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

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 left ads”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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 it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

MaxBoxy: Make WordPress Floating Content, Popup, Alert Bar shows at wp.org #10 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Broken Link Checker places #12 on merit, 3.8★ from 605 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #1 2 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 100K+ · 4.8★ (5333) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 DevVn Float Left Right Ads 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 3 too high 6 Transient Cleaner 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 FlatPM – Ad Manager, AdSense and Custom Code 10K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #3 4 too high 8 Payment forms, Buy now buttons, and Invoicing System | GetPaid 5K+ · 4.5★ (46) wp.org #12 4 too low 9 Easy Custom Auto Excerpt 6K+ · 4.5★ (151) wp.org #16 ↓2 7 too low 10 AdX Ad Inserter – Adsense and Ad Manager Ads 80+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↑1 6 too high 11 Responsive Thumbnail Slider 1K+ · 4.4★ (23) wp.org #13 ↓2 2 too low 12 Broken Link Checker 500K+ · 3.8★ (605) wp.org #21 ↓3 9 too low 13 CookieBoxs – GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent & Google Consent Mode v2 200+ · 4.4★ (5) wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too low 14 Init Ad Engine – Flexible, Multi-Format, Secure 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 A Add Password Field for Contact Form 7 3K+ · 4.6★ (5) wp.org #24 ↓4 9 too low 16 Ultimate Classified Listings – Classifieds, Directory & Marketplace 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too high 17 PubExa – Ad Manager, Ad Inserter & Website Monetization 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too high 18 FICTBASE 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too low 19 MaxBoxy: Make WordPress Floating Content, Popup, Alert Bar 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓1 9 too high 20 Sanil Ads Kit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 Xtreme Forms – WP Contact Form Builder, Lead Capture, Form to Email & Webhooks 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Yoppli Video Player Design — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓2 5 too high 23 AdGhost Lite – Ad Inserter for Google Ad Manager — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 KU Sticky Video for YouTube — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓3 2 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.