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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “utm parameters”

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 “utm parameters”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 17 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

UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #4 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 701 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 HandL UTM Grabber / Tracker 10K+ · 4.8★ (146) wp.org #1 2 PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #5 3 too low 3 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071) wp.org #8 5 too low 4 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #6 ↑9 2 too low 5 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #16 10 too low 7 UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #3 5 too high 9 Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517) wp.org #18 ↑6 9 too low 10 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too low 11 Blog2Social: Social Media Auto Post & Scheduler 40K+ · 4.5★ (2107) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 URL Shortify – Simple and Easy URL Shortener 10K+ · 4.7★ (169) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too low 13 Product Feed Manager for WooCommerce – CTX Feed – Support 220+ Shopping, AI & Social Channels 90K+ · 4.6★ (838) wp.org #20 ↓3 7 too low 14 Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 If-So Dynamic Content – Elementor & All Page Builders Personalization 7K+ · 4.7★ (92) wp.org #24 ↓3 9 too low 16 Lenix Leads Collector 10K+ · 4.4★ (25) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 13 too high 18 BaseCloud UTM Tracker 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 ↓3 9 too high 19 LeadSource – UTM Tracking & Lead Source Attribution for Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 UseStrict’s Calendly Embedder 2K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 utm.codes 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↑1 6 too high 22 UTM Tracker for Gravity Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 12 too high 23 Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 11 too high 24 Noindex Parameters 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 ↓1 10 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.