Performance Score methodology
Performance Score Methodology
The IPD Performance Score is a 0–100 organic discovery metric. It combines published IPD review performance with confidence weighting, profile completeness and IPD Verification. Organic ranking cannot be purchased. The score is a shortlisting aid, not a guarantee of service quality or booking outcome.
Bayesian confidence, in plain language
A raw five-star average from one review is much less evidence than a 4.8-star average from twenty reviews. IPD therefore starts from the current site-wide native review mean and gradually lets a photographer’s own native published review history take over as more reviews accumulate.
v = native published review count
R = photographer’s native published average
C = IPD-wide native review mean
5 = confidence prior used by ranking version 1
Native review component (61.111%)
The largest component uses only native published IPD reviews and confidence-adjusts their rating.
Published IPD reviews
Only reviews published through IPD moderation contribute to this component. Unpublished reviews do not count.
Bayesian confidence
The native published average is blended with the site-wide native mean using a five-review prior, so one perfect review does not automatically outrank a substantial strong review history.
Profile and trust components (38.889%)
Profile completeness and the current IPD Verified state contribute here.
Profile completeness (22.222%)
Ten published profile checks measure whether useful identity, portfolio, service, location, experience and price information is available.
IPD Verification (16.667%)
Only the current IPD Verified state contributes to this trust component.
Freshness (0%)
Freshness is excluded in ranking version 1 because the available update timestamp is photographer-editable. Its intended weight is redistributed across the safe components.
Editorial signals (0%)
Featured recognition, awards and other editorial placement may remain visible, but they never change the automatic organic score.
What the score does not use
Older/imported display ratings do not add score points. Neither do Featured recognition, awards, advertising spend, commercial relationships or manually entered ranking values. Verified Professional Activity, Gallery purchases, Gallery count, client workflow interactions and login frequency also do not add Performance Score points. Technical tie-breaking does not create a paid or editorial ranking advantage.
Verified Professional Activity is a separate positive evidence signal. Read how Professional Activity verification works.
Use the comparison tool, full portfolios, pricing, availability and direct communication alongside this discovery signal. For the wider product principles, see Why IPD.