Proof of Usefulness Report

North Bay Business Journal

Analysis completed on 2/9/2026

+40
Proof of Usefulness Score
You're In Business

The North Bay Business Journal is a verifiable, established regional publication (founded 1988) serving California's North Bay area. However, the submission quality is critically low, characterized by the use of a pseudonym ('ShadowStorm'), hyperbolic claims (audience reach: 'everyone', traction: 'most people have used my product'), and ambiguous financial data ('all time marketcap: 17000000'). While the entity possesses real-world utility as a B2B news source with a claimed team of 125, the lack of concrete evidence in the submission and the reliance on legacy technology ('Newspapers') significantly depress the score relative to digital-first innovators.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+15.00
Audience Reach Impact+4.00
Technical Innovation+1.50
Evidence Of Traction+11.25
Market Timing Relevance+4.00
Functional Completeness+0.25
Subtotal+36
Usefulness Multiplierx1.12
Final Score+40

Project Details

Description
We're a business-to-business newspaper serving Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Solano, Mendocino and Lake counties in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. We also put on two dozen industry-related and private events annually.

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Growing utility with room for optimization
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline