How Scoring Works
TL;DR
Your AgentReady™ score combines 8 weighted factors into a single 0–100 number. Each factor measures a specific dimension of AI readiness, and the public weights let you prioritize improvements with confidence.
Last updated: 2026-03-09
The 8-Factor System#
Your AgentReady™ score is not a single measurement. It is a composite of 8 distinct factors, each targeting a different aspect of how AI systems discover, read, and recommend your content. The system was designed to reflect real-world AI behavior: the factors that matter most to large language models and AI search engines carry the most weight. Every scan evaluates all 8 factors independently, then combines them into a final score between 0 and 100. This approach means you always know which areas are strong and which need work. There is no black box. The weights are public, the factors are documented, and your per-factor breakdowns are available after every scan. For detailed information on each factor, visit the individual factor pages starting with Schema Markup.
What Each Factor Measures#
Each of the 8 factors targets a specific question an AI system asks when it encounters your site. Schema Markup checks whether your pages provide structured data that machines can parse directly. Content Quality evaluates whether your text is clear, substantive, and well-organized. Bot Access determines whether AI crawlers can actually reach your pages. Topic Clarity measures how well your content demonstrates expertise and topical authority. AI Protocols looks at whether you have adopted emerging standards like
llms.txt and AI-specific metadata. Speed checks page load performance, since slow pages get deprioritized. Authority evaluates trust signals like backlink profiles and domain reputation. Crawl Health assesses technical fundamentals like status codes, redirects, and sitemap accuracy.How Weights Work#
Not all factors contribute equally to your final score. The weights reflect how much influence each factor has on AI discovery in practice. Here are the public weights:
- Content Quality — 20%
- Bot Access — 20%
- Schema Markup — 18%
- Topic Clarity — 10%
- AI Protocols — 10%
- Authority & Trust — 10%
- Crawl Health — 7%
- Speed & Performance — 5%
From Raw Scores to Your Final Grade#
Each factor produces a raw sub-score. These sub-scores are multiplied by their respective weights and summed to produce a weighted total. But that is not the end of the calculation. The system also applies floors that cap your score when fundamental problems exist, and bonuses that reward sites demonstrating excellence across multiple factors. The result is your final AgentReady™ score, which maps to a letter grade on the grade scale. This layered approach means that a site cannot achieve a high score by excelling in one area while ignoring critical basics. It also means that well-rounded sites earn meaningful bonus credit.
The Improvement Cycle#
Your score is not static. Every time you make changes and run a new scan, the system re-evaluates all 8 factors from scratch. The recommended workflow is straightforward: scan your site, review per-factor breakdowns, fix the highest-impact issues first, and scan again. Because the weights are public, you can estimate the impact of a fix before you implement it. A 10-point improvement in a 20%-weight factor moves your total score roughly twice as much as the same improvement in a 10%-weight factor. Over time, this iterative process compounds. Most sites see the fastest gains in their first two or three improvement cycles, especially when they address floors early. For a guided walkthrough, see Your First Scan.
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I game the score by optimizing only the highest-weighted factors?
Not effectively. The floors system caps your score when fundamental issues exist, regardless of how well you perform on other factors. A balanced approach always outperforms a lopsided one.
How often should I re-scan my site?
After every meaningful change to your site structure, content, or technical configuration. Most teams scan weekly during active optimization and monthly for ongoing monitoring.
Are the scoring weights ever updated?
Yes. As AI systems evolve, the weights may be rebalanced to reflect real-world changes in how AI discovers content. All changes are documented on the Algorithm Changelog page.
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