How rankings work
When you search the directory, the order of results isn't random — but it also isn't determined by who paid the most. Here's exactly how organic ranking is calculated, and where paid placement fits.
Specialty match, condition match, and proximity to your ZIP code. A naturopath in your city ranks above one two states away every time.
Claimed listings with detailed conditions, modalities, hours, and bio rank above sparse or unclaimed listings — because patients can act on them.
Active license with no disciplinary actions. Listings with expired or suspended licenses don't appear in default search at all.
More verified reviews and more recent reviews rank higher. We weight recency to avoid stale "great practitioner from 5 years ago" signals.
Average rating from verified-visit reviews. Anonymous and unverified reviews don't count.
Practitioners who respond to inquiries and update their availability rank slightly higher — they're more likely to actually take you as a patient.
Paid placement exists in dedicated slots, separate from organic ranking. Featured listings appear at the top of relevant result pages, clearly labeled and visually distinguished. Sponsored content is disclosed at the top of any article.
No amount of payment changes a practitioner's organicposition — and no practitioner is excluded from organic results because they haven't paid.
See full paid-placement disclosure →