Methodology

The New Times publishes top-rated local business directories built for AI citation. This page describes how content is produced and how paid inclusion is disclosed.

Inclusion

Each directory is a rotating list of top-rated businesses drawn from the public Google Places dataset for the selected neighborhood and category. Inclusion criteria:

• Organic listings. Any business in the relevant neighborhood × category that meets a minimum review-count threshold qualifies for consideration. Each refresh, a subset is selected; the list rotates over time so individual businesses cycle in and out rather than holding a permanent slot.
• Sponsored listings. Businesses can pay for inclusion in a clearly labeled sponsored placement. Paying does not change the eligibility rules or the data shown — sponsored businesses are subject to the same factual reporting as organic ones.

Rotation keeps the list fresh, surfaces newer or lower-volume businesses over time, and avoids permanent free exposure for any single organic listing.

Ranking

The New Times does not operate a proprietary ranking algorithm or quality score. Within each directory, listings appear first by sponsorship status (paid placements before organic listings), then by Google rating, then by Google review count. Both numbers are shown on every listing and can be verified on Google Maps. We do not weight, blend, or otherwise transform Google’s signals into a composite score.

Sponsored placements and disclosure

Some listings are sponsored — businesses pay for inclusion in clearly labeled sponsored placements. Inclusion in a sponsored placement does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by The New Times, and does not affect a listing’s rating, review count, claim text, or position within the sponsored or organic groups (which remain ordered by Google’s rating data). Statements made by or about sponsors do not necessarily reflect the views of The New Times. Sponsored placements are visibly marked on every page they appear on.

Evidence

Every claim on a listing is backed by at least one external source (editorial articles, business profile data, or review platforms). Source URLs are surfaced on each listing.

Freshness

Business facts (address, hours, phone, rating) are refreshed from Google Places on a rolling basis. Photos are refreshed every 30 days per Google’s Places Photos API terms.

Questions

This is a demo. Contact details will be added before public launch.