Methodology
How Local Pulse Measures Local Business Activity
What we count, over which periods, and the one thing we never do: guess at a business's sales.
Data as of · How we measure
Metrics
No figure, no estimate: a missing value shows as a dash.
| Metric | Definition | Refreshed |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | Average star rating across the public platforms we read. | Weekly |
| Review count | Total public reviews across those platforms. | Weekly |
| New per 90 days | Change in review count between dated snapshots, scaled to 90 days. | Weekly |
| Activity mark | ▲ high (85+), ■ steady (60–84), ▼ quiet (under 60) on our 0–100 recent-activity score. | Weekly |
| Record checks | License, registration, permits and insurance, with source and date. | Rolling |
Order and tags
The index weights recent review activity at half; completeness of details, rating and review base make up the rest. It is not a quality ranking.
- Established
- 300+ reviews, 15+ years, rating 4.7 or higher.
- Gaining
- 10+ new reviews in 90 days, adding 5% or more.
- New
- Under 10 years with 50+ public reviews.
Record checks
We look up the state license, business registration and county permit history ourselves, and read the dates on the insurance certificate a business sends us. Each profile lists every check with its source and date. A check says what a record showed that day; it is not a guarantee of work.
Limits
- Review habits differ. Some companies ask every client; some never ask.
- Small numbers swing. 9 to 13 reviews is +44%: read the counts next to the percentage.
- Reviews are not sales. We never infer revenue or customer numbers from them.
We show counts and averages and link to sources; we don't copy review text. No business can pay to change any figure. How we make money · Corrections
Questions about the method
What does review activity actually tell me?
How many customers chose to post about a business recently, and whether that pace is speeding up or slowing down. It is a sign of a business that is open and serving people now. It is not a measure of quality, size or sales.
Why weigh recent reviews more than the total?
A total built over twenty years says little about this season. New reviews per 90 days show what is happening now, so recency carries half the weight in our index. The total stays visible next to it, so you can judge both.
Can a new business rank above an established one?
Yes, if its public reviews are arriving faster. That is why we tag young companies with enough data as New, and long-standing ones as Established: the same pace means something different for each.
How often is the data refreshed?
Review counts and ratings are read weekly and every page shows the date of its snapshot. Record checks such as licenses run on their own schedule, and each one shows when it was last done.