What signals matter?
Two things, mainly:
- Reader interest. When you click through to read an article, visit a feed page, or jump to the publisher's site, that gently nudges the publisher up the rankings. Outbound clicks (you actually went to read it) count for more than just landing on a feed page.
- Recent publishing activity. A publisher who's actively posting articles ranks higher than one that hasn't put anything out in months, even if they used to be popular.
Why mix the two?
Reader-interest alone would skew toward whatever was popular years ago. Activity alone would surface anyone publishing constantly, regardless of whether anyone reads them. Combining them makes the list reflect publishers who are both active and worth reading right now.
Is it personalised?
No. The rankings are the same for everyone. There's no algorithm learning from you, no engagement model trying to keep you on the page. Whatever's in the rail is what the broader readership is reading and what publishers are putting out.
Why does my favourite site rank low (or high)?
- Niche publishers rank lower simply because fewer people know about them. If you're a fan, your visits help nudge them up.
- Quiet publishers (great archive, no recent posts) rank lower because the activity signal is missing. They'll still show up in directory searches and on tag pages.
- Newly added publishers start with no reader-signal at all, so they take a while to surface in the popular rails. Browsing them is the fastest way to give them a boost.