Data and accuracy
Where does AlleyPulse data come from, and how accurate is it?
AlleyPulse builds each weekly neighborhood email by comparing a weekly snapshot of public Google Maps business data around your address with the previous week's, then adding public events and news, weather and regional search interest. It is useful, not perfect; this page says exactly what it can and can't tell you.
Last updated: 26 October 2026
Which sources does an issue use?
| Source | What we read | How often | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps business listings | Names, categories, ratings, review counts, hours, status, public posts and photos within your radius | Weekly snapshot, Saturday to Sunday night | Unlisted businesses can't appear; listings can be wrong or out of date |
| Public events calendars | Markets, festivals, road closures and public events near you | Weekly | Only events published online; coverage varies by city and language |
| Local news pages | Council notices and local news that mention your area | Weekly | Depends on what is published publicly in your area |
| Weather forecasts | The forecast for the week ahead at your address | Monday, early morning | Forecasts change; check again before big staffing decisions |
| Regional search interest | Relative interest in searches tied to your business type, 0 to 100 | Weekly, compared with recent weeks | Relative and regional, not your street and not counts of people |
| Trade press | One or two headlines relevant to your business type | Weekly | Usually tier C; context, not advice |
| Public social posts | Public Instagram and TikTok posts from nearby shops, posts that tag your shop, local topic tags and trending industry topics, read through a data provider | Weekly | We summarize and link to the post; names of other shops are never shown, and nothing is read from private accounts |
How is a weekly issue made?
- 01
Snapshot
Once a week, normally overnight Saturday to Sunday local time, we collect the listed businesses within your radius.
Sat to Sun - 02
Compare
We compare with last week's snapshot to find new listings, listings marked closed, rating moves, unusual review volume, new posts and promos.
Sunday - 03
Add context
We add upcoming local events, local news, the forecast, regional search interest and a few industry headlines for your business type.
Sunday - 04
Tier and explain
Each item gets a tier, why it matters, a suggested action and a dated source. Explanations are drafted automatically and checked against rules, for example never calling a new listing an opening.
Sunday night - 05
Send
The email goes out Monday morning in your time zone; the same issue appears in your web view.
Monday morning
What are the limits?
- Weekly, not real time. Information can be hours to days old when you read it.
- The first issue is a baseline. New and closed items need two snapshots, so they start in issue 2 and are reliable from about week 3 to 4.
- A new listing is not an opening. A business new on Google Maps near you may not be trading yet, may never trade, or may have traded for years without a listing.
- Closed means marked closed on Google at scan time. Listings are sometimes marked closed by mistake.
- Not every business is listed. Dense centers may hide small listings; sparse areas may show few.
- Reviews are summarized, not quoted. We report counts and themes, such as 5 of 9 mention waits. Themes are summarized by software and can be wrong.
- Busy times, when shown, are Google's relative popularity index, not foot traffic counts.
- Out of scope: permits, licenses, registrations, foot traffic and your own map ranking.
Is the data the same through the API?
Yes. The API and the MCP server return the same issues and items as the weekly email, from the same sources, with the same source link and first seen date on every item. They are read only. They return no review text, and other businesses are named only the way the email names them.
Is AlleyPulse affiliated with Google?
No. AlleyPulse uses publicly available business data and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google. Google Maps is a trademark of Google LLC.
How do I report an error or ask for a listing to be removed?
Email [email protected] with the issue date and the item. If your business appears in other shops' reports and you would like it excluded, tell us which listing and we will remove it from future issues.