The BestAdAgency live bid board is a public page that lists every Sponsored spot on the site, ranked by what was paid for it. Prices are public, each spot lasts 30 days, and anyone can take a held spot by bidding $1 more than the current holder. The board never changes the editorial ranking of any list.
I built the board because I think paid placement on directories should be visible. Most directories sell placement quietly. On BestAdAgency, every dollar paid for visibility shows up in one place, with the bid next to it. This post walks through what you see on the board and how to read it.
What is the live bid board?
The live bid board is the scoreboard for Sponsored spots. The page intro puts it simply: every Sponsored spot on BestAdAgency, ranked by what was paid for it.
A short version of the board also sits in the hero of the homepage, with a link to the full board. Both carry the same note: ranked by bid, Sponsored spots are labeled, they last 30 days, and they never change the editorial ranking.
To understand the board, you need to know what a Sponsored spot is.
What is a Sponsored spot?
BestAdAgency publishes 235 rankings of the agencies, software and suppliers ecommerce brands hire. Above each ranking sit up to three Sponsored spots. They are paid, labeled “Sponsored”, and visually separate from the editorial list.
Each spot shows a logo, a company name, a one-line pitch of up to 140 characters, and a link to the buyer’s website. A spot runs 30 days from payment unless someone outbids it sooner.
The editorial order below those spots is scored by a published methodology: Results 40%, Specialty fit 25%, Pricing transparency 20%, Verified reviews 15%. Payment never changes a company’s score or position in that list.
How does ranking by bid work?
Every claim has a price. When you claim a spot, there is an optional bid field with a $1 minimum. Higher bids rank higher on the live bid board.
So there are two separate orders to keep in mind:
- Position on a ranking. Sponsored #1, #2 or #3 above a specific list. You choose the position when you claim.
- Rank on the board. Where your spot sits among every Sponsored spot on the site, ordered by bid.
A $1 claim on a small list and a larger bid on a big list are both live spots. The board shows them side by side, ordered by what each buyer paid. That is the whole idea: one public view of who paid what, across the site.
What do the Live, Today and All-time tabs show?
The board has three tabs: Live, Today and All-time.
Live is the default view: the Sponsored spots currently running, ranked by bid. This is the one to check if you want to know who holds visibility right now.
Today and All-time look at the same board over a wider window: today’s bids, and every bid since the board opened. If you are thinking about bidding, All-time is a quick way to see what others have been willing to pay.
What does the “Claim #1 on the board” button do?
At the top of the board there is a button that reads “Claim #1 on the board for $X”. The number is the price to take the top of the board.
At launch, with no bids placed yet, the board reads “No bids yet. Every Sponsored spot is open.” and the button reads “Claim #1 on the board for $1”. Clicking it takes you to the claim form on the Get listed page with that bid filled in.
From there, you still pick which ranking your spot appears on and which position (#1, #2 or #3). The board button just sets the bid needed to top the board.
What does the Owner label mean?
Some spots may carry an “Owner” label. The board states it directly: spots marked Owner are run by the owner of this site.
Here is the context. BestAdAgency is owned by Exclusiva Inc, my ecommerce growth agency. I also build products. If a Sponsored spot links to something I own, it gets the Owner label so nobody has to guess.
There is also a hard rule: Exclusiva cannot buy a Sponsored spot on any list where it is ranked. That is stated on the methodology and disclosure pages. On agency rankings, Exclusiva is shown first because I own the site, and it is marked as the owner. The ranking pages say that placement is not based on scoring. Every other agency is ranked by the published methodology.
What happens when someone outbids a spot?
The board is not static. Any held spot can be taken by paying the current holder’s price plus $1.
When that happens, per the Sponsored spot rules:
- The previous holder is emailed right away.
- They can retake the spot at the new price plus the increment.
- Unused days are refunded pro rata to the original payment method within 10 business days.
The spot then shows the new holder, and the board reorders by bid.
Why make paid placement public at all?
Because buyers deserve to know what is paid and what is earned. A brand reading a ranking should be able to separate the two in one glance. Labels do that on each list. The board does it for the whole site.
It also keeps pricing honest for sellers. You can see exactly what it costs to take a spot, and you can see when someone takes yours. There is no rate card hidden behind a sales call.
How do I read the board as a buyer looking for a partner?
If you are a brand choosing an agency or tool, treat the board as an ad index, not a recommendation. A high bid means a company paid for visibility. It says nothing about results.
For quality, read the editorial ranking and the methodology behind it. For visibility, read the board. Keeping those two separate is the point of the design.
FAQ
What is the BestAdAgency live bid board?
A public page listing every Sponsored spot on the site, ranked by what was paid for it. It lives at /board/, with a short version on the homepage.
Does a high bid improve a company’s editorial ranking?
No. Sponsored spots are labeled, sit above each list and never change the editorial order, scores, reviews or ratings.
How much does it cost to be #1 on the board?
The Claim #1 button shows the current price. At launch, with no bids yet, it starts at $1.
How long does a Sponsored spot last?
30 days from payment, unless someone outbids it sooner. Unused days are refunded.
What does the Owner label mean?
It marks spots run by the owner of the site, Exclusiva Inc. Exclusiva cannot buy a Sponsored spot on any list where it is ranked.
See who holds the board
The board updates as spots are claimed and outbid. Open the live bid board to see every Sponsored spot, ranked by bid.
