# Earned-link evidence and pitch worksheet

Use this worksheet with Citelift's guide, **Earn relevant links to Shopify content through useful evidence**. Duplicate it for each asset. Complete the evidence and permission sections before drafting outreach.

This worksheet prepares work; it does not authorize sending messages. A link remains the publisher's editorial choice.

## 1. Asset brief

| Field | Your record |
| --- | --- |
| Asset working title | |
| Stable public URL | |
| Owner | |
| Review date | |
| Intended reader | |
| Decision the reader is making | |
| Evidence gap, in one sentence | |
| Asset format: study / supplier resource / expert contribution / correction source | |
| Products or collections it may help | |
| What this asset does not establish | |

Reader-use test: if every link to the store were removed, what would still make this asset worth reading?

>

## 2. Evidence ledger

Record every material claim. Add rows as needed.

| Claim or field | Exact primary source | Source owner | Observed / supplied / inferred | Collection date | Permission or usage basis | Limitation | Verified by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |

Definitions:

- **Observed:** your team directly inspected or measured it under recorded conditions.
- **Supplied:** a supplier, expert or other source provided it; name the source.
- **Inferred:** a conclusion drawn from evidence; state the reasoning and uncertainty.

Do not convert “not found” into “does not exist.” Retain unavailable and conflicting observations.

## 3. Original research record

Complete this section for an audit, test, survey or dataset.

| Method field | Your record |
| --- | --- |
| Research question | |
| Population or universe of interest | |
| Actual sample and selection rule | |
| Collection dates and location | |
| Inclusion and exclusion rules | |
| Definitions fixed before collection | |
| Denominator | |
| Missing or unavailable rows | |
| Corrections after review | |
| Conflicts of interest | |
| Raw or row-level download URL | |
| Method URL | |

Finding sentence:

> We observed **[result]** among **[denominator]** under **[conditions and date]**. This does not establish **[main limitation]**.

## 4. Supplier fact and permission record

| Field | Your record |
| --- | --- |
| Supplier and contact role | |
| Public contact route or existing relationship | |
| Exact facts requested for review | |
| Source documents and versions | |
| Products or variants covered | |
| Products or variants excluded | |
| Publication permission received | |
| Required attribution | |
| Confidential material removed | |
| Expiry or next review date | |

Supplier review note:

> Please verify the facts and source references below. Approval confirms factual accuracy and permission to publish the listed material; it does not ask you to approve promotional conclusions or provide a link.

## 5. Expert contribution record

| Field | Your record |
| --- | --- |
| Contributor | |
| Qualification relevant to this exact question | |
| Conflict check | |
| Money, product, employment or other connection | |
| Reader question | |
| Materials or products actually evaluated | |
| Method and conditions | |
| Claims outside scope | |
| Exact quotation or finding | |
| Contributor accuracy approval date | |
| Public disclosure text | |

Editorial rule: the contributor may correct accuracy in their quotation. The brand must not change an expert's conclusion to make it more favorable.

## 6. Publication checklist

- [ ] The finding and denominator appear near the top.
- [ ] The author, collector or reviewer and date are visible.
- [ ] Observations and inferences use different wording.
- [ ] Method, definitions and source notes are linked.
- [ ] Missing rows, corrections, limitations and conflicts are visible.
- [ ] Downloads open without an account and contain no personal or confidential data.
- [ ] Tables have clear headings and work on a narrow screen.
- [ ] Source links resolve to the intended evidence.
- [ ] Product and collection links help the reader act.
- [ ] The page has one stable canonical URL and a maintenance owner.
- [ ] Compensation, gifts and other material connections are recorded and disclosed where required.
- [ ] No link, anchor text or ranking credit is required in return for money, a product, a service or access.

## 7. Target qualification

Create a row only after reading the target page.

Score audience fit, evidence need, source fit and contact basis from 0 to 2. The total prioritizes manual review; it does not predict a link.

| Target page | Page owner | Reader need or exact passage | Why this asset is primary support | Existing relationship | Public contact route | Audience 0–2 | Need 0–2 | Source 0–2 | Contact 0–2 | Total | Keep / remove |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |

Remove a target when the audience is unrelated, the page already has a better primary source, the asset does not directly support the passage, or the only contact data is private or unrelated.

## 8. Pitch drafts

Use the person's name only when it is publicly associated with the relevant page or you already know them. Do not request specific keyword anchor text.

### Research or resource note

Subject: Source for **[specific question on their page]**

> Hi **[name]** — I read **[page title and URL]**, especially the section on **[exact topic]**. We recently published **[asset]**, which observed **[bounded finding]** across **[denominator and conditions]**. The method and row-level evidence are here: **[URL]**. It may be useful as a source for **[specific reader need]**. I work with **[brand]**, which produced the resource. Please use, link or decline it as your editorial judgment requires.

### Supplier resource review

Subject: Fact check for **[resource]**

> Hi **[name]** — We are preparing **[resource]** to answer **[customer question]**. It cites your **[document or supplied fact]** for **[specific statement]**. Could you verify the attached wording, scope and source version? After publication, if the resource also helps readers of **[their exact page]**, you are welcome to reference it, but no link is requested as a condition of review.

### Expert contribution invitation

Subject: Contribution on **[bounded question]**

> Hi **[name]** — We are documenting **[reader decision]** and would like an independent contribution on **[specific question within their expertise]**. The review would cover **[materials, method and time]**. We would publish your relevant qualification, method, exact approved quotation, limitations and **[compensation or product disclosure]**. There is no required conclusion or link. Would this fit your work?

### Unlinked mention correction

Subject: Primary source for **[mention on page]**

> Hi **[name]** — Your page **[URL]** mentions **[brand, product, study, chart or statistic]** in **[section]**. The current primary source is **[URL]**, which contains **[method, canonical product information or original file]**. If it would help readers verify the mention, please consider linking or citing that source. I work with **[brand]**. If the current treatment is intentional, no change is needed.

## 9. Pre-send authorization and review

| Check | Record |
| --- | --- |
| Person authorized to send | |
| Authorization date and scope | |
| Sender identity and brand relationship disclosed | |
| Target page rechecked on | |
| Resource and downloads rechecked on | |
| Claims compared with evidence ledger | |
| Compensation or gift disclosure checked | |
| Personalized note approved | |
| Maximum follow-up date | |

Stop before sending if authorization is missing, the target page changed, the evidence does not support the pitch, or the contact route forbids the message.

## 10. Outcome log

Keep mentions, editorial links, qualified commercial links, visits and orders separate.

| Target page | Pitch status | Sent date | Response date | Outcome | Referring URL | Destination URL | Visible anchor | Context | `rel` value | Verified date | Referral visits | Attributed orders | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Prepared | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Allowed status values:

- **Prepared:** researched but not sent.
- **Sent:** delivered through an authorized route.
- **Replied:** a human response was received.
- **Mentioned:** name or asset appears with no link.
- **Earned link:** an independent live page added a crawlable editorial link without an exchange or ranking requirement.
- **Qualified commercial link:** compensation exists and the live link is appropriately qualified.
- **Declined or closed:** declined, failed delivery or follow-up ended.

## 11. End-of-cycle decision

| Question | Decision |
| --- | --- |
| Which reader used or responded to the asset? | |
| Which claim or format caused confusion? | |
| What evidence needs correction or expansion? | |
| Which targets should be removed? | |
| Continue, narrow, update or retire? | |
| Next review date | |