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DirJournal Editorial Verdict

Lightburn is listed on DirJournal under SEO Agencies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.

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Editorial Verification

Full Audit Transparency Report

  • 200 OK StatusVerified

    Primary website is live, secure (HTTPS), and free of malware.

  • Domain AgePending Manual Review

    Real-world domain age (≥1 yr, verified via the Wayback Machine) OR pre-migration legacy ID OR ≥2 years of platform tenure. Survival across multiple search-engine update cycles is itself a trust signal.

  • Schema ValidationVerified

    Valid Organization / ProfessionalService JSON-LD emitted on every page load — checked at render time.

  • Citation ClarityPending Manual Review

    Verified outbound links to at least two authoritative sources (social profiles, sameAs URLs).

  • Operational HistoryVerified

    Minimum 12-month active history in the claimed industry — derived from the business's founding year, Wayback-verified domain age, or listing tenure (any one signal passes).

  • Entity RegistrationPending Manual Review

    Cross-referenced with official state or country business registries.

  • Physical FootprintPending Manual Review

    Verified non-virtual presence via Google Maps or official lease documentation.

  • Active LeadershipData Incomplete

    Confirmation of key team members and executive roles.

    Complete in Dashboard
  • NAP ConsistencyPending Manual Review

    Verified match of Name, Address, and Phone data across platforms.

  • Professional LicensingPending Manual Review

    Verification of required industry-specific certifications or licenses.

  • Sentiment AuditPending Manual Review

    Manual review of third-party reputation signals (BBB, Trustpilot, etc.).

  • Editorial DiscretionPending Manual Review

    Final human review to ensure the business provides genuine value.

This entity has not yet undergone the 12-Point Manual Editorial Audit. The 5 Verified points above are objective system checks this listing already passes; the remaining 7 are manual editorial reviews that still need a human auditor's sign-off.

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About

Lightburn

Lightburn is a Milwaukee Historic Third Ward digital experience agency founded in 1998 by brothers Kevin Topel and Andrew Wintheiser, combining web design, SEO and paid media.

Lightburn is a customer experience agency headquartered in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, founded in a Milwaukee apartment in 1998 by brothers Andrew Wintheiser and Kevin Topel. The agency describes its founding era as a wild frontier for eCommerce, when the tools the founders needed to build their business simply did not yet exist. Lightburn started as a web design and development firm before growing into a full digital customer experience partner, now offering web design, search engine optimization, paid media and user experience services for mid-size and enterprise brands pursuing long-term digital growth. The agency emphasizes a user-centered approach combined with deep technical expertise, positioning itself as a practical problem-solver for complex digital challenges rather than a purely creative shop. Lightburn has operated in Milwaukee's Third Ward neighborhood for more than two decades, with Topel describing the area as intertwined with his professional experience over the past 14 years. The agency runs Kentico user group meetups in Milwaukee, reflecting its content management system expertise alongside its core marketing services. Lightburn operates from a Chicago Street office in the Historic Third Ward and employs roughly two dozen staff members.

DirJournal's Perspective

Editorial analysis

Lightburn has operated continuously since 1998, positioning the firm as one of Milwaukee's oldest digital agencies with institutional knowledge of local market dynamics.

Reviewed by DirJournal Editorial Board

Frequently Asked

About Lightburn

What does Lightburn do?
Lightburn is a Milwaukee Historic Third Ward digital experience agency founded in 1998 by brothers Kevin Topel and Andrew Wintheiser, combining web design, SEO and paid media.
Where is Lightburn based?
Lightburn is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.
When was Lightburn founded?
Lightburn was founded in 1998 and has been operating for 28 years.
How can I contact Lightburn?
Contact Lightburn by phone at (414) 347-1866.
Technical Grounding
JSON-LDProfessionalService
Address
325 E Chicago St, Suite 301, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Founded
1998
Team Size
11-50 employees
Digital Footprint · Technical Entity Graph
  • Website
  • Schema Type
    ProfessionalService
  • JSON-LD
    Active
  • NAP Vault ID
    Not assigned
  • Social Profiles
    1 verified profile
  • Platform Tenure
    New listing
View Technical Schema
@type
ProfessionalService
areaServed
Milwaukee metropolitan area

Knows About

SEOWeb DesignPaid Media

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