What does the launch ranking use?
The launch ranking applies until a city and category has enough verified jobs to rank fairly. It combines four signals into one score.
| Signal | What it measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted rating | Public rating, pulled toward the local average when a business has few reviews | × 0.6 |
| Review volume | How many public reviews, on a log scale capped at 1 | up to 1.0 |
| License | A license RankedNear has checked against the state register | + 0.25 |
| Completeness | Share of hours, website, description, photo or logo, and services | up to 0.25 |
Adjusted rating = (reviews × rating + 20 × local average) ÷ (reviews + 20). A 5.0 from 3 reviews does not beat a 4.8 from 300.
When does RankedNear switch to verified ranking?
A city and category switches once three or more listings have at least one verified job in the last 90 days. A verified job is a quote request sent through RankedNear that the business accepted.
| Signal | What it measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Verified rating | Rating from RankedNear reviews tied to a real job | × 0.5 |
| Recent jobs | Verified jobs in the last 90 days, capped at 40 | up to 1.5 |
| Total jobs | All verified jobs, capped at 200 | up to 1.0 |
What never affects RankedNear rankings?
- Your plan Free, Pro and Premium rank exactly the same.
- Ads The one labeled ad slot sits outside the ranked list.
- Lead spend Paying for more leads does not move a listing.
- Guide sponsorship Sponsors never choose or order the businesses in a guide.
- Owner edits Editing your listing can raise completeness, but never your rating.
How often are RankedNear rankings updated?
Scores are recalculated every night. Each list shows the month it was last updated.