Frequently Asked Questions

The VerticaIQ Score is a single number between 0 and 100 that shows how well your business looks online. Think of it like a credit score — but instead of measuring your finances, it measures how customers see your business when they search for you on Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other places online.

A higher score means customers can find you easily, your reviews look good, and your business information is accurate and complete. A lower score means there are specific things getting in the way — and we tell you exactly what they are.

Before a customer calls you, hires you, or walks through your door, they almost always look you up online first. They Google your name, read your reviews, check if your hours are right, and look at your photos. If what they find looks outdated, incomplete, or missing — many will move on to a competitor.

Your online presence is often the first impression you make. The VerticaIQ Score tells you exactly how that impression looks right now, and what to do to make it better.

Your score falls into one of five categories:

Critical (0–29): Your business is hard to find online and may have serious issues — missing profiles, bad reviews, or no website. Customers searching for you may not be able to find you at all.

Needs Work (30–49): You have a presence, but there are significant gaps. Competitors who show up better than you are likely getting calls you aren't.

Fair (50–69): You're doing some things right, but there's real room to improve. Most businesses in this range can make meaningful progress in just a few weeks.

Good (70–84): You're in solid shape. A few targeted improvements could push you into excellent territory.

Excellent (85–100): Your online presence is strong. The goal is to maintain it and stay ahead of competitors.

Neither. We're not a review site — we don't publish reviews or let customers rate your business on our platform. And we're not a marketing agency — we don't run your ads or manage your social media for you.

What we do is measure. We pull together all the public information that exists about your business online, score it, and give you a clear picture of where you stand and what to do about it. What you do with that information is up to you.

Right now, VerticaIQ focuses on giving you the clearest possible picture of where you stand and exactly what needs to be fixed — with step-by-step action plans in our paid plans. Many of the improvements our reports identify are things you can do yourself, or ask your team to handle.

We are building out a network of certified service providers — professionals who can help you act on your score results. If you'd like to be connected with someone who can help, email us at info@verticaiq.com and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction.

VerticaIQ is built for local business owners — contractors, restaurants, dental offices, landscapers, salons, property managers, and anyone who depends on customers finding them online. You don't need any technical knowledge to use it. If you can read a report card, you can understand your VerticaIQ Score.

We check 9 different areas of your online presence and combine them into one score. Each area is weighted based on how much it actually affects how customers find and choose you. Here's what we look at:

• Google (20%): Your Google listing, ratings, number of reviews, and how often you respond to customers
• Your website (18%): Whether it loads quickly, works on a phone, is secure, and easy to navigate
• Trust and credentials (15%): Whether you're licensed, accredited, and have verified business information
• Local search ranking (15%): How high you appear when someone nearby searches for what you do
• Yelp and directories (12%): Your presence and consistency across review and directory sites
• Profile completeness (10%): Whether all your business info is filled in, accurate, and consistent everywhere
• Social media (10%): Whether you're active on social platforms and when you last posted
• Photos and visuals (8%): The quality and quantity of photos across your profiles
• Reputation and sentiment (8%): The overall tone of your reviews and how you handle feedback

Each area gets its own score, and they combine to form your total VerticaIQ Score out of 100.

Yes — 100%. Everything in your VerticaIQ Score comes from publicly available information. That means data that is already out there on the internet and visible to anyone who searches for your business: Google, Yelp, Facebook, BBB, your own website, and business directories.

We're not accessing your private accounts, your bookkeeping, your bank accounts, or anything you haven't already shared publicly. We're just reading the same things your customers already see — and organizing it into a clear score.

SEO stands for "Search Engine Optimization" — which is just a technical way of saying: how easy is it for customers to find your business when they search on Google?

When someone searches "roofer near me" or "dentist in Boca Raton," Google shows a list of businesses. Some businesses show up at the top, others on page 3 where almost nobody looks. SEO is the set of things that determines where you show up.

In your VerticaIQ Score, we measure things like whether your Google listing is complete, whether your business name and address match across all your online profiles, and whether your website is built in a way that Google can easily read and rank. You don't need to understand the technical details — we'll tell you exactly what's missing and what to fix.

Very accurate for what it measures. Every data point in your score comes directly from the public sources — Google, Yelp, your website, and the other platforms we check. We don't estimate or guess; we read what's actually there.

Occasionally, public data has a lag — for example, a review you got yesterday may take a day or two to register in our score. But overall, your score reflects your real online presence as it looks to a customer searching for you today.

If you ever believe something in your report is incorrect, email us at info@verticaiq.com and we'll look into it right away.

Yes — on paid plans. Your Starter plan includes a comparison against 3 competitors in your area and category. Pro and Intelligence plans go deeper, with a full breakdown of exactly what those competitors are doing better and where you have an opportunity to get ahead of them.

The comparison is built from the same public data — we look at the same 9 signals for your competitors and show you side by side where you're winning and where you're falling behind.

It's simple. Go to verticaiq.com, click "Preview My Report," and enter your name, business name, and email address. We'll build your report using your real public data and send it to your inbox. No credit card required for a preview report.

The full report is available on any of our paid plans — starting at $49/month. You can upgrade right from the preview report once you see what's there.

It depends on your plan. All paid plans refresh your score on a monthly basis — a new full report lands in your inbox every 30 days so you can track your progress over time.

Your report also notes any significant changes that happened during the month — new reviews, drops in ranking, profile changes — so you're never left wondering what moved your score.

If you want a refresh more often than your plan includes, you can always request an immediate update (see below).

Yes. Inside any report, you'll find a "Request Update Now" button. Click it and we'll re-run your score using the latest available data. Your updated report is delivered to your inbox, typically within a few hours.

Immediate updates are $4.99 per request, regardless of your plan. They're useful when you've just made a change — added new photos, updated your Google listing, or started getting more reviews — and you want to see it reflected in your score right away instead of waiting for your next scheduled refresh.

Preview reports typically arrive within a few minutes to a few hours, depending on how much data we need to process for your business. Paid reports are generally delivered within the same day of signing up.

If it's been more than a few hours and you haven't received anything, check your spam folder first, then email us at info@verticaiq.com — we'll track it down.

Point it out — and here's why it matters: if we're seeing it wrong, your customers are seeing it wrong too. An incorrect address, old phone number, or wrong website on your Google listing is costing you real customers right now. Flagging it in your report means you've just caught something that was actively hurting you.

Inside every report, you'll find a feedback button next to each section. You can flag specific information as incorrect, suggest the right details, or mark a section as confirmed accurate. This sends us a structured correction request — no email needed, and we can act on it quickly.

Every report we deliver goes through a quality check before it reaches you. But data from Google, Yelp, and other public sources can have lags or errors. When you flag something, we take it seriously and fix it fast.

Yes — and we built this specifically as its own product. Each location gets a full VerticaIQ Score based on its own online presence (its own Google listing, reviews, address, etc.). But instead of managing separate reports, everything lives in one place.

When you have 2–5 locations, your report shows them as tabs — switch between locations with a single click. When you have 6 or more, a dropdown selector lets you jump to any location instantly. Every location's score is tracked over time so you can see which ones are improving and which need attention.

Pricing: $49/month for your first location, plus $25/month per additional location. Two locations is $74/month. Five locations is $149/month. Annual plans get 2 months free on the total.

To set up a multi-location plan, contact us here and we'll get it configured for you.

A preview report is free and gives you a snapshot — your overall score, your score tier, and your top 1–2 issues. It's enough to see that the report is real and based on your actual data, and to understand whether VerticaIQ could be valuable for your business.

A full report (available on any paid plan) gives you the complete breakdown across all 9 areas, your competitor comparison, a plain-English action plan, and ongoing tracking so you can see your score improve over time.

We keep it simple — no password required. Go to verticaiq.com/view-my-reports, click "View My Reports," and enter your email address. We'll send you a secure link. Click that link in your email and your reports open immediately.

The link expires after 60 minutes for security, but you can always request a new one. It works from any device — phone, tablet, or computer.

Because forgotten passwords are one of the most frustrating parts of using any online service, especially for business owners who have dozens of accounts to manage. Our secure link system is actually safer than a typical password — each link is unique, expires after 60 minutes, and can only be used once.

It works the same way many banks and airlines let you log in — you're already trusting your email as your identity, so we use that directly.

First, check your spam or junk folder — emails from info@verticaiq.com occasionally land there. If you find it in spam, mark it as "Not Spam" so future emails come through normally.

If it's not there, go back to the login page and request a new link. Make sure you're using the same email address you signed up with. Still having trouble? Start a chat using the button in the corner of this page and we'll help you get in right away.

It depends on where you're starting and which issues you fix. Some improvements are almost immediate — like filling in missing information on your Google listing or correcting your business hours. Other improvements take more time — like building up more reviews, which can take several weeks of consistent effort.

As a general guide:

• Days: Claiming your Google listing, fixing incorrect information, adding photos
• 1–2 weeks: Getting your first 10–15 Google reviews, updating your website basics
• 1–3 months: Improving your local search ranking, getting consistent reviews, building social media activity
• 3–6 months: Significant moves up the scoring tiers through sustained effort

Most businesses that act on their top 3–5 issues see meaningful score improvement within 30 days. Your full report shows you exactly which actions will move the needle fastest.

For most businesses, it's getting more Google reviews — and responding to the ones you already have. Google reviews are heavily weighted in how customers find and choose you, and most businesses don't have nearly enough of them.

Asking your happy customers to leave a Google review is free, takes about 30 seconds for them, and has a bigger impact on your score than almost anything else. Your full report will show you exactly how many reviews you need to move up, and where your review situation stands compared to competitors.

Not necessarily. Many of the improvements our reports identify are things you or a member of your team can do directly — claiming your Google listing, updating your business hours, adding photos, asking customers for reviews, or connecting your social media accounts. These don't require any technical skills.

Some improvements — like fixing your website, running ads, or building backlinks — may benefit from professional help. But we'll always tell you which actions you can handle yourself and which ones might be worth getting support for.

Yes — responding to negative reviews actually helps your score and your reputation. When potential customers see that you took the time to address a complaint professionally and try to make it right, it builds trust. It shows you're a business that cares.

The key is to respond calmly, acknowledge the issue, and offer to resolve it. Don't argue, don't make excuses, and don't ignore them. A well-handled negative review can actually work in your favor with customers who are reading it.

Your VerticaIQ report tracks your response rate — how often and how quickly you reply to reviews. It's a factor in your score because Google rewards businesses that engage with their customers.

A drop in score usually means something changed in your public data. Common reasons include: a new negative review, a competitor improving their presence (which moves the benchmark), your business information becoming inconsistent somewhere, or activity dropping on your social media.

On Plus, Pro, and Intelligence plans, your report shows you exactly what changed between score updates — so you can see precisely what caused the movement and act on it right away.

All of it comes from public sources — information that's already out there and visible to anyone with an internet connection. Specifically, we pull data from Google Business Profile, Google reviews, Yelp, Facebook, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), your business website, and other public directories and listing sites.

We don't access anything private. We don't log into your accounts, read your emails, or access anything that requires a password. If a customer can find it by searching for your business online, it's the kind of data we use.

No. We do not sell your personal information — not your name, not your email address, not your business details. Period. We have never sold personal information and have no plans to do so.

Your contact information is used only to deliver your report and communicate with you about your account. That's it.

All payments are processed by Stripe, one of the most trusted payment platforms in the world. We never see your full card number — it goes directly to Stripe's secure system, which is certified to the highest security standard in the payment industry (called PCI-DSS).

If you ever have a billing question, email info@verticaiq.com and we'll sort it out.

You can delete your account and all associated personal information directly from your account settings — no need to email anyone. Once you request deletion, your data is removed from our system within 30 days.

One important clarification: we can only delete information from our service. We cannot remove your business information from Google, Yelp, BBB, or any other public platform — that data lives on those platforms and is publicly available to anyone. If you want to update or remove information from those sources, you'd need to do that directly through each platform.

If you received an email from us without signing up, it means we came across your business in our research and built a score report for you — which we thought you'd find useful. Your contact information came from public business records (things like your business website, Google listing, or public directories).

Every email we send includes an unsubscribe option. If you'd prefer not to hear from us, click unsubscribe in any email and you won't receive further messages. We honor all opt-outs promptly.

We have four paid monthly plans, plus a free preview report so you can see your score before committing to anything:

• Free Preview: Your score, your tier, and your top 1 issue. No credit card required.
• Starter — $49/month: Full breakdown across all 9 areas, 3 competitors compared, monthly refresh, action tips, and PDF delivery to your inbox.
• Plus — $99/month: Everything in Starter, plus score change tracking so you can see what moved, new reviews shown in your report, and your top 5 priority actions ranked by impact.
• Pro — $199/month: Everything in Plus, plus a full prioritized action plan, SEO gap analysis, a technical audit of your website, social media gaps identified, and a quarterly AI-assisted score review.
• Intelligence — $499/month: Everything in Pro, plus deep competitive dives on 3 specific competitors, weekly AI-generated content ideas, a Google Ads readiness assessment, and priority onboarding and support.

All plans are billed monthly. You can cancel anytime. Annual discounts are available — contact us for details.

For most small business owners who want to know where they stand and what to do about it, Starter at $49/month is a great starting point. It gives you the full picture once a month and tells you exactly where to focus.

If you're actively trying to grow and want to track your progress, Plus at $99/month lets you see how your score moves month to month and gives you a clearer priority list.

Pro at $199/month is the most popular choice for businesses that are competitive in their market and want a full game plan — including a look at their website and social media specifically.

Intelligence at $499/month is designed for businesses that need deep competitive intelligence and want ongoing content and advertising strategy alongside their score.

Start with the free preview — the report itself will usually make it clear which level of detail your situation calls for.

Yes — no contracts, no cancellation fees, no minimum commitment. You can cancel directly from your account settings at any time. You'll keep access to your reports until the end of your current billing period, and you won't be charged again after that.

Yes. All plans are available monthly or annually. When you choose annual billing, you get 2 months free — you pay for 10 months and get 12. Annual prices:

• Starter: $490/year (saves $98 vs. monthly)
• Plus: $990/year (saves $198)
• Pro: $1,990/year (saves $398)
• Intelligence: $4,990/year (saves $998)

You can select monthly or annual at checkout — just use the toggle on the pricing page. You can also switch from monthly to annual at any time from your account settings.

Yes. If you're a marketing agency, web designer, consultant, or service provider and you want to offer business score reports to your clients under your own brand — we have a full white label program designed for exactly that.

With a white label plan, your clients see your logo, your colors, and your name on every report. The scoring engine and data are ours; the presentation is completely yours. Plans start at $200/month and include the agency portal (see below).

See white label plans and the agency portal →

Yes — and we built a dedicated portal for it. The agency portal gives you everything you need to manage all your clients from one screen:

• Client list on the left: see all your clients, their current score, and whether it's trending up or down
• One-click reports: click any client to see their full score breakdown and history
• Search and generate: search for any business, generate their score, and send it to them directly from the portal
• Send with one click: deliver a branded report to your client's inbox without leaving the dashboard
• Progress tracking: see how each client's score has moved over time so you can show them ROI

See the agency portal and white label plans →

Yes. Franchisors and property managers deal with exactly the same challenge as agencies — multiple locations, each with its own online presence, all needing to be tracked in one place. Our agency portal and multi-location plans handle both scenarios.

Each location gets its own score. You get a single dashboard to see all of them, spot which ones need attention, and track improvement across the board. Everything is in one place — no juggling separate accounts or reports.

See how it works for multi-location businesses →

VerticaIQ is a registered US business, operated by Vertica LLC. We're in the process of pursuing formal certifications — including security certifications like SOC 2 and industry accreditations. We believe in holding ourselves to the same standards of transparency and verification that we help our clients measure.

In the meantime: we use encrypted, secure hosting, all payments are handled by Stripe (PCI-certified), and we operate with a clear privacy policy and terms of use. We're not going anywhere and we stand behind our product.

Fair question to ask — and we're glad you do. We're Vertica LLC, a registered US business. VerticaIQ was built by US business owners, for US business owners. We understand what it's like to run a local business, and we built this tool because we wanted something we'd actually use ourselves.

You can reach a real person by chatting with us directly on the site or emailing info@verticaiq.com — and you'll hear back from a human, not a bot. Our reports are built from real, verifiable public data that you can cross-check yourself on Google, Yelp, or any of the platforms we reference.

We never ask for sensitive personal information, we never ask for passwords to your accounts, and we don't require a credit card to see your preview report. If anything ever feels off, reach out — we'll address it directly.

The fastest way is the chat button in the bottom corner of every page on our site. Our assistant can answer most questions instantly — about your score, your report, your plan, billing, or anything else. It's available 24/7.

If your question is something the chat can't answer, it will connect you to our team directly, and a real person will follow up by email — typically within one business day.

For anything that needs a human right away, you can always email info@verticaiq.com. We take support personally and we respond to everything.

Start with the chat on the site — billing questions are one of the most common things our assistant handles. If it needs to be escalated, it will pass it to us directly.

For billing, you can also manage your subscription, view invoices, and update payment information directly from your account settings. If you ever see a charge that doesn't look right, reach out and we'll sort it out immediately. We're not in the business of making billing complicated.

Use the chat — it's the fastest path to an answer. If the question isn't something the assistant can handle, it will escalate to our team and you'll hear back from a real person.

There's no such thing as a question too basic. We built VerticaIQ for business owners, not tech experts — and if you're confused about something, someone else probably is too. Good questions often end up right here in the FAQ.