Last Updated on April 8, 2026
When you complete the Free Growth Report or receive a Paid Deep Audit, your marketing is assessed across several key areas. Each area receives a score that reflects how well it is performing relative to what a UK small business at your stage should have in place.
What we assess
Website effectiveness. Does your website clearly communicate what you do? Can visitors find what they need quickly? Is there a clear path from landing on the site to making an enquiry or purchase? We look at messaging clarity, navigation, page speed, mobile experience, and calls to action.
Search visibility. Can potential customers find you through Google? We assess your on-page SEO, keyword targeting, technical setup, and whether you are appearing for the terms your customers actually search for.
Local presence. For businesses serving a local area, we check your Google Business Profile, directory listings, review quantity and quality, and whether your name, address, and phone number are consistent across the web.
Content and authority. Is your content useful, relevant, and targeted? Do you have enough of it? Is it helping you rank for valuable search terms and building trust with potential customers?
Social and email. Are your social media profiles complete and active? If you have an email list, is it working for you? We evaluate whether these channels are driving business results or just creating activity.
Conversion and tracking. Are you converting visitors into leads or customers effectively? Do you have any tracking in place to know what is working? We look at conversion rates, form functionality, and whether you can attribute results to specific channels.
How scoring works
Each area is scored based on a combination of what is present, how well it is executed, and how it compares to what we would expect for a business at your stage. A brand-new business is not held to the same standard as one that has been trading for five years with an established online presence.
Scores are not arbitrary percentages. They are calibrated against hundreds of UK small business assessments, giving you a meaningful benchmark rather than a number pulled from thin air.
What the scores mean
Strong. This area is performing well. No urgent action needed, though there may be room for optimisation as you grow.
Adequate. The basics are in place, but there are clear opportunities to improve. These areas typically offer good return on effort.
Needs attention. There are significant gaps or problems in this area. Fixing these should be a priority, as they are likely costing you customers or wasting budget.
Missing. This area is not being addressed at all. Depending on your business type and stage, this might be a critical gap or something that can wait until you are ready.
Why we score relative to stage
A business at the Start stage does not need marketing automation, multi-channel attribution, or a content calendar with 50 planned articles. They need a clear website, a Google Business Profile, and a way for customers to get in touch. Scoring them against Build or Scale criteria would be misleading and overwhelming.
This is where the Start, Build, Scale framework shapes everything. Your scores and recommendations always match your current stage, so you focus on what actually matters right now rather than trying to do everything at once.
UK business example
A husband-and-wife cleaning company in Swindon completed the Free Growth Report. Their scores came back strong for local presence (they had a well-maintained Google Business Profile with 62 reviews), adequate for website effectiveness (the site was functional but had a weak call to action), and missing for email marketing and content.
Because they were at the Build stage with solid foundations already in place, the report recommended they focus on improving their website CTA and starting a simple email list to capture repeat bookings, rather than suggesting they invest in content marketing or SEO campaigns that would be premature for their size. Six weeks later, after adding a “Get a free quote in 60 seconds” form to their homepage and setting up a basic email sequence for existing customers, their repeat booking rate increased by 20%.
Get your Free Growth Report or learn about vanity metrics.
