A measure of your market authority (human + structural) with a reference to your competitors. Includes how you compare to competitors as well as what AI thinks of your brand.
Most businesses have a sense of where they stand. They see their competitors, track their reviews, and follow the market. But sense is not the same as evidence. The Market Authority Index gives you a scored, structured view of exactly how much authority your brand holds — and what is holding it back. Not based on revenue. Not based on size. Based on the signals buyers, search engines, and AI systems actually use to evaluate credibility.
The Market Authority Index (MAI) is a composite score from 0 to 100 that measures a brand's authority in its market. It is built from two pillars: Human Authority (HA), how buyers and external sources perceive and validate your brand and Structural Confidence (SC), how well your business infrastructure, positioning, and digital presence support that authority.
The result is a single, comparable score that shows where you are strong, where you are weak, and where the biggest opportunity for growth sits.
How buyers, reviewers, press, and external validators perceive and reference your brand. This is the trust and credibility others place in you — earned, not claimed.
How well your digital presence, positioning, proof points, and brand infrastructure support and sustain that authority. This is the foundation buyers land on when they investigate.
Revenue is a lagging indicator, it tells you what happened. MAI is a leading indicator, it tells you what is about to happen.
A brand with strong authority ahead of its revenue scale is positioned to grow.
A brand with weak authority relative to its size is vulnerable.
The MAI score tells you which situation you are in, and what to do about it.
| Tier | MAI Score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Emerging | 0 – 39 | Authority signals are limited. Significant gaps in positioning or external validation. |
| Developing | 40 – 59 | Foundations are forming. Some credibility signals present but inconsistent. |
| Established | 60 – 74 | Solid authority in place. Recognised in the market with room to strengthen. |
| Strong Authority | 75 – 84 | Clear market credibility. Buyers and AI systems recognise the brand as a strong option. |
| Market Leader | 85 – 100 | Dominant authority in the sector. A reference point others are measured against. |
Businesses that score 65 and above are eligible for MAI Certification, a publicly recognised mark of market authority in their sector.
Treehotel, Sweden. A boutique luxury hotel with authority built through earned media, editorial coverage, and distinctive positioning. High Human Authority ahead of scale.
Bed of Scandinavia. A DTC bedding brand with verified customer outcome data (TrustPoint) driving significant Human Authority lift. Authority ahead of revenue.
A mid-market brand with strong structural foundations but limited external validation. Clear gap identified between SC and HA — addressable with targeted actions.
See how brands in your sector compare — view the Q1 2026 MAI Benchmark Report covering 74 brands across 11 sectors.
Based only on your website the Agent can determine a great deal about your business and how it is positioned in your market. The report includes your competitors, their ranking as well as an action plan to help guide you to greater authority in your market. The full analysis typically completes within 45 minutes. Your report is delivered within 24 hours.
Your MAI score plus HA, and SC broken down
Competitive benchmarking against sector leaders
Gap analysis identifying what is holding your score back.
A full written report with findings and strategic observations
A record you can reference and track over time
No bias, all AI Agent generated for consistency
An MAI assessment gives you a clear, scored view of your market position as well as a baseline to measure progress against. Once you get your free report you can get in touch to discuss your sector if you wish.
As part of getting your MAI score you also get a personalised report identifying the specific actions that will improve your authority, your positioning, and your ability to win in your market.
We currently offer an MAI Index Analysis for a brand for free.
When you make your request it will be processed in a queue system but you should receive your report within 24 hours. If you have not seen your report within 24 hours, check your spam folder first and if it is not there then get in contact with us as we send 99% of requests within 24 hours.