Does payment affect rankings and reviews?

Short answer: payment never changes reviews, ratings or our editorial rankings. Paid priority placement can, however, move a business higher in catalogue lists. When it does, it is clearly marked.

What payment does not change

• Reviews: we do not remove honest negative reviews for money, and we do not publish positive reviews for money.
• Ratings: stars are calculated the same way for every business.
• Editorial rankings, such as "Best hotels in Helsinki": they are not for sale.
• Moderation: reviews that break the rules are handled the same way for everyone.

What payment can change

A business can buy a premium listing or priority placement in catalogue lists. It can then be shown higher in the list. Such entries are marked with a crown icon and the label «Mainos» (advertisement). Entries without priority placement are shown in the standard order of the catalogue, which does not depend on payment. Read more: What paid services are there for businesses?.

How are rankings made?

The editorial team assesses places on the same criteria for everyone: information about the place, visitor reviews, our own editorial check and how easy the place is for visitors. Details on the How Rankings Work page.

Why does this matter?

Under the Finnish Consumer Protection Act, advertising must be recognisable as advertising. The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV) points out that reviews must be based on real experiences and must not be bought or manipulated. When ads and reviews are kept apart, visitors can trust what they read. More: Why real reviews matter more than fake ones.

Have you seen something that looks paid but is not marked? Tell us at [email protected] and include the link to the page.

Related

• What paid services are there for businesses?
• Why real reviews matter more than fake ones
• How Rankings Work
• Review Moderation
• Terms for Paid Services

Sources

• How Rankings Work (SuomiGuide)
• Finnish Consumer Protection Act 38/1978, chapter 2: marketing (finlex.fi)
• Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV): Consumer reviews (kkv.fi)