01 Business Intelligence & Research
Scorecard
Digital Footprint Intelligence Audit
Score your business's online visibility, reputation and data practices across 25 statements, then turn the result into a prioritised 90-day action plan you can start immediately.
How to use this tool. This scorecard is for owners and managers who want an honest view of how their business appears and performs online. It takes 60 to 90 minutes in one sitting. At the end you will have a score out of 100, your three weakest areas ranked, and a 90-day action plan with owners and dates.
Why it matters
Before most B2B buyers call you, they look you up. They search your name, read your reviews, scan your website and compare you with two or three competitors. Your digital footprint is everything they can find, whether you put it there or not. Gaps, outdated details and unanswered reviews cost you enquiries, and you rarely hear about the ones you lost.
This audit checks five areas: how findable you are, how credible your website is, what your reputation looks like, how your channels support the sale, and whether you measure results and handle data responsibly.
How the audit works
- Set aside the time. Block 60 to 90 minutes. Have a laptop and your phone to hand.
- Check, do not assume. Search your business name and your main services in a private browser window. Open your website on your phone. Look at your listings and reviews. Scores based on memory are usually too generous.
- Apply the evidence rule. If you cannot show or demonstrate it today, score it no higher than 2. If you do not know, score 0.
- Score each statement using the scale below, then total each area.
- Convert to a percentage and read the interpretation band.
- Pick your three lowest-scoring areas and build the 90-day plan from them.
The tool
Scoring scale
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Not in place, or I do not know |
| 1 | Done occasionally or by accident, with no routine |
| 2 | Partly in place, with clear gaps or not checked recently |
| 3 | Mostly in place and checked in the last six months |
| 4 | Fully in place, checked in the last 90 days, and someone owns it |
Area 1: Search and listings
| No. | Statement | Score (0 to 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | When I search our business name, our website and listing appear at the top with correct details. | |
| 1.2 | Our listing on the major search and map services is claimed, with current hours, service area and categories. | |
| 1.3 | I have searched 5 to 10 phrases a buyer would use to find our services and know where we appear. | |
| 1.4 | Our business name and contact details are identical across directories, industry bodies and supplier sites. | |
| 1.5 | Duplicate, old or incorrect listings have been found and fixed or removed. | |
| Area 1 total (out of 20) |
Area 2: Website credibility
| No. | Statement | Score (0 to 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Within the first screen, a visitor can see what we do, who for and where. | |
| 2.2 | The site loads quickly and works properly on a phone, tested in the last 90 days. | |
| 2.3 | A visitor can enquire or request a quote within two clicks, and a named person monitors those enquiries. | |
| 2.4 | Proof is visible and current: projects, testimonials, accreditations and licence details. | |
| 2.5 | Services, team and contact information have been reviewed in the last six months, with no dead or outdated pages. | |
| Area 2 total (out of 20) |
Area 3: Reputation and reviews
| No. | Statement | Score (0 to 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | We know our review count and average rating on every platform where customers can review us. | |
| 3.2 | We have a routine for asking satisfied customers for a review after each job. | |
| 3.3 | We reply to every review, including negative ones, within a week and in a professional tone. | |
| 3.4 | We have received new reviews in the last 90 days. | |
| 3.5 | In the last six months we have searched for mentions of the business and key people on forums, news and directories. | |
| Area 3 total (out of 20) |
Area 4: Content and channels
| No. | Statement | Score (0 to 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | We have chosen the channels where our buyers actually look, and closed or parked the rest. | |
| 4.2 | Branding, descriptions and links are consistent and current on every channel we keep. | |
| 4.3 | We publish something useful at least monthly, at a rhythm we can sustain. | |
| 4.4 | Our content shows real work, real people and real results rather than generic material. | |
| 4.5 | Every channel points to a clear next step, such as a call, enquiry or quote request. | |
| Area 4 total (out of 20) |
Area 5: Measurement, competitors and data care
| No. | Statement | Score (0 to 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | We record where each new enquiry came from, such as search, referral, directory or social. | |
| 5.2 | We review basic numbers (website visits, enquiries, calls) every month. | |
| 5.3 | We have reviewed the sites, listings and reviews of 3 to 5 competitors and written down what they do better and worse. | |
| 5.4 | Our site has a privacy policy, we are clear about what data forms and tracking collect, and customer data is held securely with limited access. | |
| 5.5 | We email or text only people who have consented, we identify ourselves, and every message has a working unsubscribe. | |
| Area 5 total (out of 20) |
Your results
Add the five area totals. The maximum is 100, so your total is your percentage.
| Area | Total (out of 20) | Rank (1 = lowest) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Search and listings | ||
| 2. Website credibility | ||
| 3. Reputation and reviews | ||
| 4. Content and channels | ||
| 5. Measurement, competitors and data care | ||
| Overall total (out of 100) |
| Score | Band | What it means | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 39 | Exposed | Buyers may struggle to find you or may doubt you when they do. Some compliance gaps are likely. | Fix the basics first: listings, contact details, website clarity, privacy and consent. |
| 40 to 59 | Patchy | You have a presence, but it is inconsistent and probably costing enquiries. | Work on your two lowest areas before adding new activity. |
| 60 to 79 | Solid | Your foundations are sound. Gains now come from routine and measurement. | Lock in review habits, monthly numbers and competitor checks. |
| 80 to 100 | Strong | You are well placed and well managed. | Maintain quarterly checks and test one improvement at a time. |
Your 90-day action plan
Draw your actions from the three lowest-ranked areas. Aim for one or two actions per area, each small enough to finish.
| Period | Area | Action | Owner | Due date | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 30 | |||||
| Days 1 to 30 | |||||
| Days 31 to 60 | |||||
| Days 31 to 60 | |||||
| Days 61 to 90 | |||||
| Days 61 to 90 |
Worked example
Example only: Karri Ridge Commercial Fitouts is a fictional Perth business with 14 staff.
| Area | Total (out of 20) |
|---|---|
| Search and listings | 9 |
| Website credibility | 14 |
| Reputation and reviews | 8 |
| Content and channels | 6 |
| Measurement, competitors and data care | 7 |
| Overall | 44 (Patchy) |
The owner found a duplicate listing with an old phone number and no reviews in the past five months. Two social channels had not been updated in over a year, and nobody recorded where enquiries came from. Their plan was:
- Days 1 to 30: remove the duplicate listing, correct details everywhere, and add a "how did you hear about us" question to the enquiry form.
- Days 31 to 60: ask recent clients for reviews at project handover (with their agreement), and close the two inactive channels.
- Days 61 to 90: review the enquiry sources and three competitors' sites, then publish one finished-project case study.
How to read the results
A good result is not a perfect score. It is a score where no area sits far below the others, because buyers judge the weakest link. If one area is more than six points below your best, fix it before improving anything else.
Look at the pattern as well as the total. Low scores in Areas 1 and 3 mean you are losing enquiries before they reach you. Low scores in Area 2 mean you are losing them after they arrive. A low Area 5 means you cannot tell which is happening. Re-run the audit every quarter. A gain of 5 to 10 points per cycle is realistic and worth having.
Common mistakes
- Scoring from memory. If you have not looked in the last 90 days, score it 2 at most.
- Trying to fix everything. Pick three areas and finish the actions in them.
- Buying new tools before fixing the basics. Correct details and a clear website beat extra activity.
- Delegating without an owner and a date. An action with no name beside it does not get done.
- Treating consent as an afterthought. Review requests and newsletters sent by email or SMS fall under the Spam Act 2003. The Privacy Act applies to how you collect and store customer data. If you are unsure of your obligations, get professional advice.
- Ignoring negative reviews. A calm, factual reply is read by future buyers as well as the reviewer.
Put it to work this week
- Complete the scorecard in one sitting and record your total and your three lowest areas.
- Fix every wrong or duplicate contact detail you found. This is usually under an hour of work.
- Name one person responsible for reviews and set up a simple routine to ask for one after each completed job.
- Add a field to your enquiry process or CRM (or a spreadsheet) to record the source of every new enquiry.
- Fill in the 90-day plan, set the due dates in your calendar, and book a 30-minute re-score for day 90.
Where Lotus helps
Lotus Strategic Services can run this audit with you, benchmark your footprint against your closest competitors, and turn the results into a prioritised plan that fits your capacity. We work with Australian B2B businesses to make sure what buyers find online matches the quality of your work. Book a free 30-minute discovery call at lotusstrategic.com.au.