The evidence standard
How ScaleLocal defines and verifies evidence.
A useful claim names the baseline, definition, source, timeframe, confidence, qualification, and next decision. This page shows the standard without presenting sample material as client performance.
What supports it?
What remains unknown?
Sample structure only · no client data or performance figures
Evidence before activity
Every material claim starts with a stable frame.
Evidence is useful when another person can see what was measured, how the term was defined, which period and comparator were used, where the record came from, and what could weaken the interpretation.
Baseline
Freeze the relevant starting condition, scope, source, date, and known measurement gaps before material changes.
Definition
Agree what terms such as qualified call, booked job, territory, source, and exclusion mean.
Qualification
State seasonality, paid-media changes, capacity, client actions, attribution gaps, and other limits.
Decision
Connect the observation to a named next action: scale, revise, investigate, or stop.
The measurement hierarchy
Different signals support different conclusions.
Leading signals can show movement. Primary outcomes require qualified-call and booking definitions. Commercial outcomes require reliable CRM records and a fair reconciliation process.
Discoverability and actions
Indexation, non-brand visibility, profile interactions, and website conversion actions can indicate movement in the journey.
Qualified calls and bookings
Call and booking records become useful when the criteria, source rules, test path, and classification process are agreed.
Opportunity and revenue context
CRM outcomes can inform commercial decisions only where the source, denominator, period, reconciliation, and client contribution are reliable.
All three cards are illustrative definitions. They contain no observed client result.
The operating artifacts
Show the evidence beside the decision it supports.
The artifacts below are sample structures. Actual records require client context, approved definitions, verified sources, dates, limitations, and permission before publication.
Measurement Charter
Fixes events, sources, qualified criteria, attribution rules, exclusions, reconciliation, unknowns, cadence, and owners.
Demand Leak Map
Records observed gaps across Find, Trust, Choose, and Measure with evidence, confidence, relevance, limitations, and a next test.
Monthly Demand Review
Explains what changed, what supports the interpretation, what remains uncertain, what changes next, and who owns the action.
Confidence and status
Make uncertainty legible.
A status describes the strength or role of the evidence; it is not decoration. It should be paired with plain language, a source, and any limitation that changes how the reader should interpret the record.
- 01Baseline
The agreed starting observation against which later movement may be compared.
- 02Verified
Checked against the named source and definition for the stated period and scope.
- 03Estimated or influenced
A qualified interpretation that must state its method and cannot be presented as direct attribution.
- 04Unknown or disputed
The available records do not support one fair conclusion, or the sources do not reconcile.
Attribution limits
- 01Channel overlap
Search, Maps, paid media, referrals, and prior brand demand can influence the same journey.
- 02Classification quality
A call is only as useful as the agreed criteria and the consistency of its review.
- 03Operational contribution
Capacity, answer rate, scheduling, pricing, and close rate affect what happens after contact.
- 04Unknown demand
Missing or conflicting records remain visible instead of being assigned to the strongest narrative.
Evidence questions
What the records can—and cannot—say.
No client case study, testimonial, logo, or performance figure is presented on this page without verified evidence and permission.
What counts as a qualified call?
A qualified call meets the service, territory, and commercial criteria agreed in the Measurement Charter. The exact definition is fixed before execution so it cannot be rewritten after the result is known.
Does a ranking increase prove booked-work impact?
No. A ranking can be evidence of discoverability movement, but it does not by itself establish call quality, booking, revenue, or causation. Those conclusions require their own definitions, sources, and limitations.
How does ScaleLocal handle attribution gaps?
Known gaps, conflicting records, unattributed demand, cross-channel overlap, and client-side classification limits are stated directly. Where the evidence cannot support a conclusion, the status remains unknown rather than being assigned to SEO.
Why are the artifacts on this page labeled Sample?
No permissioned client performance case studies are currently presented here. The samples show the intended structure and evidence standard without inventing a client, market, metric, or result.
What happens when data sources disagree?
The discrepancy is logged, the source rules are applied, and unresolved records remain disputed or unknown. The review should explain the difference instead of selecting whichever number makes the work look strongest.
Does outcome-accountable mean guaranteed outcomes?
No. It means accountability to agreed commercial definitions, measurement quality, transparent progress, and evidence-based decisions. It does not guarantee rankings, calls, bookings, revenue, ROI, or perfect attribution.
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