[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #2686: Plugin search should also take into account the number of ratings

[Making WordPress.org]

#2686: Plugin search should also take into account the number of ratings
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 Reporter:  bfintal           |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement       |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal            |   Milestone:  Plugin Directory v3 - Future
Component:  Plugin Directory  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                    |
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Comment (by bfintal):

 Hey @gibrown, thanks for replying and your work on this area :)

 I think this mostly happens in some-what long tail searches where there
 are fewer big players. The advantage also isn't enormous, but it is
 present.

 My suggestion isn't so that plugin creators would resort to ask for more
 ratings, I'm not in favor of that. But instead, it's so that a having a
 very few number of ratings - maybe by the author themselves, maybe a
 friend or a handful of testers or early adopters - won't result right away
 in an advantage. That's why I mentioned a cut off like 20 ratings (I just
 pulled that number from the top of my head). My logic is that if a plugin
 has lower than 20 ratings, the overall rating should have a lower impact
 than others with 20 or more ratings.

 For example:

 (I've got nothing against these plugins, I'm just using them as examples)

 1. "Responsive Menu":
 [https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/responsive+menu/]

 Awesome Responsive Menu is higher than WP Mobile Menu. It may have
 something to do with the name of the plugin not matching the word
 "Responsive" though. But I think the amount of ratings (6 vs 45) should
 make WP Mobile Menu appear higher.

 2. "Page Builder": [https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/page+builder/]

 Full disclosure, my plugin there is Page Builder Sandwich so I won't dive
 into details in this one :)

 3. "Under Construction":
 [https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/under+construction/]

 Eazy Under Construction with one 5-star rating outranks a lot of similar
 ones in page 2 who have 30+ ratings. Although the naming may have
 something to do with this, maybe the rating bumped it higher.

 As for replying to ratings, I'm not sure about this. I imagine creators
 replying generic stuff like "Thanks for the rating, we'll do our best to
 blah blah blah" to 5-star ratings and actual replies would go to 4-star
 ratings and lower. Replying to support threads might be a better way to
 go, although this is taken into account already.

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Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/2686#comment:2>
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