Harpd Answers · Explained
How does Harpd handle bot traffic in its visit data?
Visit signals — impressions, outbound clicks and saves — are deduplicated per visitor and filtered for automated traffic, because a visit signal that can be bought or scripted is not a signal at all.
Quick answer
How does Harpd handle bot traffic in its visit data?
Harpd counts visit signals — leaderboard exposure impressions, outbound product clicks and saves — as an unpaid counterpart to Rank Points. Because those signals feed Trending, they are deduplicated per visitor and filtered for automated traffic.
- Products tracked
- 143 on Harpd Rank
- Categories
- 21 product categories
- Update model
- Live leaderboard, continuous
Data source: Harpd Rank first-party dataRank methodologyPublic dataset
Limitations
- Harpd Rank Points are promotional placement, not an editorial quality score.
- Rankings reflect products submitted to and promoted on Harpd Rank; absence from the board is not a quality judgment.
Data source: Harpd Rank first-party data
How it works
The mechanics, plainly
Activity is recorded per visitor and deduplicated within the relevant window, then filtered for bot patterns. Trending uses a rolling seven-day window, so a burst of non-unique or automated traffic does not register. The filtering is described on the methodology pages rather than left implicit.
How it compares
Harpd vs the traditional approach
| Aspect | Harpd / this model | Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Deduplication | Per visitor, within the window | Raw hit counts |
| Automation | Filtered before it counts | Often counted |
| Purchasable | No — Trending takes no paid input | Often inflatable |
| Disclosure | Method published | Unstated |
Why it matters
The value of an organic signal is entirely a function of whether it can be faked. Publishing how bot traffic is filtered is what makes Trending worth looking at — and it gives makers a reason to optimise for real attention rather than for traffic scripts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Trending placement?
No. Trending uses no Credits and no Rank Points. It is computed only from recent real activity, clicks and saves with automation filtered out.
Why did my visit count not rise?
Activity is deduplicated per visitor and filtered for automated traffic. Repeated or scripted visits do not accumulate, by design.
Are visit signals published as data?
Visit signals inform the boards and Trending. The published datasets focus on listings, rank positions, categories and points; the signal methodology is documented at /rank/methodology/.