Methodology
How BestOfLocal Scores Businesses
The Local Score is one formula applied to every business in every city. This page lists exactly what goes into it, how much each part counts, where the data comes from, what happens when data is missing, how businesses correct mistakes and how we make money without selling rankings.
Metrics and weightings
Each measure is turned into a 0–100 score. Then the five are weighted and added, giving a Local Score out of 100.
| Measure | What it means | Weight | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | Average star rating, adjusted so a 5.0 from a handful of reviews doesn't beat a 4.9 from hundreds | 30% | Public review platforms |
| Reviews | Total number of public reviews (1,000 or more scores 100) | 20% | Public review platforms |
| Recency | New reviews per 90 days, measured from repeated snapshots of the review count | 20% | Review count snapshots |
| Experience | Years in business (30 years or more scores 100) | 15% | State business records |
| Profile data | Phone, website, opening hours, founding year and address on record | 15% | Business listings, owner updates |
On a small screen, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Why a 5.0 from six reviews doesn't win
Before scoring, each rating is pulled toward the local average as if the business had 20 extra reviews at that average. The more reviews a business has, the smaller the adjustment, so a long record of good reviews beats a short perfect one.
How each measure is scaled
Reviews grow on a log scale: 1,000 or more scores 100. Experience reaches 100 at 30 years. Recency counts new reviews per 90 days between snapshots of the review count. Profile data counts which of phone, website, hours, founding year and address are on record.
Worked example
A business scoring 90 on Rating, 80 on Reviews, 70 on Recency, 60 on Experience and 100 on Profile data gets 90 × 0.30 + 80 × 0.20 + 70 × 0.20 + 60 × 0.15 + 100 × 0.15 = 81.0.
What we leave out
Ad spend, photos, sponsorships and anything else a business can buy. Reviews that platforms have removed don't count.
Job rankings
For specific jobs we publish a separate ranking of the businesses that do that job, using the same five measures.
Who is included
Only businesses listed for the trade that does the job and that serve the area. A job page is published only when enough businesses qualify.
Reading them
A job ranking and a trade ranking can put the same business in different places, because the set of businesses being compared is different.
Update frequency
Data and rankings
Ratings and review counts refresh regularly on each business's data profile. Rankings are recalculated on a fixed schedule, so positions don't jump around day to day. Every ranking page shows the date it was last updated.
Review snapshots
We record each business's review count at regular intervals. The difference between snapshots is what the Recency measure uses, and the full history is shown on each business's data profile.
Missing data
No review history yet
A business with fewer than two review snapshots gets a neutral Recency score of 50, and its card says so.
Too few reviews
Businesses with fewer than 10 reviews or a rating under 4.0 are analyzed but not ranked; a handful of reviews can swing a rating too much.
No record match
We never guess. If we can't match a business to a public record, we show it as "not matched", not as a failure. Check licenses yourself before you hire.
Correction process
Businesses and readers can report any wrong number from the correction form on each data profile, or on our corrections page.
- Report it. Say which number is wrong and, if you can, link to the source.
- We check the source, not the request, within five working days.
- We fix it and log it. Accepted changes update the profile; if the fix moves a rank, the ranking page is updated and noted.
- Or we explain why not. Declined requests get a reason. We don't remove genuine reviews or change weights for one business.
Paid relationships and how we make money
Businesses can pay us for a claimed profile, leads or competitor reports. None of it touches the score or the order. If a business is a paying customer, its data profile says so. How we make money
What businesses can pay for
Premium profile pages, quote requests sent to them, reputation monitoring and competitor reports. We may earn a fee when you request a quote. Quote forms say exactly which businesses receive your details.
How we keep it separate
The scoring code doesn't read billing data, and paying customers are labelled on their profile. There are no sponsored positions in any ranking; any advert is labelled "Sponsored" and sits outside the list.
Questions about the formula
Why does rating carry 30% and not more?
Rating is the strongest single signal of customer satisfaction, so it gets the largest weight. But a rating alone hides how many people gave it and how long ago, so the other 70% goes to review volume (20%), recency (20%), experience (15%) and profile data (15%).
Which beats which: a 4.9 from 40 reviews or a 4.7 from 900?
Usually the 4.7. Each rating is pulled toward the local average as if it had 20 extra average reviews, which moves a 40-review rating far more than a 900-review one. Volume then scores on a log scale, so 900 reviews earns close to the maximum.
What happens when two businesses have the same score?
Scores are shown to one decimal. If two are still level, the business with more new reviews in the last 90 days ranks higher, because its data is the most current.
Why did a score change when nothing about the business changed?
Recency is measured over the last 90 days, so a quiet quarter lowers it. Ratings are also adjusted against the local average, which moves as other businesses collect reviews. Each change follows the published formula; there are no manual edits.