How Search Works on SpecialLocals
We believe you deserve to know exactly how businesses are ranked. No hidden factors. No paid boosts. Here's how it works.
Three Factors. Nothing Else.
1. Relevance
How well does the business match what you searched for? We look at business name, description, category, tags, and services.
2. Community Rating
Average rating from verified community reviews. Only real, account-verified reviews count. We use check-in verification to fight fakes.
3. Proximity
How close is the business to your location? Nearer businesses may rank slightly higher when relevance and rating are similar.
What We Will Never Do
No Pay-to-Rank
No business can pay for higher placement in search results. Ever. This is permanent and non-negotiable.
No Sponsored Results
You will never see 'Ad' or 'Sponsored' labels on search results. Every result earned its place.
No Behavioral Tracking
We don't sell your search or browsing data to advertisers. You won't be retargeted across the web.
No Hidden Factors
There are no secret algorithms boosting certain businesses. The three factors above are the complete story.
How We Build Trust
Verified Reviews Only
Reviews require an account and optional check-in verification. This dramatically reduces fake reviews.
Community Corrections
Users can flag incorrect business info, wrong hours, or closures. The community keeps the directory accurate.
Public Owner Responses
All owner responses to reviews are public and timestamped. Accountability builds trust.
Verified Listing Badges
Claimed and verified businesses display a badge so you know the information is owner-maintained.
Open Platform Health
We publicly share total listings, new additions, and corrections made to maintain transparency.
The Trust Flywheel
This flywheel only works because paid placement is permanently excluded. Trust compounds over time — and it starts with honest search results.
Ready to Search Fairly?
Every business gets an equal shot. Start discovering.
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