How Tiers Work for Your Business

Tier 1 + Tier 2 Business Placement

When you choose an enhanced business listing, one of the biggest benefits is priority placement throughout the app and desktop widget. But what exactly does Tier 1 or Tier 2 placement mean? Here’s how it works.

Tier 1: Highest Priority Placement

Tier 1 businesses are always displayed first.

When someone browses a category or applies a filter that includes your business, Tier 1 listings appear at the top of the results. If there are multiple Tier 1 businesses within those results, they rotate positions with one another.

That means one Tier 1 business isn't permanently locked into the #1 spot. Instead, all qualifying Tier 1 businesses have an opportunity to appear first.

Tier 2: Priority Placement

Tier 2 businesses appear immediately after Tier 1 businesses.

Just like Tier 1, businesses within Tier 2 rotate positions among other qualifying Tier 2 members. Once all applicable Tier 1 listings have been displayed, Tier 2 listings receive the next priority positions.

Standard listings are then displayed below the Tier 1 and Tier 2 businesses.

Your Tier Travels With You

One important benefit of priority placement is that your tier carries across all applicable categories and filters.

For example, if your business appears in multiple categories or is included when a user narrows their search using filters, your Tier 1 or Tier 2 status continues to determine your priority within those results.

You aren't receiving priority in just one section of the platform — your placement follows your business wherever it appropriately appears.

Why Don't We List Businesses Alphabetically?

We intentionally do not use alphabetization to determine listing order.

Alphabetical listings naturally give businesses beginning with A, B or C an ongoing advantage, while businesses later in the alphabet can continually find themselves toward the bottom.

Instead, our listings are cycled every 24 hours.

Within each placement level, businesses rotate so the same business isn't always sitting in the first position simply because of its name.

Keeping Placement Simple & Fair

The structure is straightforward:

Tier 1 → Tier 2 → Tier 3 (currently inactive) → Standard Listings

Within each tier, listings rotate every 24 hours rather than remaining in a fixed order.

This gives our enhanced business partners greater visibility while creating a fair rotation among businesses at the same placement level — whether someone is browsing a category, using a filter or simply exploring what's available in Watertown.