Canonical Business Profile (CBP)
Each business in the registry has a structured Canonical Business Profile that serves as the authoritative representation of that business. The CBP contains:
Identity
Legal name, brand name, business type, primary category, canonical description, website, and primary location.
Directory Information
Physical address, contact details (phone, email), geographic coordinates, operating hours, service areas, languages spoken, social profiles, and booking links.
Target Audience
Primary audience segments, organization types served, industry context, business maturity level, and typical decision makers.
Guided Match
Problems the business solves, scenarios where the business is the right choice, scenarios where the business is not ideal, and key capabilities.
Offerings
Services and products with descriptions, types, delivery modes, and primary/secondary classification.
Proof & Trust
Verification sources, proof points (awards, certifications, reviews), and acknowledged constraints or limitations.
Update Process
When a business profile is updated, the following process is followed:
- Snapshot: The current CBP is archived in the version history before any changes are made.
- Validation: New information is validated against our JSON schema to ensure data integrity.
- Source Attribution: The source of each change is recorded (owner update, verification, correction request).
- Version Increment: The profile version number is incremented for tracking purposes.
- Timestamp: The update timestamp is recorded.
This process ensures full traceability of all changes and allows us to revert to previous versions if needed.
Structured Data
Each business profile generates structured data (JSON-LD) following Schema.org standards. This includes:
- LocalBusiness schema with all relevant properties
- Stable entity identifiers for consistent referencing
- PostalAddress with full geographic details
- GeoCoordinates for map integration
- OpeningHoursSpecification for operating hours
- OfferCatalog for services and products
This structured data helps search engines and other services accurately understand and display business information.
Data Quality Standards
- All text is reviewed for accuracy and clarity
- Addresses are geocoded and validated
- Contact information is tested when possible
- Descriptions are written in a neutral, factual tone
- Claims are attributed to sources
- No promotional or marketing language in descriptions
Learn More
For information about the sources we use, see our data sources page. To report inaccuracies or suggest updates, visit our corrections page.