Community votes decide
the best of every city.
Best of My City rankings are shaped by real community votes, not paid placements. Explore, vote, suggest, and help highlight the places people actually recommend.
How a ranking starts before community votes exist
When a new city or ranking launches, businesses are imported from public sources so the page doesn't start empty. The initial order is based on public review volume, not paid placement or sponsor status.
The business with the most reviews gets more starting votes. The next gets one fewer, and so on. This creates a fair, transparent starting order before the community has voted.
Some popular rankings may launch with more than ten listings. Our team can pre-load additional known businesses to make voting easier, so you don't have to search for every obvious candidate manually. These listings are not paid placements. Community votes still decide the final order.
These are not purchased votes.
Starting votes are a launch mechanism to avoid an empty ranking. As soon as the community votes, real votes take over.
Why review count, not rating? Review count signals how established a business is. A 5-star average with 3 reviews is less informative than one with 300 reviews at launch.
Most public reviews
Second highest review count
Third highest review count
Fourth highest review count
Fifth highest review count
Sixth highest review count
Seventh highest review count
Eighth highest review count
Real votes change everything
Starting votes set a baseline. But as soon as people in the community vote, the ranking moves. A business that wasn't at the top can climb with enough community support.
Restaurant A
Most reviews
Restaurant B
Second most
Restaurant C
Third most
Restaurant C
47 community votes
Restaurant A
23 community votes
Restaurant B
14 community votes
The ranking is never locked. Any business can climb or fall as the community continues to vote. Starting votes become less significant over time.
What your vote does
Four steps, a living ranking.
Choose a ranking
Pick a city ranking like Best Taco, Best Margarita, Best Dentist, or Best Personal Trainer.
Pick your favorite
Browse the listings already in the ranking, or discover options suggested by the community.
Cast your vote
Each person gets one active vote per ranking. Your vote adds directly to that listing's score.
Watch the ranking update
The leaderboard reflects community votes in real time. Share the ranking and invite others to vote.
You can change your vote anytime.
Found a better favorite later? Update your vote. Your new choice replaces the old one. Only your current vote counts. You can also remove your vote at any time.
Why every listing needs at least one vote
A business cannot appear in a ranking with zero support. Whether imported at launch or suggested by the community, every listing receives at least one starting vote before entering the leaderboard.
Imported by admin
Added at launch to populate the ranking with established local options. Starting votes based on review volume.
Suggested by users
Community members submit missing favorites for review. Suggestions enter a queue before approval.
Approved and added
Reviewed and cleared to enter the ranking. Always receives at least 1 starting vote on entry.
Every listing starts with at least 1 vote. Then the community decides whether it climbs.
What the stats on a ranking card mean
Ranking pages show several numbers at once. Here's exactly what each one represents so you can read the leaderboard like a pro.
Total votes
142All-time community support. This is what decides the leaderboard position. The higher, the better.
This week
+18Votes received in the last 7 days. High weekly activity signals fresh momentum. People are recommending this right now.
This month
+53Votes from the last 30 days. A broader recent picture, useful for spotting consistent growth vs. a one-week spike.
Trending
↑ RisingShown when a listing is gaining votes faster than the ranking average. A sign of growing community interest.
Note: Weekly and monthly stats show momentum. The main leaderboard rank is always based on all-time total votes.
What makes a ranking trustworthy?
Four principles that keep the leaderboard honest.
One active vote per ranking
Each person can support one favorite per ranking at a time. No stacking, no double votes. Just your real recommendation.
Votes can change, rankings stay current
Found a better place later? Update your vote. The leaderboard reflects current preferences, not just first impressions.
City-specific results
Rankings are local. What wins in one city does not automatically carry over to another.
Community signal only
The leaderboard reflects what people genuinely recommend, not what a business paid for, not what an algorithm decided.
Transparent by design.
Advertising can create visibility. It cannot change the results.
What decides the ranking
- Community votes
- Number of voters
- Current leaderboard position
- Vote changes over time
What sponsorship can do
- Add brand visibility
- Place a sponsored message
- Highlight an offer or campaign
- Appear in clearly labeled placements
Paid promotion can increase visibility. It cannot buy a higher rank.
Fairness rules
Sponsors do not receive extra votes.
Sponsors do not move up automatically.
Sponsored status is separate from ranking results.
The leaderboard is based on community votes only.
Three ways to make a difference.
Help the community find the best local favorites.
Vote
Support your favorite places, businesses, and professionals in your city.
Suggest
Can't find a ranking or a business? Suggest it and help improve the city guide.
Share
Invite friends to vote so the leaderboard reflects more of the local community.
