BestAdAgency is owned by Exclusiva Inc, my ecommerce growth agency, and Exclusiva appears on agency rankings. Every agency ranking says so in a disclosure at the top. Exclusiva is shown first on agency lists and labeled “Owner of this site,” that placement is stated as not based on scoring, and Exclusiva can never buy a Sponsored spot on a list where it is ranked.
I’m Mohammed Jamil. I founded Exclusiva in 2016, and I built BestAdAgency. An owner ranking their own company is the most obvious conflict a directory can have. I’d rather explain how we handle it than hope nobody asks.
Who owns BestAdAgency?
Exclusiva Inc owns BestAdAgency. Exclusiva is an ecommerce growth agency founded in 2016 and based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. It works with brands on Amazon, TikTok Shop and DTC.
That ownership is stated on the About page, the Disclosure page, the footer of every page, and the top of every agency ranking.
Where does the disclosure appear?
In four places, so you don’t have to hunt for it:
- At the top of agency rankings. Before the quick answer, a block labeled “Disclosure” says BestAdAgency is owned by Exclusiva Inc, an ecommerce growth agency, and that Exclusiva may appear in agency rankings. It links to “How we rank” and “Full disclosure.”
- In the quick answer. On lists where Exclusiva appears, the quick answer opens by saying Exclusiva Inc, the agency that owns the site, is listed first, then names the top independent picks.
- On Exclusiva’s entry and profile. Exclusiva carries an “Owner of this site” label.
- In the footer of every page. The ownership statement repeats site-wide.
Why is Exclusiva listed first on agency lists?
Because I own the site. I’m not going to pretend otherwise.
The Exclusiva profile puts it this way: “Because we own the site, Exclusiva is shown first on our agency lists; that placement is not based on our scoring. Every other agency is ranked by our published methodology.”
So Exclusiva is not scored into first place. It is placed there because I own the site. The scoring in the methodology decides the order of every other agency on the list.
So here is how to read an agency list:
- Entry #1 (Exclusiva, labeled Owner) is an owner placement.
- Everything below it is ordered by score: results 40%, specialty fit 25%, pricing transparency 20%, verified reviews 15%.
The quick answer does this for you. On Best Ecommerce SEO Agencies, for example, it says Exclusiva is listed first because it owns the site, then names the top independent picks. If you want the scored #1, it’s the first independent name.
I think that’s more honest than the alternative, which is scoring my own agency and quietly giving it a few extra points. An owner placement that’s labeled as one is easy to discount. A rigged score isn’t.
Does Exclusiva appear on every list?
No. Exclusiva may appear in agency rankings. It does not appear on lists outside its work. For example, Best 3PL Companies doesn’t include Exclusiva, because Exclusiva isn’t a 3PL. Software and supplier lists are about software and suppliers.
The footer disclosure still appears on those pages, because the site’s owner doesn’t change from page to page.
Can Exclusiva buy a Sponsored spot?
Not on any list where it is ranked. The disclosure page states that Exclusiva can never hold a Sponsored spot on a list where it is ranked, and the methodology page lists it under what payment cannot do.
The reason is simple. Sponsored spots are three labeled paid positions above each ranking. During launch, every open spot starts at $1 and anyone can take a held spot for $1 more than the current holder. On lists where Exclusiva is already shown first by ownership, letting it also buy the paid spots above the list would stack the top of the page. Other agencies would be bidding against the site’s owner, who pays itself.
So the site blocks it. Those three spots on lists where Exclusiva is ranked are reserved for everyone else.
That also means the bidding on those lists is a fair fight between outside companies. If you run an agency and you want the #1 Sponsored spot above a list Exclusiva is on, the only people you can be bidding against are other agencies, software companies or suppliers. The site’s owner is never on the other side of that auction, and the price to take the spot is always the current holder’s price plus $1, shown on the button.
What is the “Owner” label on the live board?
The live bid board shows every active Sponsored spot across all rankings, ranked by bid. If a spot links to the owner’s own products, it carries an “Owner” label.
That covers a different case from the rule above. I run other products besides the agency. If I put one of them in a Sponsored spot on a list where Exclusiva isn’t ranked, the board shows it as Owner, so nobody mistakes it for an outside buyer.
Does ownership affect scores for other companies?
It shouldn’t, and the rules are written so it can’t through money. Payment never changes a company’s score or editorial position. Affiliate links are marked rel=”sponsored” and don’t affect order. Companies that pay for matched leads from the “Get matched” form aren’t picked more often or ranked higher because of it.
Scores come from evidence on file: documented results with a starting point and timeframe, fit with the list’s focus, public pricing, and reviews from Clutch, Google, Trustpilot and verified reviews on the site. Unverifiable claims score zero. If you think a score is wrong, the contact page takes corrections, and the site says a person replies within two business days.
Why disclose at all?
Partly because the FTC Endorsement Guides call for clear labels when money or a business relationship could affect what readers see. The disclosure page cites that directly.
But mostly because the site is useless if readers don’t trust it. Most directories have some business relationship with the companies they list. The question is whether you can see it. I’d rather put my conflict in a labeled box at the top of the page and let you decide how much weight to give it.
FAQ
Who owns BestAdAgency?
Exclusiva Inc, an ecommerce growth agency founded in 2016 and based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.
Is Exclusiva’s top spot based on its score?
No. The site states that Exclusiva is shown first on agency lists because it owns the site, and that this placement is not based on scoring.
Can Exclusiva buy a Sponsored spot?
Not on any list where it is ranked. Those spots stay open to other companies.
How do I find the top independent pick on an agency list?
Read the quick answer. It names the top independent picks right after noting Exclusiva is listed first.
What does the Owner label on the bid board mean?
It marks Sponsored spots that link to the site owner’s own products.
How are other agencies ranked?
By the published methodology: results 40%, specialty fit 25%, pricing transparency 20%, verified reviews 15%.
Read the rest of the rules
Ownership is one part of how the site keeps paid and earned positions apart. If you run an agency, software company or supplier and want a free scored profile, get listed here.
