, author and international speaker. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofRecognized niche authority; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkFormer Google employment does not provide current insider access; request a comparable recovery timeline.

Category score90/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★★4.5/5

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Fili Wiese

Technical SEO consultant · Search Brothers

Evidence B

Best for: Google penalties, technical SEO, search quality and complex international sites

Former Google Search Quality experiencePenalty recoveryTechnical auditsEnterprise risk diagnosis

LocationEurope · International

2026 activityIn 2026 he is speaking on search-quality signals and low-value AI content while continuing technical consulting.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with Search Brothers clients; named current clients are generally confidential.

Credentials & productsFormer Google Search Quality engineer and established international technical SEO speaker. No separate book, course or product was documented in this pass.

Experience & resultsFormer Google Search Quality engineer and established international technical SEO speaker. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofSelected for Athens SEO 2026 and other specialist conferences; follower count not captured.

Main buying checkEx-Google experience is relevant but does not imply privileged access to current ranking systems.

What people saySelected for Athens SEO 2026 and other specialist conferences; follower count not captured. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 4.4/5 editorial fit score

Category score88/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4.4/5

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Olga Zarr

Technical SEO consultant · SEOSLY

Evidence A

Best for: Deep technical audits, AI SEO and teams needing senior audit training

Detailed technical auditsDirect specialist accessClear educational resourcesPractical implementation guidance

LocationEurope · Remote

2026 activityIn 2026 she is selling AI SEO and audit education while offering senior consulting through SEOSLY.

Clients & collaboratorsPublicly cites Procter & Gamble among past experience; current named-client list is limited.

Credentials & productsSelf-reports 500+ audits; creator of SEO Audit Mastery and AI SEO training. Course, training or education offer; Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsSelf-reports 500+ audits; creator of SEO Audit Mastery and AI SEO training. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofAbout 21,500 LinkedIn followers at the research date.

Main buying checkAudit volume and brand claims are self-reported; ask for a sample deliverable and comparable reference.

What people sayAbout 21,500 LinkedIn followers at the research date. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 4.3/5 editorial fit score

Category score86/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4.3/5

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Barry Adams

Technical SEO consultant for news publishers

Evidence C

Best for: News publishers, editorial SEO, Google News and technical publishing systems

Technical SEOEnterprise SEOInternationalFounder of Polemic Digital

LocationNorthern Ireland, United Kingdom

2026 activityIn 2026 he offers publisher audits, AI-search consulting, training and conference sessions.

Clients & collaboratorsPublic client list is available through Polemic Digital, but current engagement dates should be checked.

Credentials & productsLong-running Search Engine Journal contributor, trainer and international conference speaker. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsLong-running Search Engine Journal contributor, trainer and international conference speaker. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofStrong authority within publishing SEO; follower count not captured.

Main buying checkHighly specialized. Choose him for publishing rather than general local, ecommerce or small-business SEO.

Category score84/100

Pricing$10,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4.2/5

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Cyrus Shepard

Technical SEO consultant and publisher

Evidence C

Best for: Google update analysis, content quality, ranking-factor research and publisher strategy

Technical SEOContent SEOFounder of Zyppy

LocationUnited States · Remote

2026 activityIn 2026 he is researching features of sites winning and losing Google visibility and how AI changes click behavior.

Clients & collaboratorsZyppy clients are generally confidential; public collaborations include Dawn Shepard and industry podcasts.

Credentials & productsFormer Moz SEO leader, former Google quality rater and publisher of large comparative studies. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsFormer Moz SEO leader, former Google quality rater and publisher of large comparative studies. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofSubstantial SEO audience and research citations; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkSurvey and observational research shows correlation rather than universal causation; request a site-specific diagnosis.

What people saySubstantial SEO audience and research citations; exact follower count not captured. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 4.1/5 editorial fit score

Category score82/100

Pricing$10,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4.1/5

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Brodie Clark

Independent technical and ecommerce SEO consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Mid-size and enterprise sites facing SERP-feature, ecommerce or algorithmic issues

Technical SEOEcommerceEnterprise SEOIndependent consultant known for SERP and ecommerce research

LocationMelbourne, Australia

2026 activityIn 2026 he continues direct international consulting and rapid analysis of SERP changes.

Clients & collaboratorsClient identities are generally confidential; his site publishes testimonials and project context.

Credentials & productsSearch Engine Land author, international speaker and widely cited SERP researcher. Book or long-form publication referenced in the authority field.

Experience & resultsSearch Engine Land author, international speaker and widely cited SERP researcher. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofStrong international social and publication presence; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkHis rate is positioned above the typical consultant. Confirm budget, scope and availability early.

What people sayClient identities are generally confidential; his site publishes testimonials and project context. The available comments are first-party or selected testimonials, so they should not be described as market consensus.Separate from the 4/5 editorial fit score

Category score80/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4/5

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Kristina Azarenko

Technical SEO consultant and educator

Evidence C

Best for: Technical SEO, JavaScript, ecommerce and upskilling SEO teams

Technical SEOEcommerceFounder of MarketingSyrup

LocationToronto, Canada

2026 activityIn 2026 she continues technical consulting, courses and content focused on implementation.

Clients & collaboratorsCurrent clients are generally not named publicly; course students and event partners provide most visible proof.

Credentials & productsTechnical SEO Pro course creator and international conference speaker. Course, training or education offer; Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsTechnical SEO Pro course creator and international conference speaker. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofAbout 45,000 LinkedIn followers at the research date.

Main buying checkEducation popularity does not prove fit for every enterprise architecture; request a relevant audit example.

What people sayAbout 45,000 LinkedIn followers at the research date. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

#10

$Dan Akeju, fractional SEO lead$ Profile photo

Dan Akeju

Fractional SEO lead for B2B SaaS and fintech

Evidence ADirectory publisher

Best for: B2B SaaS, fintech, semantic SEO, AI-search visibility and revenue-led organic growth

B2B SaaS and fintechFractional ownershipStrategy plus executionSign-up and acquisition measurement

LocationRemote · International

2026 activity2026 work includes B2B SaaS, fintech and digital-signage growth programs, plus AI-search and commercial-query research.

Clients & collaboratorsUser-supplied work includes PosterBooking and nsave. Public client attribution and time periods should be confirmed before publication.

Credentials & productsDocumented operator case studies, fractional leadership positioning and practical work across SEO and AI search. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsDocumented operator case studies, fractional leadership positioning and practical work across SEO and AI search. User-supplied work includes PosterBooking and nsave. Public client attribution and time periods should be confirmed before publication. User-supplied outcomes include 464% traffic growth and more than 10,000 sign-ups; public follower count not independently verified. Treat outcome claims as first-party unless the source is independent.

Social proofUser-supplied outcomes include 464% traffic growth and more than 10,000 sign-ups; public follower count not independently verified.

Main buying checkThis row includes user-supplied evidence. Publish only claims that can be linked to a public case study or approved client reference.

What people sayThe available outcomes and client names were supplied by Dan. They should be published as first-party case evidence only after the client attribution and public case-study links are approved.Separate from the 3.8/5 editorial fit score

Category score76/100

Pricing$3,000-$10,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.8/5

Independent matching

Not sure who fits? Send the brief.

I’ll review your company, problem and budget, then send a focused shortlist. No pay-to-rank placements and no generic agency spreadsheet.

What you get2–3 relevant optionsTrade-offs explainedA direct recommendation

Methodology

A ranking should explain its judgment.

Scores are a starting point, not a substitute for fit. Each category changes the weighting so a technical-recovery specialist is not judged like a SaaS growth lead.

35%

Diagnostic credibility

A defensible process for separating penalties, updates, technical loss and demand change.

30%

Search quality depth

Current knowledge of Google systems, quality signals and site-wide risk.

20%

Recovery evidence

Attributable examples and a realistic view of causality and timelines.

15%

Risk transparency

No guaranteed recovery claims and clear limits around public evidence.

Strong public record

Official evidence plus multiple relevant third-party sources or attributable results.

Supported profile

Official evidence plus at least one meaningful corroborating source.

Provisional profile

Identity and specialism are visible, but independent results or reviews remain limited.

Score and publisher disclosure

Dan Akeju created this directory and is included in it. No consultant paid for placement. The 5-point directory assessment is the editorial score divided by 20. Credentials, results, reviews and testimonials receive evidence-coverage scores based on attributable public sourcing. These are not customer ratings or invented outcomes. Age receives 0/100 when no reliable public source exists and is never estimated.

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