Full Methodology

How Your BERT Score Is Calculated

Your BERT Score is a composite of 5 weighted categories, each measuring a different dimension of your online presence. Every point is earned, nothing is estimated or guessed.

The Formula

Each category is scored independently on a 0–100 scale, then multiplied by its weight and summed to produce your overall score out of 100. Weights reflect the relative importance of each signal in Google's local ranking algorithm, based on published research from Moz, BrightLocal, and Google's own documentation.

Google Business Profile25%
Social Media Presence20%
Website Health20%
Online Reviews20%
Local SEO Signals15%

* Local SEO Signals weight increases to 20% for businesses with a verified physical address.

Category Breakdown

Google Business Profile

25% of total

Your Google Business Profile is the single most important local signal. We evaluate your star rating, total review count, review recency, profile completeness (photos, hours, categories, description), and whether you actively post updates. A fully optimized GBP can place you in the coveted 'Local Pack', the top 3 map results that capture the majority of local clicks.

Scoring Factors

Star rating, 4.5+ = full points; below 3.0 = zero
Review count, 200+ reviews = full points
Review recency, Reviews this week = full points
Profile completeness, Photos + all fields = full points
GBP post activity, Weekly posts = full points

Social Media Presence

20% of total

Social media signals reinforce your brand authority and drive referral traffic. We measure how many platforms you're active on, your posting frequency, average engagement rate, profile completeness, and brand consistency across channels. Businesses with consistent, frequent social activity rank higher in local trust signals.

Scoring Factors

Platform count, 4+ active platforms = full points
Posting frequency, Daily posts = full points
Engagement rate, 3%+ engagement = full points
Profile completeness, All profiles fully filled = full points
Brand consistency, Identical logo/handle/colors = full points

Website Health

20% of total

Your website is your digital storefront. Google uses Core Web Vitals and mobile-friendliness as direct ranking factors. We assess mobile responsiveness, SSL security, content freshness, load speed, and whether you have a clear call-to-action. A slow, outdated, or insecure website actively suppresses your local ranking.

Scoring Factors

Mobile-friendly, Fully responsive = full points
SSL certificate, HTTPS = full points; HTTP = zero
Content freshness, Updated this month = full points
Load speed, Under 2 seconds = full points
Visible CTA, Phone/form at top = full points

Online Reviews

20% of total

Reviews are the #1 trust signal for local consumers and a major Google ranking factor. We look beyond Google, your average rating across all platforms, total review volume, recency of reviews, whether you respond to reviews, and how many platforms you have reviews on. Responding to reviews (especially negative ones) signals active management and boosts credibility.

Scoring Factors

Average rating (all platforms), 4.5+ = full points
Total review count, 250+ = full points
Review recency, Active weekly/monthly = full points
Response rate, Responds to all reviews = full points
Platform spread, 3+ platforms = full points

Local SEO Signals

15% of total

Local SEO signals tell Google how relevant and authoritative you are in your geographic market. We evaluate your current local search rank, how many directories you're listed in, and whether your Name/Address/Phone (NAP) is consistent everywhere. Inconsistent NAP data is one of the most common, and most damaging, local SEO mistakes.

Scoring Factors

Local search rank, Top 3 in local pack = full points
Directory listings, 10+ directories = full points
NAP consistency, Identical everywhere = full points
Physical address, Verified address = bonus points
Service area scope, Defined service area = bonus

Score Tiers

85–100Strong

Top-tier online presence. You're outperforming most local competitors.

70–84Good

Solid foundation with a few high-impact gaps to close.

50–69Needs Attention

Visible online but missing key signals. Competitors may be outranking you.

0–49Critical

Significant gaps that are actively hurting your local visibility.

Our Commitment to Transparency

Your BERT Score is calculated entirely from the answers you provide, we do not run automated crawls, access your accounts, or use third-party data brokers. Every scoring rule is documented above. We believe you should know exactly why your score is what it is, and exactly what to do to improve it. No black boxes.

Scoring weights are reviewed quarterly and updated to reflect the latest local SEO research. When weights change, your score is automatically recalculated so your dashboard always reflects current best practices.

Ready to see where you stand?