1
Citation Consistency
How consistently your business name, address, phone number, and website appear across all online platforms. Inconsistencies confuse AI and dramatically lower your score.
Weight: 20%Authority Index™: Your Credit Score for AI Visibility
A proprietary scoring system that measures how accurately AI platforms understand and recommend your business—the first metric that actually matters in the age of AI search.
The Analogy
Why We Call It a “Credit Score” for AI
Just like your credit score determines whether lenders will approve you, your Authority Index™ score determines whether AI platforms will recommend you to potential customers.
Your Credit Score
A three-digit number (300-850) that lenders use to quickly assess your financial trustworthiness and decide whether to approve loans or credit.
- Based on payment history, credit utilization, and other factors
- Higher scores unlock better opportunities and rates
- Can be improved with consistent effort over time
- Affects major financial decisions
- Tracked and monitored regularly
Your Authority Index™
A score from 0-100 that AI platforms use to assess your business visibility and decide whether to recommend you when users ask for relevant services.
- Based on citation consistency, schema markup, and other factors
- Higher scores mean more AI recommendations and leads
- Can be improved with strategic optimization
- Affects whether AI confidently recommends you
- Tracked monthly to measure progress
The Parallel That Matters
You can’t get a mortgage with a 550 credit score, and you won’t get AI recommendations with a 30 Authority Index™ score. Both are objective measurements that predict success. Both can be improved. Both require understanding what’s being measured and taking strategic action. The difference? Most businesses don’t even know their Authority Index™ exists—yet it’s already determining whether AI sends them customers or sends them to competitors.
Understanding Your Score
Authority Index™ Score Ranges
Most businesses score between 20-40 before optimization. Our goal is to get you above 70, where AI platforms have high confidence in recommending you.
0-40
Poor
AI has low confidence in understanding or recommending your business. Significant gaps in citations, schema, or content quality.
41-60
Fair
AI can understand some aspects of your business but has gaps that prevent confident recommendations. Room for improvement.
61-80
Good
AI has solid understanding of your business and can recommend you in most contexts. You are competitive in AI search.
81-100
Excellent
AI has high confidence in recommending you. Your digital footprint is optimized across all critical factors. Market leader.
The Methodology
The 7 Factors We Measure
Your Authority Index™ score is calculated based on how well you perform across these seven critical factors that determine AI visibility.
2
Schema Markup
Whether your website uses structured data that helps AI understand your business type, services, location, hours, and other key information in a standardized format.
Weight: 15%3
FAQ Optimization
How well you provide clear, comprehensive answers to common questions in a format that AI can easily extract and synthesize when users ask similar questions.
Weight: 15%4
Authority Signals
Credentials, certifications, awards, years in business, client testimonials, and third-party validation that help AI determine your trustworthiness and expertise.
Weight: 15%5
Content Quality
The clarity, depth, and structure of your website content. Well-organized information about your services, process, and unique value that AI can easily comprehend.
Weight: 15%6
Lead Capture Infrastructure
Systems to respond instantly to inquiries 24/7. AI platforms increasingly factor modern customer service capabilities into their recommendations.
Weight: 10%7
Chatbot Engagement
AI-powered chat systems that provide immediate assistance, answer questions, and capture lead information—demonstrating technological sophistication.
Weight: 10%Proprietary Algorithm
Our Authority Index™ algorithm weights these factors based on thousands of data points from real AI platform responses. We continuously refine the model as AI platforms evolve to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Business Impact
How Your Score Impacts Your Business
Your Authority Index™ score directly correlates with whether AI platforms recommend you to potential customers.
AI Recommendations
Higher scores mean AI platforms have the confidence to recommend you when users ask for services in your category and location.
Lead Quality
When AI recommends you, leads come in pre-qualified—users have already researched and are ready to engage with a trusted provider.
Competitive Advantage
While competitors with low scores stay invisible in AI search, you capture the 50%+ of customers now using AI to find services.
The Reality: A Buffalo real estate agent saw their Authority Index™ rise from 23 to 67 in 90 days, resulting in 3 additional qualified buyer leads per month from AI search—worth $30K-45K in potential commission.
Ready to See Your Score?
Get a free AI Visibility Snapshot showing your current Authority Index™ score and the specific gaps preventing AI from recommending you—or try our interactive demo to see how the scoring works.