How We Verify Listings
Data sourcing, owner verification, and ongoing quality checks.
Updated 2026-05-19
TL;DR
- Source: Public business records aggregated and cross-checked.
- Minimum bar: Verified name + city + state + at least one of (address, phone, website).
- Owner claims: Email + SMS verification at documented business contacts.
- Ongoing checks: Monthly review of hours, contact info; quarterly review of closed/inactive listings.
- Removal: Listings flagged as closed or unreachable are removed within 30 days.
Sourcing
We aggregate provider data from public business records. Every listing carries: name, city, state, and at least one contact channel (address, phone, or website). Listings missing this minimum bar are excluded from organic rankings.
Owner verification (claim flow)
- Owner submits claim via /list-your-business with their name, business email, and role.
- Two-channel verification: we send a magic link to the documented business email AND an SMS code to the business phone on file.
- Both must succeed within 7 days. Failure reverts the listing to unverified status.
- "Verified by owner" badge is shown on the provider's profile after successful verification.
Ranking note: Verification does not change a listing's priority score. See how we rank.
Ongoing data quality
| Check | Cadence | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Rating + review count refresh | Continuous | Update priority score |
| Hours of operation | Monthly | Update or flag if missing |
| Phone / website reachability | Quarterly | Flag unreachable; remove if 60d |
| Closed/permanently moved | Monthly | Remove within 30 days |
| New provider intake | Quarterly | Add to directory |
Report inaccurate information
Spot wrong hours, a closed location, or an incorrect rating? Owners can claim their listing to make corrections directly. Patients can flag issues by emailing the editorial team via the contact form. We investigate within 5 business days and update within 30 days.
See also: methodology · how we rank · about