How rankings on Top 3 Local work.
Short version: editorial selections are unpaid. Featured Partner placements are paid and labeled. We never mix the two silently.
Editorial selections
Businesses labeled "Editorial selection" did not pay to appear and did not ask to appear. We select them from public data using fixed criteria:
- A minimum 4.0-star Google rating with at least 10 reviews, verified via the Google Places API
- Business status operational (we re-verify weekly and remove businesses that close)
- A working website and phone number
- An active local presence in the city where they're listed
Editorial selections can claim their profile free at any time, and can request removal at any time.
Featured Partner placements
Businesses labeled "Featured Partner" pay a flat subscription for placement on their city page. Payment buys position and profile features — it does not buy our editorial endorsement, and it never changes another business's editorial selection. Featured Partner pricing is public on our pricing page.
What we never do
- We don't sell leads or take commissions on any transaction
- We don't accept payment to remove or demote a competitor
- We don't present paid placements as unpaid editorial picks
- We don't write or fabricate reviews — ratings shown are sourced from Google
Corrections & removal
If you own a listed business and want your information corrected or removed, email contact@mannypatino.com with your business name and city. Removals are processed within 7 days, usually faster.