How Ranking Works
Two different things are going on, and it is worth keeping them apart. One is where you appear in the results. The other is whether a client picks you once they see you. Here is exactly how each one works, in public.
The exact ordering
Directory results are sorted by the factors below, in this order. Each factor only matters when everything above it is tied. We are not going to pretend a paid plan does nothing: it is the first sort key — the honest trade for keeping the directory free for clients and taking zero commission from therapists.
- Subscription tier. The primary sort key. Elite places above Pro, Pro above Standard, and Standard above Free — this is the visibility a paid plan buys, and we are upfront about it. The tier that counts is the one a profile is actually entitled to: a courtesy grant stops lifting a listing the day it expires.
- Active Spike. Within the same tier, a profile running a visibility Spike is lifted above its peers. A Spike never lifts a listing above a higher tier — it buys position within your band, not above someone on a bigger plan.
- Featured status. Within the same tier and Spike state, featured profiles place above non-featured ones.
- Boost score. A per-profile score that breaks the next tie. Higher boost sorts first.
- Average rating. All else equal, a better-rated profile places higher.
- Review count. Between profiles with the same rating, more reviews sort first.
- Name. The final tiebreaker is alphabetical. That makes the ordering fully deterministic — two therapists never swap places at random between visits.
See exactly what each plan includes — the placement tier is listed right on it.
What earns the booking
Position gets you seen; it does not get you chosen. Once a client opens your profile, the quality signals below decide what happens next. Every one of them is free, and every one is fully in your control.
- Listing clarity. A clear headline, professional description, visible rates and accurate service details reduce uncertainty before a client decides whether to contact you.
- Photo quality. Clear, recent, professional photos that accurately represent you and your practice. Stock, misleading or low-quality images weaken trust and may fail moderation.
- Profile completeness. Modalities, rates, service area, availability, bio and contact preferences help clients evaluate fit before reaching out.
- Verified identity. Identity verification is limited to identity evidence — it does not verify professional licensing, background history, qualifications or services.
- Contact readiness. Accurate contact methods and availability make it easy for clients to reach you directly. MasseurMatch is a directory and does not manage appointments.
- Recent activity. Regularly updated details and availability keep your listing accurate and useful to clients.
Of these, only your rating and review count feed back into placement — and only as late tiebreakers within your tier. The rest decide whether a look becomes a contact.
What we will not do
Stated here so you can hold us to it.
- Hide what a plan buys. A higher plan buys placement, and this page says so. No dark patterns, no pretending the ordering is something it is not.
- Manipulate reviews. We do not write reviews, sell reviews, or delete a bad one because a therapist upgraded their plan.
- Fake verification. The verified badge means a real identity check — nothing else. We never claim to vet licenses we do not actually vet.
- Change this quietly. If the ordering on this page changes, this page changes with it and says what changed.
Straight answers
- Does a paid plan rank me higher?
- Yes — and we say so plainly. Your subscription tier is the primary sort key in the directory: Elite, Pro and Standard profiles place above Free ones. That is the visibility a plan buys. What a plan does not do is fake trust — reviews, verification and profile quality are still earned.
- So what decides my order within a tier?
- In order: an active Spike, featured status, boost score, average rating, review count, and finally your name alphabetically. The ordering is deterministic, so your position is never random.
- Do you verify professional licenses?
- No. Professional licenses and credentials are self-declared by the provider, and clients can confirm them with the relevant state board. The verification we perform is identity verification, which is a separate, limited check.
- Does MasseurMatch take a commission on bookings?
- No. Clients contact and pay you directly. MasseurMatch is a directory — we are never in the transaction and never take a cut.
Pick your visibility. Then earn the rest.
A few minutes to set up: your details, your photos, your rates. Your plan sets where you appear — everything else on this page is free and up to you.