How We Rank Agencies
AgencyCluster is a premium, curated directory. Our rankings help buyers shortlist agencies that are credible, category-relevant, and proven—based on evidence, not hype.
Curated Directory
Not every agency can be listed. We maintain a vetted directory of agencies that meet our quality standards and verification requirements.
Merit-Based Rankings
Once listed, ranking position is determined entirely by evidence and quality signals—never by payment. Better proof means a better score.
The AgencyCluster Score
We use a score-based system from 0–100. Rankings are refreshed periodically as evidence changes.
Six Pillars of Evaluation
We score agencies across six pillars. Some details are intentionally not disclosed in full to prevent manipulation and protect directory integrity.
Credibility & Verification
We score how easy it is to validate that the agency is real, reachable, and consistent across trusted public signals.
Improves with:
- Clear website + business contact details
- Consistent identity signals across public sources
- Low mismatch risk
Proof of Work & Outcomes
This is the most important pillar. We score the quality of evidence, not the marketing language.
Improves with:
- Case studies with real scope, constraints, and measurable outcomes
- Verifiable portfolio work (live links, demos, product evidence)
- Clarity on what the agency delivered
Reputation Quality
We look for consistency and credibility in reputation signals across platforms.
Improves with:
- Consistent signals across platforms
- Recency and quality of feedback
- Healthy patterns (not suspicious spikes)
Category Fit & Specialization
A great agency in one domain may be a poor fit in another. We score fit based on category intent.
Improves with:
- Repeated work in the category/industry
- Clear service focus (not "we do everything" without proof)
- Relevant capabilities and positioning
Delivery Maturity & Professionalism
We score signals that indicate predictable delivery and a strong buyer experience.
Improves with:
- Clear delivery approach and engagement model
- Transparency in scope, process, and handover
- Evidence of quality practices (QA, security, documentation, PM)
Freshness & Maintenance
Trust decays when information is stale. We score how current the agency's evidence is.
Improves with:
- Recent case studies/work
- Active, maintained website/public presence
- Refreshed details when changes occur
What We Keep Confidential
To keep AgencyCluster reliable and hard to game, we do not publish exact sub-weights for:
- Anti-spam & authenticity checks
- Penalties for inconsistent or misleading claims
- Evidence-quality thresholds and deductions
- Buyer-safety risk signals
We publish the pillars and their meaning so buyers understand the basis of our lists.
What "Top-10 / Top-25 / Top-50" Means
On each category page, agencies appear in score-based order. We publish separate lists because buyers search and shortlist differently at each depth.
Top-10
The highest-scoring agencies with detailed profiles
Top-25
Extended list with comparisons and buyer guidance
Top-50
Broad coverage with filters and lighter cards
Top-5 / Top-10
Location-specific lists (city/state/country)
Paid Placements & Featured Agencies
We may show Featured agencies in clearly labeled modules for visibility. Featured placements are always disclosed.
Featured is paid visibility and does not influence AgencyCluster ranking scores.
Handling Ties & Fairness
When multiple agencies score similarly, we may rotate ordering within a tight score band (e.g., within positions 18–25) while keeping overall ranking logic stable.
Note: Top positions are not rotated unless evidence changes materially.
Update Cadence
Rankings refresh periodically and may update when:
- New credible case studies appear
- Verification signals change
- Reputation signals change
- Public evidence becomes stale
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about our ranking process, scoring, and how to improve your agency's position.
What is the AgencyCluster Score and how is it calculated?
The AgencyCluster Score is a 0–100 rating. Each agency is scored 0–5 across six pillars by our editorial team, then multiplied by pillar-specific weights: Credibility & Verification (×4, up to 20 points), Proof of Work & Outcomes (×5, up to 25 points), Reputation Quality (×3, up to 15 points), Category Fit & Specialization (×3, up to 15 points), Delivery Maturity & Professionalism (×3, up to 15 points), and Freshness & Maintenance (×2, up to 10 points). The maximum is 100. A confidential penalty layer is then applied for red flags. The exact penalty thresholds are not published to prevent gaming.
Can agencies pay to improve their ranking?
No. Rankings are strictly merit-based. We offer clearly labeled "Featured" placements that are visually separated from organic rankings — featured placement does not affect an agency's score. The only way to improve a score is by improving the underlying evidence: stronger case studies, better verification signals, and more consistent reputation.
How do you prevent agencies from gaming the rankings?
We apply a confidential penalty layer on top of the public scoring pillars. Deductions are applied for red flags including fake or misleading client claims, plagiarized case studies, suspicious review patterns (spikes, low-quality sources), inconsistent identity data across platforms, and broken proof links. The exact deduction amounts and thresholds are intentionally not published.
How often do rankings change?
Rankings are refreshed periodically when new evidence becomes available. Top-10 positions are kept stable unless evidence changes materially — this means small fluctuations in the middle of a list are normal, but the #1 agency doesn't change without significant reason. Within tight score bands (e.g., agencies ranked 18–25 with similar scores), we may rotate ordering for fairness.
What happens if I find incorrect information about an agency?
Submit corrections through our corrections page or by emailing corrections@agencycluster.com. Our editorial team reviews all submissions for evidence quality and authenticity. If the correction is validated and materially affects the agency's score, the profile is re-evaluated. We take accuracy seriously — our credibility depends on it.
Why is the 'Proof of Work & Outcomes' pillar weighted the highest?
Because it's the hardest to fake and the most useful to buyers. An agency can have a polished website (Credibility) and good reviews (Reputation), but demonstrated results with measurable outcomes are the strongest predictor of future performance. Case studies with real scope, constraints, and verifiable results carry the most weight in our evaluation. This pillar is worth up to 25 of the 100 points.
Submit Corrections or Updates
Agencies (or buyers) can submit corrections and supporting links. Updates are reviewed for evidence quality and authenticity.