wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “googleplus button”

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 “googleplus button”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 12 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

Social Share Buttons shows at wp.org #8 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 40+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Shariff Wrapper 30K+ · 4.9★ (101) wp.org #1 2

Genesis Simple Share 10K+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #2 3

Social Comments by Heateor 600+ · 4.7★ (23) thin reviews wp.org #3 4

Schema 30K+ · 4.3★ (221) wp.org #6 2 too low 5

JW Player for WordPress 1K+ · 3.8★ (29) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 P Photo Express for Google 60+ · 4.4★ (20) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 ↑1 11 too low 7

SEOLAT Tool Plus 100+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 8 S Standout CSS3 Buttons 500+ · 4.4★ (11) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too low 9

Perfectwpthemes Toolkit 100+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked wp.org #5 4 too high 10 R Rigororus Social Share 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 1 too high 11

Wanapost Several Social Sharing 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 ↑1 6 too high 20

Dadi Shal — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 1 too high 21 T TW Shortcodes 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 1 too high 22

Social Media Widget 300+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 A AH Social share 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 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.