Review rules

Every indexed page needs evidence and a clear decision.

We index pages only when they add original judgment, clear free-tier limits, and a useful recommendation.

Core rule
Every page needs a decision to support
If a page does not help a merchant choose, compare, or rule out a tool, it is not ready for search.

Tool pages must include verdict, limits, fit, and alternatives.

Best lists must explain criteria and why specific tools made the shortlist.

Comparison pages need a winner by use case.

Reviewed pages
What reviewed pages need
A strong page explains what works, where the free tier gets weak, and who needs to skip it.

Hands-on testing

Every indexed tool page needs a real test pass, not a rewritten vendor page.

Decision-first scoring

Scores exist to support a recommendation, not to create fake precision.

Index only useful pages

Thin profiles, vendor-only copy, and unreviewed submissions stay out of search.

Editorial transparency

We show what was tested, when it was tested, and where the free tier breaks down.

Minimum fields
Minimum evidence for an indexed tool page

Last tested date

Verdict written for a store team

Free-tier reality and card requirement

Best-for and not-for guidance

Repeatable score breakdown

Alternatives that help the decision

Trust path
Check the public trust pages

If readers cannot inspect the site's own rules, the public reviews lose credibility fast.

Operations
Trust is not only editorial

Privacy, contact, and disclosure pages are part of the same trust system as rankings and reviews.

Launch rule
Strengthen the best pages first

The right launch behavior is to improve the clearest public pages before widening the content surface.

That means better metadata, clearer links, and more obvious trust cues on the first wave of pages.

Live examples

Check the rules against the first-wave public pages

This is the fastest way to audit whether the methodology is actually visible on the site. These pages show the same trust cues, supporting links, and decision discipline in public.

Indexing rules
What gets indexed

Reviewed tool pages with original notes and a clear verdict.

Best-list pages with explainable criteria and shortlist rationale.

Comparison pages with a clear choice by use case.

Methodology and research pages that explain how judgments are made.

Noindex by default
What should stay out of search

Vendor-submitted drafts without editorial review.

Thin profiles with only pricing and feature summaries.

Programmatic keyword variants with the same underlying advice.

Tag pages that do not carry their own recommendation value.

Comparison rules
What comparison pages need

Name the winner by job to be done.

Explain where the losing tool still makes sense.

Compare free-tier stability, setup friction, and workflow fit.

Link into full reviews only after the user understands the decision.

Editorial rules
Rules we keep

Do not publish pages just because a keyword exists.

Do not call a tool free if meaningful testing requires a paid step.

Do not keep pages stale when the free tier changes materially.

Do not hide uncertainty; call out gaps when a test is incomplete.

Next step

See these rules in live pages

The clearest way to judge the site is to see how the same rules show up in reviews, lists, and comparisons.

Methodology: How StoreDecision Reviews Free AI Tools for Shopify | StoreDecision