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

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 share”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 10 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

AH Social share shows at wp.org #12 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 10+ 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.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Genesis Simple Share 10K+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #1 2

Shariff Wrapper 30K+ · 4.9★ (101) wp.org #2 3

JW Player for WordPress 1K+ · 3.8★ (29) wp.org #3 4

ShareMe 40+ · 3.8★ (5) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #8 4 too low 5

Quoty 30+ · 4.6★ (9) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 10 too low 6

Perfectwpthemes Toolkit 100+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked wp.org #4 2 too high 7 R Rigororus Social Share 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked wp.org #5 2 too high 8 M MB Social Sharing Plugin — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 1 too high 9

Social Media Social Share Icon 100+ · 4.0★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 10 S Social Share Buttons 40+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #6 4 too high 11 S Sharedom — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 12 P Post Share Count 10+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 6 too low 13 S Social Hub – Social Share Buttons 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 3 too high 14 S Sharing Plus – Social Sharing Icons — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 1 too high 15 5 5 Vote Free Photos — · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #23 8 too low 16

Dadi Shal — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 1 too low 17 T TW Shortcodes 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 2 too low 18 F Fast & Easy Social Sharing 20+ · 3.7★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 2 too low 19 A AH Social share 10+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 7 too high 20 P Privacy Share Buttons 10+ · 4.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 1 too low 21

Wanapost Several Social Sharing 10+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 7 too high 22

Social Media Widget 300+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 6 too high 23 F Floating Social Media Popout Buttons 10+ · 3.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 1 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.