HOW WE CHOOSE
Research broadly. Compare carefully. Publish three.
ThreeNearMe researches a wider field of local businesses, compares category-relevant evidence and applies editorial judgement before publishing a shortlist of three.
- Structured research
- Human editorial judgement
- No paid Top Three positions
FROM THE FIELD TO THREE
A wider search comes first.
ThreeNearMe does not begin with a predetermined shortlist. We first identify a broader field of businesses relevant to the location and category, then gather enough public evidence to compare which options are genuinely worth considering.
Only after that research do we narrow the field to three published recommendations.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
Relevant local options
Businesses operating in or genuinely serving the location and category being researched.
Category-relevant evidence
Public information that helps assess capability, reputation, relevance and distinctive strengths.
Enough context to compare
Multiple signals are considered rather than relying on one rating, one review count or one source.
WHAT WE DON'T DO
Start with a fixed three
The shortlist is the result of the research, not the starting point.
Use one metric as the answer
Ratings, review counts and other signals can inform comparison, but none automatically determines the selections.
Sell entry into the shortlist
Commercial relationships do not determine Top Three inclusion.
EVIDENCE & CONTEXT
Not every signal deserves the same weight.
Different categories call for different evidence. The information that helps assess a plumber is not identical to what matters when considering a restaurant, so ThreeNearMe evaluates businesses in the context of the category being researched.
We look across multiple relevant signals and consider the strength of the evidence behind them. No single rating, review count, source or score determines the final three.
Category relevance
The research framework adapts to what matters for the category. Local relevance, capability, reputation, breadth, specialist strengths and other factors are considered where they are genuinely useful.
Source quality
Official, first-party and credible independent sources are considered according to what they can actually support. Strong evidence for one claim may be weak evidence for another.
Context before score
Scores and structured signals help make comparison more consistent, but they are considered together and do not automatically determine the final recommendations.
STRUCTURE & JUDGEMENT
Scores help us compare. They don't make the decision.
ThreeNearMe uses structured criteria and comparison tools to make research more consistent across a wider field of businesses. They help surface strengths, weaknesses and differences that deserve closer attention.
But a score cannot understand every trade-off or piece of context on its own. The final shortlist is determined through editorial judgement informed by the evidence, not by automatically publishing whichever three numbers are highest.
The score informs the decision.It does not make the decision.
Structure creates consistency
Defined criteria help businesses in the same research field be considered against a consistent framework, rather than an improvised set of questions.
Context explains the numbers
A score can highlight differences, but evidence quality, category relevance, specialist strengths and meaningful trade-offs still need to be understood in context.
Editors make the final call
The final three are selected through editorial judgement and review. No score, algorithm or automated rule independently determines publication.
REVIEW & PUBLICATION
Publication isn't the end of the process.
Before a shortlist is published, the proposed selections and their reasons are reviewed against the research behind them. Publication turns that work into a clear public recommendation, but it does not make the decision permanent or immune from later review.
Businesses change, evidence changes and published information can age. Meaningful new information can therefore prompt another look.
Final editorial review
Before publication, the proposed shortlist and its reasoning are reviewed to make sure the selections are supported by the research and suitable for public explanation.
Publish the reasons
Each selected business is published with a clear reason for its inclusion, helping readers understand the strengths that made it worth considering.
Revisit when things change
Material changes, new evidence or factual updates can prompt review after publication so the guide can remain useful over time.
A published recommendation is a considered decision, not a permanent guarantee.
CORRECTIONS & ACCOUNTABILITY
Good editorial work includes being willing to revisit it.
ThreeNearMe welcomes factual corrections and relevant new information from businesses and readers. New information is reviewed against the available evidence rather than applied automatically.
Correcting a fact does not automatically change an editorial recommendation, but meaningful new evidence can justify another look.
Facts can be corrected
Business details, service areas and other factual information can change. When credible updated information is provided, the published information can be reviewed and corrected where appropriate.
Evidence can change the picture
New or stronger evidence may justify another look at an existing recommendation. A request or submission alone does not guarantee a change.
Editorial decisions stay editorial
Corrections are not a pathway to buy, negotiate or demand Top Three inclusion or position. Editorial decisions remain separate from commercial relationships.
READY TO EXPLORE?
See the methodology in action.
Explore the recommendations we've published so far and see how research, evidence and editorial judgement become a shortlist of three.