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The Nine Signals

Authority support

Whether credible outside sources corroborate your business strongly enough for assistant recommendations.

SignalAuthority support
What it checksProfiles, reviews, links, local mentions, directories, and reputation evidence
MovesCited, Recommended
Fix cardExternal authority is thin
VerifyCompare source diversity and recommendation rate
At risk
Needs work
Strong
04070100

What it measures​

Authority support measures the credibility surrounding the business. Assistants often combine first-party records, review platforms, directories, press, maps data, and web citations before making a local recommendation.

The research points to reviews, verified profiles, backlinks, local mentions, review recency, and niche-directory coverage as practical authority inputs. No platform publishes one universal local authority score, so AgentFound treats authority as an observable support layer.

Why it moves your EAC​

Authority helps the assistant decide whether a business is a safe recommendation, not merely a matching result. A business with strong website copy but weak reviews, no local mentions, and thin directory presence may lose to a competitor whose public evidence is broader and easier to verify.

Authority is also where third-party sources matter. For many local answers, assistants cite review sites, local publishers, directories, or associations rather than the business's own site.

What the agent sees​

Weak read

The business has a website and a profile, but few recent reviews, little category-specific corroboration, and no reputable local sources confirming its standing.

Strong read

The business has verified profiles, steady recent reviews, category-relevant listings, local mentions, and a website that confirms the same services and location.

How to improve​

  1. Claim and complete the authority surfaces. Google, Apple, Bing, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Facebook, and vertical sources should be accurate where relevant.
  2. Build authentic review velocity. Ask real customers through compliant channels and avoid incentives, gating, or fake engagement.
  3. Earn local and vertical citations. Prioritize chambers, associations, local media, licensing pages, event coverage, and reputable industry directories.
  4. Connect authority back to the site. Link to credentials, licenses, awards, case examples, or press where they are legitimate and verifiable.

How to verify​

Did external support improve the recommendation?

Compare source diversity, review signals, citation-backed mentions, and recommendation rate against top local competitors.

Re-run check

Research basis: docs/research/deep-research-report(9).md