Surge V3.6 Framework — Measurement Reference

Surge Visibility Levels

Purpose This artifact exists to show how Surge measures visibility progression (Level 0→3) across surfaces — so practitioners can assess current state, track progress, and know what success looks like.
Document Type Measurement Framework
Framework Version 3.6 Beta
Architect Daryl Osborne
Documentation Lead Russell Wright
Core Principle
Visibility Levels measure where the entity stands in the progression from invisible to cited. Each level represents a distinct state of machine recognition — not a subjective assessment, but an observable condition.
The Visibility Progression
0
Invisible
Not present
→
1
Present
Indexed, not prominent
→
2
Visible
Appearing in results
→
3
Cited
Driving action

Level Definitions

0

Invisible

The entity does not appear for relevant queries

Observable Conditions

  • No results for brand name searches
  • No presence on relevant surface
  • Competitors appear; entity does not
  • No index coverage for primary pages

What This Indicates

  • Entity not recognized by machines
  • No corroboration pattern exists
  • Foundation work not complete
  • Starting from zero on this surface
Priority: Establish presence. Create primary nodes. Build foundational corroboration.
1

Present

The entity is indexed but not prominent

Observable Conditions

  • Appears for exact brand name searches
  • Indexed on surface but buried in results
  • Present but below fold / page 2+
  • Exists in ecosystem but not selected

What This Indicates

  • Machine knows entity exists
  • Not enough corroboration for confidence
  • Competing entities have stronger signals
  • Dataset coverage likely incomplete
Priority: Build corroboration. Expand dataset coverage. Target S1 hubs for validation.
2

Visible

The entity appears prominently in results

Observable Conditions

  • Appears in top results for intent queries
  • Shows in multiple result types on surface
  • Present in local pack / featured positions
  • Discoverable without exact brand search

What This Indicates

  • Machine has confidence in entity relevance
  • Corroboration pattern is working
  • Entity recognized for intent cluster
  • Ready for expansion or deepening
Priority: Maintain and expand. Scale to additional intents. Monitor for regression.
3

Cited

The entity is driving action and attribution

Observable Conditions

  • Generating attributable calls/forms/actions
  • Cited in AI-generated responses
  • Appearing in knowledge panels / rich features
  • Being recommended as the answer

What This Indicates

  • Machine treats entity as authoritative
  • Corroboration strong enough for citation
  • Entity is "the answer" for this intent
  • Citation eligibility achieved
Priority: Protect position. Monitor competitive threats. Scale proven model to new intents.

Applying Levels Across Surfaces

Visibility Levels are measured independently per surface. An entity can be Level 3 on Maps and Level 0 on Video simultaneously.

Surface Level 0: Invisible Level 1: Present Level 2: Visible Level 3: Cited
Maps No listing exists Listed but not in pack In local pack for queries Top position + driving calls
Web Not indexed Indexed, page 2+ Page 1 for intent queries Featured snippets + conversions
Video No videos exist Videos indexed, not shown Appearing in video results Video carousel + engagement
Images No images indexed Images exist, not surfaced Appearing in image results Featured in image packs
Audio No audio content Podcasts indexed, buried Appearing in podcast results Recommended in players
AI Features Not mentioned Mentioned but not primary Included in AI responses Cited as the answer
Quick Level Assessment
0
Search entity name.
Nothing appears.
1
Entity appears only
for exact brand search.
2
Entity appears for
intent-based queries.
3
Entity is generating
attributable actions.
Example: Multi-Surface Visibility Scorecard
Surface
Baseline
Month 1
Month 3
Month 6
Maps
0
1
2
3
Web
1
1
2
3
Video
0
0
1
2
Images
0
1
2
2
AI Features
0
0
1
2
Reading the scorecard: Track per-surface progression over time. Diagnose gaps by identifying surfaces stuck at lower levels. Scale resources toward surfaces showing momentum. Level 3 on high-priority surfaces = success.