diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 2d20d7b..d00c293 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,23 +1,32 @@ # geolocal.io — planning-rev2 -**Net-new planning branch** from the 2026-09-15 SEO / POR session. -Not a clone of `main`. Do not merge main docs into this branch. +**Net-new planning branch** (2026-09-15 session). Not a clone of `main`. Do not merge main docs here. -## What’s here +## Map (locked) | Path | Role | | :--- | :--- | -| `docs/strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md` | Working plan / POR checkpoint | -| `docs/strategy/LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md` | Beyond NAP: extras + stacks; why owners care | -| `docs/GLOSSARY.md` | Running glossary (NAP, GBP, Core 3, …) | -| `docs/product/genre-packs.md` | Layer A/B/C + pack index | -| `docs/product/genre-packs/core3-field-map.md` | Sourced Core 3 field map | -| `docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md` | Official GBP / Apple / Bing URLs | -| `docs/product/genre-packs/salon.md` | Salon pack (application notes) | -| `docs/product/genre-packs/bakery.md` | Bakery pack (application notes) | +| `docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md` | **Only** home for the business idea / strategy / GTM / wedge / workflow / MCP / packaging | +| `docs/GLOSSARY.md` | Industry terms only | +| `docs/product/genre-packs.md` | Layer A/B/C index (how we surface work to owners) | +| `docs/product/genre-packs/` | Field SoT (`SOURCES.md`, `core3-field-map.md`) + genre notes (`salon.md`, `bakery.md`) | +| `docs/evidence/` | Sourced research notes (cite URL) — not strategy | + +## Placement rules (agents must follow) + +1. Strategy / GTM / wedge / owner workflow / surfaces / MCP / distribution / packaging → **fold into** `docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md`. Never spawn a sibling strategy file. +2. New industry term → `docs/GLOSSARY.md`. +3. Platform field / API / UI claim → open `SOURCES.md`, update field map. No invented matrices. +4. External survey / report → `docs/evidence/-.md` with source URL. Link from the plan; don’t paste essays into the plan. +5. **No new `docs/*` top-level folder** unless Ty explicitly approves. +6. Checkpoint log stays **inside** `BUSINESS_PLAN.md` (trim; don’t spawn `DECISIONS.md`). +7. Two “layer” vocabularies — keep them distinct: + - **Layer A/B/C** = how we surface work (universal / genre / known-for) → `genre-packs.md` + - **Beyond NAP** = shared basics → provider extras → provider stacks → section inside `BUSINESS_PLAN.md` ## Process -- porbot scribes essence only; SEO & AEO Desk pressure-tests in chat -- Nothing locked until Ty says so -- Never invent Core 3 fields — use `SOURCES.md` +- **SEO & AEO Desk** = sole scribe + conversation SME on this branch. +- Essence of agreed direction only; mark provisional until Ty locks. +- Nothing locked until Ty says so. +- Never invent Core 3 fields — use `docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md`. diff --git a/docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md b/docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f308685 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md @@ -0,0 +1,236 @@ +# geolocal.io — Business Plan (working draft) + +**Branch:** `planning-rev2` +**Status:** In progress — conversation checkpoint, not final +**Purpose:** **Only** durable home for the business idea on this branch. Fold strategy here; do not spawn sibling strategy docs. + +**How we work this file** +- Checkpoint after solid decisions (or when a phrase must not be lost). +- Prefer revising this over spawning parallel strategy docs. +- Mark unknowns as open questions. Do not invent market numbers here. +- Nothing is locked until Ty says so. +- Scribe the **essence** of agreed direction. Do not promote open packaging into POR until it sticks. +- **Scribe:** SEO & AEO Desk (sole). + +--- + +## 1. North star (wording still open) + +**Intent (stable):** Enable local businesses to be discovered and recommended by AI assistants. + +Still wordsmithing the exact sentence. The job does not change while the phrasing does. + +--- + +## 2. What the company is + +Infrastructure — not a consumer destination. + +- Host structured business truth so AI assistants can discover, understand, and recommend local businesses (services and local retail with real-world presence). +- Give the business a simple way to point at that truth (no servers for them to run). +- Orchestrate booking / payment / related partners where needed; do not rebuild Calendly or Shopify. +- Stay invisible to end consumers; win by being useful to agents and trustworthy to owners. + +**Not:** another Yelp/Google for human browsing attention. + +--- + +## 3. Who we serve + +**Primary customer:** the business owner. + +By extension: +- Someone in their organization acting for them +- A partner they already trust (agency, SEO, chamber, tourism board) + +Partners are a **path to the owner**, not a different product. + +--- + +## 4. How demand shows up (two moments) + +1. **Presence for other AIs** — When a consumer’s assistant asks for a local plumber / salon / store, structured geolocal data can be consulted and acted on. +2. **Owner (or their AI) asks for help** — “How do we help our business be discovered by AI?” Invest in scenarios where the owner’s own AI can diagnose and set that up — not only human sales through agencies. + +Same north star; different moments of truth. + +--- + +## 5. Wedge and flywheel (direction agreed) + +**Preferred wedge:** a free AI-visibility checkup. + +Why: +- Shows immediate value / need +- Builds critical mass +- Small free actions amplify adoption + +**Long-term reputation bet:** become so useful and dense that AI systems default to checking geolocal for local-class queries — analogous to how they lean on Yelp or Foursquare today. + +**Strategic read:** free usefulness → coverage → agent trust → more local queries resolved via geolocal → more owners want in → denser graph. + +Evidence (category signal, not brand list): [`docs/evidence/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md`](./evidence/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md) — high AI tool use among SMBs; research/content dominate; local discovery gap; peer/WOM trust path. + +--- + +## 6. Owner experience + +### 6.1 Initial workflow (working direction) + +1. Arrive on an **outcome promise** (not plumbing) +2. Tell us the business +3. **Validation gate** — prove you represent the business +4. Dual-scoreboard audit in owner language + ranked foundation gaps +5. Short punch list (3–7 actions) +6. Optional durable step (minimal owned geolocal record on free path) +7. Return hook for re-check + +### 6.2 Surfaces (working direction) + +- **V1:** `geolocal.io/getstarted` (or similar) with **inline AI chat** driving intake — not forms-first. +- **Parallel from day one (design):** owner-agent → Owner MCP (same workflow). +- Thin status page behind login can hold the scorecard later. +- Web chat = on-ramp + control; agent-to-agent = scale + distribution. + +**Hard rule:** chat and MCP are **clients of one backend workflow** (verify → dual-score audit → punch list). If they diverge, we’ve built two products. + +### 6.3 Entry / discoverability angles (working — capture, not all build now) + +Partner paths, search, owner’s own AI asking “how do we get discovered,” later marketplace listings — prioritize by trust (peers/WOM) and where the discovery question is asked. + +### 6.4 Phase 1 conversation tone + +Speak **outcomes**, not plumbing. Example: “most recommended bakery on Whidbey Island for muffins.” Do not lead with MCP, endpoints, or `llms.txt`. + +--- + +## 7. Scorecard and tiers + +### 7.1 Owner-facing scorecard (working — not locked) + +Three top-line outcomes (wording TBD), each with plain “why not yet”: + +1. **AI knows you exist** — findable identity / NAP / listings +2. **AI knows what you do** — services, specialties, hours +3. **AI would recommend you** — trust + fit for a real job in a place + +Not a 40-row SEO audit. Dual scoreboard: hygiene feeds rungs 1–2; recommendability is differentiation. How we *measure* “would recommend” (heuristics vs live assistant checks) stays open. + +### 7.2 Discovery foundation + AI readiness + +**Two tiers, one product story** (owner language): + +1. **Discovery foundation** — Core listings + NAP/hours/category/contact consistency (internal: “2017”) +2. **AI readiness** — known-for queries, scorecard, structured presence when ready (internal: “2027”) + +Measure both early; *fix* foundation first when broken. Skip invented hygiene if already clean. + +**Owner vocab:** Core listings; The Core 3 (GBP, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places). + +**Foundation bar** (brick-and-mortar local) — not reviews, photo perfection, or ranking #1: + +1. One clear identity — correct NAP; no competing duplicates +2. Claimed Core 3 (genre/market adds are separate) +3. Accurate hours +4. Right category + short plain “what you do” +5. Reachable — working phone and/or website/contact +6. Not contradictory — site vs Core 3 agree on name/place/hours + +**Foundation sync (P1)** across Core 3: NAP + primary category + hours + website URL + short description + service-area/address mode. P2 (attributes, photos, menus, booking, secondary categories) is genre/known-for gated. + +### 7.3 Surfacing work — Layer A / B / C + +Not one giant schema. **A** universal Discovery foundation → **B** thin genre pack → **C** known-for overlay. Scorecard first, then 3–7 actions max by impact. + +Index + packs: [`docs/product/genre-packs.md`](./product/genre-packs.md). + +### 7.4 Beyond NAP — provider capability ladder + +*(Absorbed from former `LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md` — do not re-spawn that file.)* + +Distinct from Layer A/B/C (what work we show). This is what providers can hold: + +1. **Shared listing basics (Core 3)** — category, hours, website, description, service-area mode +2. **Provider listing extras** — GBP services/posts/actions/attrs; Apple Good to Know / hours types; Bing thinner +3. **Provider stacks** — Apple Stack (brand → Maps+Wallet/Pay, Showcases, Actions, Insights); Google = rich but fragmented listing + adjacent products + +**Why owners care:** NAP = findable; extras = know what you do; stacks/actions = chosen and acted on. + +Field SoT: [`docs/product/genre-packs/core3-field-map.md`](./product/genre-packs/core3-field-map.md). Sources: [`SOURCES.md`](./product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md). + +**Later proof layer (not free first-hour):** platform KPI telemetry (e.g. Apple Insights). Show only what platforms return — never invent numbers. Fit = ongoing AI readiness / retention. + +### 7.5 Validation gate (essence) + +Anyone using GeoLocal tools must pass a **business-representation check** first. Mechanism and free/silver/gold allotments stay open until COGS is real. + +### 7.6 Free path after checkup (not locked) + +1. Ranked DIY punch list +2. Mint of a **minimal owned geolocal record** — densify does not wait for paid + +Soft upsell: “comfortable DIY, or want GeoLocal to help?” + +**Bundles (free/silver/gold):** pinned open — capture value-prop angles first, then revisit. + +### 7.7 Paid “help” vs product (not locked) + +- **Paid listing cleanup** = partner / agency **fulfillment**, not the product. +- **Product** = owned geolocal record + ongoing AI-readiness score (and later agent-facing presence). + +Do not document GeoLocal as a local SEO shop with extra steps. + +--- + +## 8. Distribution investment (working direction) + +**Invest in one portable Owner MCP** wired to the geolocal.io backend (same workflow as chat). Thin adapters/listings second — not five one-off apps. + +| Priority | Surface | Call | +| :--- | :--- | :--- | +| P0 | Owner MCP + web chat | Build / debug privately first | +| P1 | GrokBot (dogfood) → Claude Connectors / ChatGPT plugins / Grok connectors | Thin listings on the **same** MCP | +| P2 | Square OAuth (optional) | Only if it shortens verify/NAP — not a second product | +| P3 | Square App Marketplace listing | **Defer** until free-checkup proof; marketplace onboarding without Partnerships contact was paused (2026) | + +**Debug sequence:** private/local MCP → Ty + GrokBot → harden auth/rate limits → public listings. Remote connectors need a public MCP URL when opened. + +**Anti-pattern:** separate “GeoLocal for Square / GPT / Claude” codebases. + +--- + +## 9. Business plan audience (still open) + +Primary reader for v1 structure: internal / investors / partners — pick one first. + +--- + +## 10. Inputs (not on this branch) + +`main` holds older planning (north star, canonical strategy, SSP use cases, etc.). Treat as **raw material only** — do not re-import into this branch. Resolve conflicts on purpose in this file when pulling an idea over. + +Evidence and field sources that *are* on this branch live under `docs/evidence/` and `docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md`. + +--- + +## 11. Checkpoint log (trim, don’t spawn) + +| When | What landed | +| :--- | :--- | +| 2026-09-15 | North star; owner-first; partner path; owner-AI “get discovered”; free checkup wedge; reputation flywheel | +| 2026-09-15 | Dual scoreboard; Discovery foundation → AI readiness; Core 3 vocab; foundation six-point bar; P1 sync fields | +| 2026-09-15 | Layer A/B/C; sourced Core 3 field map; salon/bakery application notes; Apple API names BLOCKED when gated | +| 2026-09-15 | Validation gate essence; free DIY + minimal record; paid cleanup = fulfillment; bundles pinned open | +| 2026-09-15 | Owner workflow + V1 chat + Owner MCP same backend; distribution: one MCP, thin AI adapters, defer Square Marketplace | +| 2026-09-15 | Unslop: locked placement map; absorbed beyond-NAP into this file; evidence/ folder; Desk = sole scribe | + +--- + +## Next conversation topics + +1. Wordsmith scorecard rungs + plain “why not yet” evidence +2. How to measure “would recommend” honestly +3. Primary reader for v1 of this plan +4. Offer / packaging after value-prop angles captured +5. First 3–5 Owner MCP tools (owner-facing) +6. 90-day proof: what “AI checks us” requires in coverage/quality diff --git a/docs/GLOSSARY.md b/docs/GLOSSARY.md index dc269c7..3d754ea 100644 --- a/docs/GLOSSARY.md +++ b/docs/GLOSSARY.md @@ -16,3 +16,5 @@ Running definitions for industry terms used in geolocal.io planning. | **Apple Stack** | Owner-facing name for Apple Business brand/place-card capabilities above NAP: Brand logo/Style Guide, cover into Maps + Wallet/Pay, Showcases, Actions, Insights — a unified brand OS, not just a Maps pin. | | **Listings pack** | Per-provider capability model (what GBP / Apple / Bing can hold above NAP). Distinct from **genre pack** (what a salon vs bakery must prove). | +| **Owner MCP** | GeoLocal’s Model Context Protocol server for owners (or their AIs): same verify → audit → punch list workflow as the web chat, exposed as tools. One server; thin adapters to Claude / ChatGPT / Grok / GrokBot. | +| **Layer A / B / C** | How GeoLocal surfaces work: **A** universal Discovery foundation, **B** genre pack, **C** known-for. Distinct from the beyond-NAP provider capability ladder. | diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md deleted file mode 100644 index 92684c9..0000000 --- a/docs/README.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3 +0,0 @@ -# docs (planning-rev2) - -Session planning docs only. See repo root `README.md`. diff --git a/docs/research/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md b/docs/evidence/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md similarity index 98% rename from docs/research/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md rename to docs/evidence/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md index a0a7ea3..6e57952 100644 --- a/docs/research/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md +++ b/docs/evidence/SBE-TECH-USE-SURVEY-2026.md @@ -79,5 +79,5 @@ Sample is general SMB 2–99 (professional services, construction, tech, retail, ## Related POR -- `docs/strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md` — north star, wedge, owner workflow, tiers +- `docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md` — north star, wedge, owner workflow, tiers - Packaging free/silver/gold: **pinned open** until value-prop angles are fully captured diff --git a/docs/product/README.md b/docs/product/README.md deleted file mode 100644 index 1ec45cc..0000000 --- a/docs/product/README.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3 +0,0 @@ -# product - -Genre packs and Core 3 field map for this planning session. See `genre-packs.md`. diff --git a/docs/product/genre-packs.md b/docs/product/genre-packs.md index 316acc9..8a03f3f 100644 --- a/docs/product/genre-packs.md +++ b/docs/product/genre-packs.md @@ -12,25 +12,21 @@ **Core 3 coverage rule:** **GBP** is richest; Apple Business Connect mid; Bing Places thinnest. Pack actions: set on GBP; mirror on Apple/Bing where the field exists. -## Sourced Core 3 map + deep examples (planning-rev2) +**Not the same as “beyond NAP”:** A/B/C = *what work we show the owner*. Beyond-NAP (in `docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md`) = *provider capability ladder* (basics → extras → stacks). + +## Sourced Core 3 map + deep examples - [Core 3 sourced field map](./genre-packs/core3-field-map.md) — **SoT for fields** (no guessing) - [Core 3 source URLs](./genre-packs/SOURCES.md) — GBP / Apple / Bing links to reopen - [Salon](./genre-packs/salon.md) — genre application notes (illustrative only) - [Bakery](./genre-packs/bakery.md) — same -## Earlier planned packs (from main / prior docs) +## Later packs (not started on this branch) -- Auto repair (see [UC-01](./use-cases/uc-01-endpoint-auto-repair.md)) -- Beauty (overlaps salon — reconcile later) -- Home services -- Tourism activity ([UC-02](./use-cases/uc-02-intermediate-tourism-board.md)) -- Local retail / general store ([UC-03](./use-cases/uc-03-local-retail-general-store.md)) +Auto repair, beauty (reconcile with salon), home services, tourism activity, local retail — add only when we go deep; no placeholder shells. ## Why this matters Assistants evaluate helpfulness by whether the business answers the *right* questions for its category. Salon booking ≠ bakery known-for products. -## Detail source - -Conversation checkpoint on `planning-rev2`; [BUSINESS_PLAN.md](../strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md); [Canonical Strategy](../strategy/CANONICAL_STRATEGY.md) §1a. +Plan pointer: [`docs/BUSINESS_PLAN.md`](../BUSINESS_PLAN.md). diff --git a/docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md b/docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md index 0e2fc1b..69be94d 100644 --- a/docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md +++ b/docs/product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Canonical links for Discovery foundation / field-map work. **Do not invent fields from memory — open these.** If a link is dead or gated, mark **BLOCKED** in chat and in `core3-field-map.md`. -Last updated: 2026-09-15 (porbot) +Last updated: 2026-09-15 (SEO & AEO Desk) --- diff --git a/docs/strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md b/docs/strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md deleted file mode 100644 index 53f841c..0000000 --- a/docs/strategy/BUSINESS_PLAN.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,213 +0,0 @@ -# geolocal.io — Business Plan (working draft) - -**Branch:** `planning-rev2` -**Status:** In progress — conversation checkpoint, not final -**Purpose:** One durable place for the clean plan. Existing docs on `main` are raw material; this file is what we iterate. - -**How we work this file** -- Checkpoint here after every few solid decisions (or when a phrase must not be lost). -- Prefer revising this over spawning parallel strategy docs. -- Mark unknowns as open questions. Do not invent market numbers here. -- Nothing is locked until Ty says so. Checkpoint working directions; revise freely as the conversation matures. -- Scribe the **essence** of agreed direction. Do not promote open-discussion packaging/options into POR until they stick. - ---- - -## 1. North star (wording still open) - -**Intent (stable):** Enable local businesses to be discovered and recommended by AI assistants. - -Still wordsmithing the exact sentence. The job does not change while the phrasing does. - ---- - -## 2. What the company is - -Infrastructure — not a consumer destination. - -- Host structured business truth so AI assistants can discover, understand, and recommend local businesses (services and local retail with real-world presence). -- Give the business a simple way to point at that truth (no servers for them to run). -- Orchestrate booking / payment / related partners where needed; do not rebuild Calendly or Shopify. -- Stay invisible to end consumers; win by being useful to agents and trustworthy to owners. - -**Not:** another Yelp/Google for human browsing attention. - ---- - -## 3. Who we serve - -**Primary customer:** the business owner. - -By extension: -- Someone in their organization acting for them -- A partner they already trust (agency, SEO, chamber, tourism board) - -Partners are a **path to the owner**, not a different product. - ---- - -## 4. How demand shows up (two moments) - -1. **Presence for other AIs** — When a consumer’s assistant asks for a local plumber / salon / store, structured geolocal data can be consulted and acted on. -2. **Owner (or their AI) asks for help** — Emerging path: “How do we help our business be discovered by AI?” Geolocal should invest in scenarios where the owner’s own AI can diagnose and set that up — not only human sales through agencies. - -Same north star; different moments of truth. - ---- - -## 5. Wedge and flywheel (direction agreed) - -**Preferred wedge:** a free AI-visibility checkup (SSP audit). - -Why: -- Shows immediate value / need -- Builds critical mass -- Small free actions amplify adoption - -**Long-term reputation bet:** become so useful and dense that AI systems default to checking geolocal for local-class queries — analogous to how they lean on Yelp or Foursquare today. - -**Strategic read (not pricing gimmick):** free usefulness → coverage → agent trust → more local queries resolved via geolocal → more owners want in → denser graph. - -### Phase 1 owner conversation (working direction — not locked) - -Speak **outcomes**, not plumbing. Example: “most recommended bakery on Whidbey Island for muffins.” Do not lead with MCP, endpoints, or `llms.txt`. - -Phase 1 *fixes* usually look like classic local visibility hygiene (2017-style) before deeper 2027 agent work: -- NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency -- Hours alignment across platforms -- Maps / GBP / Yelp (and similar) listing hygiene - -**Working nuance (2026-09-15):** foundation-first for *fixes*, not for *measurement*. The free audit’s scoreboard is AI recommendability in plain English (“would an assistant recommend you for this job in this place — and why not?”), not “GBP is 67% complete.” If 2017 hygiene is already solid, skip fake Google-fix busywork and go straight to agent gaps. Differentiation vs commodity local SEO lives in that scoreboard. - -### Owner-facing scorecard (working direction — not locked) - -POR work: an intuitive scorecard a business owner understands. Top-level outcomes (wording TBD), not SEO jargon: - -1. **AI knows you exist** — findable identity / NAP / listings -2. **AI knows what you do** — services, specialties, hours — enough to answer “what is this place?” -3. **AI would recommend you** — enough trust + fit that an assistant would pick you for a real job in a place - -Keep to **three top-line outcomes**, each with plain “why not yet” underneath — not a 40-row SEO audit. Dual scoreboard still applies: hygiene work feeds rungs 1–2; recommendability is the differentiation line. - -**Agreed essence so far:** scorecard is owner-plain (exist / know what you do / would recommend), not a long SEO audit. How we *measure* “would recommend” (heuristics vs live assistant checks, free vs paid depth) is still open discussion — do not treat packaging ideas as POR until Ty says they stick. - -### Discovery foundation + AI readiness (working direction — essence) - -**Two tiers, one product story** (owner language): -1. **Discovery foundation** — Core listings + NAP/hours/category/contact consistency (internal: “2017”) -2. **AI readiness** — known-for queries, exist / know what you do / would recommend, structured presence when ready (internal: “2027”) - -Measure both early; *fix* foundation first when broken. - -Owner vocab (use these terms going forward): -- **Core listings** — main places customers (and AI) look the business up -- **The Core 3** — GBP, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places - -Foundation bar (brick-and-mortar local) — not reviews, photo perfection, or ranking #1: -1. One clear identity — correct NAP everywhere that matters; no competing duplicates -2. Claimed Core 3 listings (genre/market adds are separate, not universal min-bar) -3. Accurate hours (incl. obvious holiday/seasonal where relevant) -4. Right category + short plain “what you do” -5. Reachable — working phone and/or website/contact path -6. Not contradictory — site vs Core 3 don’t disagree on name/place/hours - -Checked *on* the Core 3 (and the site). Prerequisite for 2027 work **when flaws exist**; skip invented hygiene if already clean. - -**Foundation sync (P1)** across Core 3: NAP + primary category + hours + website URL + short description + service-area/address mode. Phone lives in NAP but must match. P2 (attributes, photos, menus, booking, secondary categories) is genre/known-for gated — not universal min-bar. - -### Surfacing work to owners (working direction — essence) - -**Later proof layer (working idea, not free first-hour):** platform KPI telemetry (e.g. Apple Insights — searches, place card views, Actions). Owner language: found you → tapped directions/call. Pair with GBP performance later. Show only what platforms return — never invent numbers. Fit = ongoing AI readiness / retention, not the initial free scorecard. - - -Three layers (not one giant schema): **A** universal Discovery foundation → **B** thin genre pack → **C** known-for overlay. Scorecard first, then 3–7 actions max by impact. - -Deep example packs: [`docs/product/genre-packs/salon.md`](../product/genre-packs/salon.md), [`docs/product/genre-packs/bakery.md`](../product/genre-packs/bakery.md). Index: [`docs/product/genre-packs.md`](../product/genre-packs.md). - -### Layers beyond NAP (working direction — essence) - -See [`LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md`](./LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md). - -1. **Shared listing basics (Core 3)** — category, hours, website, description, service-area mode -2. **Provider listing extras** — GBP services/posts/actions/attrs; Apple Good to Know / hours types; Bing thinner -3. **Provider stacks** — Apple Stack (brand → Maps+Wallet/Pay, Showcases, Actions); Google = rich but fragmented listing + adjacent products - -**Why owners care:** NAP = findable; extras = know what you do; stacks/actions = chosen and acted on. - -### Validation gate (working direction — essence) - -Anyone using GeoLocal tools must pass a **business-representation check** first (e.g. prove control of a contact channel tied to that business). Mechanism details and free/silver/gold allotments stay open until COGS is real — only the gate itself is directional essence so far. - -### Free path after checkup (working direction — not locked) - -Free includes: -1. Ranked DIY punch list the technical owner can execute (e.g. align hours across providers) -2. Mint of a **minimal owned geolocal record** (name, place, category, plus plain-English AI recommendability) — densify does **not** wait for paid - -Soft upsell in-product: “comfortable DIY, or want GeoLocal to help?” - -### Paid “help” vs product (working direction — not locked) - -- **Paid listing cleanup** (Maps / hours / NAP fixes done for the owner) = partner / agency **fulfillment**, not the product. -- **Product** = the owned geolocal record + ongoing AI-readiness score (and later agent-facing presence). - -Do not document GeoLocal as a local SEO shop with extra steps. - ---- - -## 6. Business plan audience (still open) - -Clarify what this document must optimize for first: -- Internal clarity (founders / operators) -- Investors -- Partners / channels - -Can serve more than one later; pick the primary reader for v1 structure. - ---- - -## 7. Source material (do not duplicate blindly) - -Treat as inputs, not competing sources of truth while this draft is live: - -- `NORTH_STAR.md` -- `docs/strategy/CANONICAL_STRATEGY.md` -- `docs/gtm/`, `docs/investors/`, `docs/product/` -- `docs/archive/` — historical only - -If something here conflicts with `CANONICAL_STRATEGY.md`, resolve on purpose in a later pass — do not silently fork forever. - ---- - -## 8. Checkpoint log - -| When | What landed | -| :--- | :--- | -| 2026-09-15 | North star intent; owner-first buyer; partners as extension; agent-mediated “get discovered” path; free checkup wedge; reputation / critical-mass flywheel; open question on free durable win vs diagnosis-only | -| 2026-09-15 | Working direction (not locked): phase 1 = outcome language + local-hygiene foundation; free may include DIY punch list + minimal owned record; paid listing-fix as partner/agency fulfillment; product = record + AI-readiness score; porbot = repo scribe, Desk = conversation | -| 2026-09-15 | Process: nothing locked yet — distill POR as we build; porbot scribes so key insights are not lost | -| 2026-09-15 | Working nuance: 2017 hygiene usually first *fix* work; dual scoreboard from day one (hygiene + AI recommendability); skip forced hygiene phase if foundation already solid | -| 2026-09-15 | Working direction: owner scorecard ladder — knows you exist / knows what you do / would recommend you (wording TBD); open whether v1 recommend = heuristic vs live assistant pings | -| 2026-09-15 | Process note: scribe essence of agreed direction only — exploratory packaging stays out of POR until it sticks | -| 2026-09-15 | Essence: validation gate before tool use (prove you represent the business); plan tier numbers still open | -| 2026-09-15 | Essence: owner vocab Core listings / Core 3; 2017 foundation six-point bar checked on Core 3 + site | -| 2026-09-15 | Essence: two tiers — Discovery foundation → AI readiness (owner names); measure both early, fix foundation first when broken | -| 2026-09-15 | Essence: P1 foundation sync = NAP + category + hours + website + description + service-area mode; P2 genre/known-for gated | -| 2026-09-15 | Essence: Layer A/B/C surfacing; deep pack shells for salon + bakery under docs/product/genre-packs/ | -| 2026-09-15 | Salon + bakery packs: parent/child × Core 3 example field matrices checked in | -| 2026-09-15 | Pack matrices: added Why it matters + sourced vs placeholder honesty after Desk Core 3 source check | -| 2026-09-15 | Replaced guessed genre matrices with sourced Core 3 field map (core3-field-map.md); salon/bakery = application notes only | -| 2026-09-15 | Apple Core 3 column = UI labels until Business Connect Location API v1.3 field list dumped; no invented Apple schema names | -| 2026-09-15 | Apple column filled from Configure location attributes guide; still BLOCKED on API camelCase names + per-genre attribute enums | -| 2026-09-15 | Punted Apple partner API schema rabbit hole; noted Insights-style KPIs as later proof/retention (SOURCES.md); still BLOCKED on per-genre attribute enums | - ---- - -## Next conversation topics - -1. Wordsmith the three scorecard rungs; define plain “why not yet” evidence under each -2. How to measure “would recommend” honestly (still open) -3. Primary reader for v1 of this plan (internal / investors / partners) -4. Offer / packaging detail (what free record includes vs what paid unlocks beyond fulfillment) — no invented numbers -5. 90-day proof: what “reputable enough that AI checks us” requires in coverage and quality -6. Owner MCP vs GeoLocal.io chat: same journey or separate surfaces (later layer; keep out of phase-1 owner talk) diff --git a/docs/strategy/LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md b/docs/strategy/LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md deleted file mode 100644 index d2e504c..0000000 --- a/docs/strategy/LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,51 +0,0 @@ -# Layers beyond NAP — why owners should care - -**Status:** working essence (2026-09-15 session) — not locked -**Audience:** GeoLocal POR / owner-language planning - ---- - -## NAP is the floor - -**NAP** = Name, Address, Phone. Matching identity across Core listings is the floor. Without it, Maps and assistants can’t reliably find the business. - ---- - -## Three layers above NAP - -### 1. Shared listing basics (Core 3) - -Category, hours, website, short description, service-area/address mode — same *job* on **GBP**, **Apple Business Connect**, and **Bing Places**: what you are, when you’re open, how to reach you. - -Field SoT: [`../product/genre-packs/core3-field-map.md`](../product/genre-packs/core3-field-map.md). - -### 2. Provider listing extras - -Platform-specific depth beyond the shared basics, e.g.: - -- **GBP:** services (`serviceItems`), products, posts, Place Actions, category-dynamic attributes, photos -- **Apple:** Good to Know, richer hours types (normal / service / temporary), About, Actions (as offered) -- **Bing:** thinner extras - -This moves the owner from “they can find me” → “they know what I do.” - -### 3. Provider brand / capability stacks - -Specialized capability above listing extras: - -- **Apple Stack (clearest unified OS):** Brand (logo, Style Guide) → place card that carries logo/cover into **Maps and Wallet/Pay**, Showcases, approved Actions, Insights -- **Google:** rich but **fragmented** — GBP listing extras + adjacent products (Brand profile, Merchant Center, Pay/Wallet console branding). Not one Apple-shaped brand OS - -Sources: [`../product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md`](../product/genre-packs/SOURCES.md). - ---- - -## Why business owners should care - -| Layer | Owner outcome | -| :--- | :--- | -| NAP | Findable — assistants and Maps can match you | -| Shared basics + extras | Understandable — what you do, when, how to reach | -| Stacks (esp. Apple Actions / Google Place Actions) | **Chosen and acted on** — directions, call, book, order | - -Discovery foundation → AI readiness is this ladder: exist → know what you do → recommend / act. NAP alone is not enough for “most recommended bakery for muffins.” diff --git a/docs/strategy/README.md b/docs/strategy/README.md deleted file mode 100644 index f603b31..0000000 --- a/docs/strategy/README.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5 +0,0 @@ -# strategy - -Start with `BUSINESS_PLAN.md`. - -- [`LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md`](./LAYERS-BEYOND-NAP.md) — base / extras / stacks; why owners care