Harpd Answers · Explained
Why does Harpd disclose Rank Points as promotional placement?
Because they are bought with Credits. Labelling them as promotional is what keeps the board honest: a reader can separate paid visibility from earned attention, and no one mistakes a payment for an endorsement.
Quick answer
Why does Harpd disclose Rank Points as promotional placement?
Harpd discloses on every ranked page that Rank Points are promotional placement rather than a quality score. The disclosure is not a disclaimer bolted on — it is the definition of what the signal measures.
- 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
Rank Points are created one-per-completed-Credit-spend. Because the source is payment, the correct label is promotional. Harpd states this in the board UI, in the methodology, in the datasets, and in the citation guidance — so a third party quoting a Harpd position knows what the position means.
How it compares
Harpd vs the traditional approach
| Aspect | Harpd / this model | Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Labelling | Stated on every ranked page | Often unlabeled |
| What it prevents | Mistaking payment for endorsement | Reader misreads paid placement |
| Separate organic view | Trending, with no paid input | Usually absent |
| Structured data | No review or rating markup | Often invented review markup |
Why it matters
A paid leaderboard is legitimate as long as it is labelled. The failure mode is a paid leaderboard that looks editorial, because then readers act on a signal that means something different from what they think it means.
Frequently asked questions
Does Harpd have an organic ranking at all?
Yes. Trending uses recent real activity in a rolling seven-day window and excludes Credits and Rank Points entirely.
Does Harpd publish ratings or reviews?
No. Harpd emits no Review or AggregateRating structured data, because that would imply an editorial judgment it does not make.
Can a paid position be cited as a quality claim?
No, and Harpd's citation guidance says so explicitly. Cite a position as a placement fact, and cite Trending when you need an attention signal.