How we rank

What the ranking compares

Our rankings compare only businesses listed on Highly Rated Near Me in the same category and region. A "#1 Plumber in Surrey, BC" award means #1 among the plumbers listed with us in Surrey. It does not mean #1 among every plumber in Surrey. We add new businesses and refresh our data regularly, so rankings can change.

What we look at

1. Rating, adjusted for review count. A high rating from many reviews counts for more than a perfect rating from a few.
2. Review volume compared with other listed businesses in the same category and region.
3. Recent reviews: how many came in the last 12 months.
4. Owner responses: how often the business replies to its reviews.

Before a business can be ranked, it has to meet our five standards: reputation and review quality, service area expertise, licensing, insurance and compliance, digital presence, and consistency across platforms. It also needs at least 20 Google reviews. We only name a #1 when there are enough listed businesses in that category and region to compare.

Where the data comes from

We use public Google Business Profile information: star rating, number of reviews, review dates and owner replies. We check every listing at least every three months. Each award shows the year it's for and the month the data was checked.

Sponsored listings

Some listings on Highly Rated Near Me are sponsored. They are always labelled "Sponsored", and sponsorship gives no boost to a business's ranking. Sponsored listings appear in a labelled Sponsored section at the top of a list. That placement is paid; it doesn't change a business's rank or award eligibility.

Ask for a review or correction

If you think a listing or ranking has wrong information, or you'd like your business to be considered, email us at info@highlyratednearme.com with the business name, its Google Business Profile link and what needs fixing. We'll recheck the data and update the listing if it's wrong.