Current principle

The directory is being rebuilt around reviewed business data first. Paid treatment should never be the only path for a business to appear publicly, and paid placement should never be hidden from users.

How featured treatment should work

• featured or sponsored listings must be labeled clearly
• organic reviewed listings must still remain visible
• paid treatment should not override basic trust and review standards
• listing quality and source quality still matter before any paid upgrade is considered

What is true right now

The current public directory is focused on reviewed listing coverage and does not rely on paid placement as the basis for whether a listing exists. Legacy code paths for featured placement still exist in the repo, but the rebuild’s operating model is to keep disclosure explicit and ranking understandable.

What will require an update

If active sponsored placements, premium profiles, or ranking boosts are turned on for the rebuilt directory, this page should be updated in the same release to describe:

• where the placement appears
• how it is labeled
• whether it affects ranking or only presentation
• what baseline review standards still apply