Profile & Rankings

Directory rankings are based on a composite rank score that considers several factors: average review rating, total number of reviews, profile completeness, verification status, featured status, and recent engagement metrics (profile views, click-through rates). Paid placement agencies appear at the top of their respective category pages in their purchased position. Featured agencies receive a ranking boost. Within organic results, agencies with higher review averages, more reviews, and more complete profiles tend to rank higher. The algorithm is re-evaluated regularly to ensure fair representation.

There are several ways to boost your visibility: (1) Complete your profile to 100% — fill in every field including hourly rate, industries, social links, engagement models, and minimum project size; (2) Collect client reviews — the more reviews you have with high ratings, the higher you rank; (3) Add detailed case studies showcasing your work; (4) Respond quickly to leads to earn the Fast Responder badge; (5) Get verified ($125 one-time) to unlock the Verified badge and direct contact visibility; (6) Consider a Featured subscription ($80/mo) for priority placement; (7) Purchase a Category Placement slot for guaranteed top positioning in specific categories.

The Brand Strength score on your dashboard is a composite metric that reflects how strong and complete your agency’s presence is on 50Pros. It factors in profile completeness, review volume and quality, badge count, content activity (articles and case studies), and engagement metrics. Think of it as a health check for your profile — a higher score indicates that your profile is well-optimized and making a strong impression on potential clients. You can improve it by completing all profile sections, earning badges, publishing articles, and collecting positive reviews.

Case studies are one of the most impactful sections of your profile. They showcase your real-world results and give potential clients confidence in your capabilities. Each case study can include a title, client name, project year, summary, results description, and a client testimonial. Agencies with 5 or more published case studies earn the Portfolio Pro badge. Case studies also contribute to your profile completeness score (10% weight) and provide additional content for AI search indexing, improving your discoverability through natural language search queries.

Client reviews are a major ranking factor. Your average review rating and total number of reviews both influence where your agency appears in directory results. Agencies with 5+ reviews and an average of 4.5+ stars earn the Top Rated badge, which also adds a visual trust signal on your listing. Reviews with high "willingness to refer" scores contribute to the Client Favorite badge. To collect more reviews, use the review request tools in your dashboard to send email invitations to past clients. All reviews are moderated for quality and must be original content.

Profile milestones are achievement markers at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% profile completeness. As you build out your profile, you’ll unlock milestones that are displayed on your dashboard. The key milestone is 75%, which makes your agency eligible to appear in the "Newly Joined" spotlight section on the homepage. When you reach a new milestone, you’ll receive a congratulatory email with tips on what to do next. Track your progress from the milestones card on your dashboard overview page.