# AI-search tool evaluation scorecard for a serious buying decision. - working worksheet

Reviewed alongside the Eli guide: https://hireeli.io/resources/ai-search-tool-evaluation-scorecard

## Decision to make

Score AI-search platforms against evidence and workflow ownership

Owner: ____________________
Review date: ____________________
Canonical page or destination: ____________________

## Buyer questions

- [ ] How should AI-search tools be scored?
- [ ] Which capabilities deserve the most weight?
- [ ] What proof should vendors provide?
- [ ] How can a scorecard avoid feature-count bias?

## Evidence-led work plan

### 1. Give twenty-five points to measurement integrity

Score question relevance, non-brand separation, provider-level answers, citations, failure handling and comparable history.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 2. Give twenty points to diagnosis

Evaluate whether the system distinguishes technical access, entity clarity, owned-page content, independent authority and conversion-path failures.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 3. Give twenty-five points to governed execution

Score source and claim evidence, exact previews, approver identity, destination scope, CMS behavior, public verification and correction or rollback.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 4. Give fifteen points to later measurement

Require comparable question rechecks, indexation state, permitted referral data and separated lead or CRM outcomes.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 5. Use the final fifteen points for fit and cost

Score onboarding effort, weekly operator time, exports, integrations, data retention, tenant boundaries and total price.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

## Source ledger

- [ ] Google Search Central: AI features and your website: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide
- [ ] Google Search Central: people-first content guidance: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content
- [ ] Eli: AI Visibility Index methodology: https://hireeli.io/ai-visibility-index/methodology
- [ ] Eli: security and execution boundaries: https://hireeli.io/security

## Measurement boundary

Baseline date and exact context: ____________________
7-day observation: ____________________
14-day observation: ____________________
30-day observation: ____________________
Known limitations: ____________________

Keep technical eligibility, citations, recommendations, visits, leads and revenue as separate evidence. This worksheet does not guarantee an external ranking or commercial result.