REFFED ACADEMY · CAPSTONE SUBMISSION

Submit your capstone project.

60 days of real GEO work, on a real business. Pass the review and earn your Certified Operator credential plus a listing on the public Operator Directory.

Reviews take 5-10 business days. Submissions are scored across methodology, execution, results, and communication — 28+ out of 40 passes.

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// what we need from you

Six pieces, all required.

Take your time. The more complete your submission, the smoother the review. You can save and come back — your email locks the submission so you can update it before final review.

// section 1 — who you are

Your full name

Email (used for review updates and certificate delivery)

// section 2 — the client / business

Client or business name (use "Anonymous business — [industry]" if confidential)

Mark this client anonymous in any public case study (we'll redact identifying details if you pass and want a directory listing)

Client niche

Project start date

Project end date

// section 3 — the three audit reports

Paste Reffed audit URLs for your client at three moments: day 0 (baseline before any work), day 30 (midpoint check), and day 60 (final result). Each audit URL looks like reffed.ai/r/abc123

Baseline audit URL (day 0)

Midpoint audit URL (day 30)

Final audit URL (day 60)

// section 4 — case study

Write 800-1500 words covering: (1) the client's starting position, (2) your methodology and what you decided to prioritize, (3) what you actually built/wrote/changed, (4) the measurable results, (5) what you'd do differently next time. Or paste a Google Doc / Notion URL with the same content.

Case study (paste here)

Minimum 800 characters. 0 characters so far.

Or paste a Google Doc / Notion URL (optional alternative)

If using a URL, make sure it's set to "anyone with the link can view."

// section 5 — deliverables

Link to a single shared folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, Notion) containing: schema implementations, content drafts/pages, off-page outreach lists, llms.txt, and anything else you actually shipped for the client.

Deliverables folder URL

// section 6 — confirmation

This is real work I did for a real business (my own or a real client). I am not submitting fabricated, AI-generated, or recycled work.

If I pass and want a public Operator Directory listing, I have permission to reference the case study work (anonymously if needed).

I understand the review takes 5-10 business days and that 28+/40 across the four scoring dimensions is required to pass. If I score 18-27, I'll get feedback and one revise-and-resubmit opportunity. Below 18, I can attempt practice mode without affecting my standing.

// how reviews work

The four-dimension rubric.

Every submission is scored 1-10 across these four dimensions. 28+ total passes.

METHODOLOGY

Did you follow the framework correctly?

Audit-first diagnosis. Prioritized fixes by impact × effort. Built in measurement from day 0. Used the 8-prompt map. Didn't skip steps because they were boring.

EXECUTION

Quality of what you actually shipped.

Schema is valid. Content is genuinely useful, not AI slop. Off-page work targeted real publications. llms.txt is correctly formatted. The deliverables would survive a peer review.

RESULTS

Did the Reffed score actually improve?

Day 0 to day 60 score delta. Per-engine improvements. Mention rate changes. Some lifts are modest and that's fine — what matters is direction + evidence the lift came from your work, not chance.

COMMUNICATION

Could a client read this and trust you?

Your case study is clear, structured, and honest about what worked and what didn't. A potential client browsing the Operator Directory could read it and decide whether to hire you.

After submission, reviewer reads everything, scores each dimension, and writes a short paragraph of feedback. You'll get an email within 5-10 business days with your result and (if applicable) the path forward.