How the Groundwork Company Scorecard Is Scored
One page. Seven categories. 100 points. Built only from what a new customer can see when they look you up
Abstract
This methods note documents how Groundwork scores a small business's public presence. The Company Scorecard rates seven categories that a prospective customer checks before calling (findability, reputation, website trust, path to buy, offer clarity, reason to choose and competitive position) for a total of 100 points, using five defined grading levels so that two reviewers scoring the same business should reach the same result. Weights follow published evidence on consumer behavior: BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 U.S. adults, Google's guidance on Business Profiles and Stanford's Web Credibility guidelines. The note also states the Scorecard's limits: public evidence only, no access to internal records, and no prices.
Keywords: company scorecard; online reputation; local search; small business credibility; methodology
Before a new customer calls you, they look you up. They check your Google profile, read a few reviews, open your website and compare you with two or three others nearby. Most of that happens before you know they exist.
The Company Scorecard measures that first look. It gives your business a score out of 100 and names the one opportunity we think matters most. It is free, and it fits on one page.
Below is exactly how we score it, so you can judge the method for yourself.
Three rules we follow on every Scorecard
- Public evidence only. We score what any customer can see: your Google profile, your reviews, your website, and how you compare with nearby businesses of the same type. Every finding notes where we saw it.
- No guessing. If we can't find something, we mark it "Not visible." We don't fill gaps with assumptions.
- Same rubric for everyone. Every business is scored on the same seven categories, with the same point values and the same definitions.
The seven categories
Each category answers a question a new customer is asking, whether they know it or not. The points reflect how much each one shapes the decision to call.
| Category | Points | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Findability | 15 | Is your Google profile complete? Do you show up when someone searches for your main service in your city? |
| Reputation | 20 | Your star rating, how many reviews you have, how recent they are, and whether you reply. |
| Website trust | 15 | Is the site secure and current? Is it clear who you are, where you are, and how to reach you? |
| Path to buy | 15 | How many steps does it take to call, book, order or request a quote? |
| Offer clarity | 10 | Can a customer tell what you sell, roughly what it costs, and where you serve? |
| Reason to choose | 10 | Do you show why someone should pick you, with proof such as photos, results or guarantees? |
| Competitive position | 15 | How you compare with three nearby businesses of the same type on public measures like rating and review count. |
| Total | 100 |
Reputation carries the most weight because reviews are the evidence customers lean on most.
How each category is graded
Every category gets one of five levels. Each level has a written definition, so two people scoring the same business should land in the same place.
| Level | Share of the category's points |
|---|---|
| Strong | 100% |
| Solid | 75% |
| Mixed | 50% |
| Thin | 25% |
| Not visible | 0% |
Example: Reputation is worth 20 points. A business graded Mixed earns 50% of that, or 10 points. A business graded Strong earns all 20. Add the seven categories together and you have the score.
What the score means
| Score | Band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 85–100 | Strong public position | Customers who look you up see a business they can trust and choose. |
| 70–84 | Solid, with clear upside | The foundation is there. A few fixes would make it work harder. |
| 55–69 | Mixed signals | Customers see strengths and gaps side by side. Fixes here tend to pay back quickly. |
| Under 55 | Under-represented | Your business is likely better than it looks online. |
A lower score is not a judgment of your work. It usually means the quality of the business hasn't made it online yet. That is often the easiest gap to close.
Why these seven
The categories follow what research shows customers actually check before they buy from a local business:
- Customers read reviews, and they read recent ones. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of U.S. consumers, 97% said they read reviews for local businesses, 74% care only about reviews from the last three months, and 89% expect owners to respond. [1] That is why Reputation is weighted highest and includes recency and replies.
- A complete Google profile builds trust. Google reports that customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider a business reputable when they find a complete Business Profile on Search and Maps. [2] That is the core of Findability.
- Websites are judged on trust signals. Stanford's Web Credibility guidelines, based on research with more than 4,500 people, include showing there is a real organization behind the site, making it easy to contact you, and keeping content up to date. [3] Website trust and Path to buy are built on those points.
Before we score, we check two things
- That it's really you. We match your name, phone, website and city. If another business has a similar name, we stop and confirm before going further.
- That you're open. We confirm posted hours, recent reviews and no closure notices. We don't score a business that may have changed hands.
What's on your page
- Your score and what it means.
- Your market: your industry's estimated U.S. size and expected growth from a published source, plus a labeled local estimate.
- The seven categories, each with its points, level and the evidence behind it.
- What you already do well. Strengths come first.
- The biggest opportunity we see. One, not a list of twenty.
- Questions we would investigate that only your own numbers can answer.
- Where the public view ends. What we can't see from the outside.
- A suggested next move. One practical step.
- A short note from Maverick.
What the Scorecard is not
It is not a verdict on your business. We haven't seen your sales, your costs or your team, so we won't pretend to know your business better than you do. The Scorecard shows how your business looks from the outside. It is a starting point for a conversation.
It is also not a sales pitch. There are no prices on the page. If a Groundwork service fits the opportunity we found, we name it, and the decision is yours.
Want your Scorecard?
Tell us your business name and city. We'll send your one-page Scorecard, free, with no obligation.
References
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (published February 11, 2026; 1,002 U.S. adults). www.brightlocal.com
- Google Business Profile Help, “Complete your Business Profile on Google.” support.google.com
- Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility. credibility.stanford.edu
Editorial note. The Company Scorecard reviews public information only. It is not legal, tax or financial advice and does not guarantee business results. Survey figures are as reported by their publishers.
Spotted an error? See our corrections policy. Disclosure: Groundwork sells services related to this topic; see conflicts of interest.
How to cite
Woodson, M. (2026). How the Groundwork Company Scorecard Is Scored The Groundwork Review, No. 4. https://projects.groundworkbusinessadvisory.com/research/how-the-scorecard-is-scored/