How we rank
Every ranked list on Waterford Guide is produced by the same scoring method, applied identically to every business in Waterford, MI. Here it is in full.
1. Rating confidence
A 5.0 average from four reviews is weaker evidence than a 4.6 from nine hundred. We use a Bayesian weighted rating that pulls low-volume ratings towards the category average until a business accumulates enough reviews (a confidence threshold of 25) to stand on its own.
2. Review volume
Sustained popularity counts, on a logarithmic scale so that a long-established favourite isn't beaten purely on volume by a chain.
3. Recency
Recent review activity signals a place that's still good today. Businesses with fresh reviews score above those coasting on old praise.
4. Listing completeness
Verified hours, a phone number, a website, photos and address details all add a small amount. A complete listing is more useful to you, so it earns its place.
5. Human review
Scores and ranks are stored, dated and auditable. Our editors read every list before it publishes and will remove a place that has closed, changed hands or no longer fits the category. Editorial notes explain why each entry made the list.
Advertising
Sponsored cards are labelled "Sponsored", sit outside the ranked order and use rel="sponsored" links. They never alter organic rank or score. Ratings shown from Google are labelled as such — we never present third-party ratings as our own.
Organic positions are never pinned or reordered by hand. Businesses owned by, or paying, Noemic (the network that runs this guide) appear only in labelled Sponsored placements, and where they also earn an organic spot from the data they carry a small "Noemic network" note.
Questions about our rankings
- Can a business pay to rank higher?
- No. Sponsored placements are separate, clearly labelled cards that sit outside the ranked order, and their links are marked rel="sponsored". Paying never changes a business's organic rank or score.
- Where do the ratings come from?
- Star ratings and review counts shown on listings come from Google and are labelled as Google ratings. Review excerpts are attributed to their author and link back to the source. Only reviews left directly on this site count towards our own rating.
- How often are lists updated?
- Each list shows its last-updated date. We refresh listing data, ratings and photos on a rolling schedule and recompute rankings after each refresh.
- Why isn't my business listed?
- We build lists from verified business data within the city boundary. If a place is missing, is permanently closed, or has incorrect details, send us a claim request from its listing and we'll review it.