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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “float advertising”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “float advertising”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Content Sidebars shows at wp.org #16 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ installs carry it up the search order; its 2.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Encyclopedia / Glossary / Wiki places #9 on merit, 3.4★ from 161 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 YITH WooCommerce Wishlist 400K+ · 3.9★ (262) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar 20K+ · 4.8★ (302) wp.org #6 4 too low 3 DevVn Float Left Right Ads 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #1 2 too high 4 Payment forms, Buy now buttons, and Invoicing System | GetPaid 5K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 FlatPM – Ad Manager, AdSense and Custom Code 10K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too low 7 PowerPress Podcasting plugin by Blubrry 20K+ · 4.6★ (231) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 CookieBoxs – GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent & Google Consent Mode v2 200+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Encyclopedia / Glossary / Wiki 1K+ · 3.4★ (161) wp.org #20 ↓2 11 too low 10 BaseCloud Security Manager 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 3 too high 11 PubExa – Ad Manager, Ad Inserter & Website Monetization 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 T Tino631 Floating Video — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Sanil Ads Kit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 2 too high 14 Partner Map Locator 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 Xtreme Forms – WP Contact Form Builder, Lead Capture, Form to Email & Webhooks 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓2 6 too low 16 CookieKita — GDPR Consent & Cookie Banner 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑3 3 too high 17 Vollstart POS Desk — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too high 18 Cheerful Give — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 F Float Ads Fixed Position 20+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #22 ↓2 3 too low 20 Reputify.io – Review Widgets, Score and Review Requests — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 1 too high 21 W WP AdPunch LITE — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 2 too low 22 Manago AI & Leadoo AI 900+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓3 5 too high 23 Content Sidebars 10+ · 2.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓4 7 too high

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.