How Server Rankings Work
BMCSL uses multiple ranking algorithms to surface the best servers for different contexts.
Main Homepage Ranking
The default homepage sorts servers by total votes (descending). This is the primary ranking metric that determines your server's position.
Factors That Affect Your Rank
- Total Votes — The most important factor; more votes = higher rank
- Verified Status — Verified servers get a trust badge
- Premium Tier — Featured servers appear at the top with special styling
- Online Status — Offline servers may be deprioritized
Alternative Rankings
Top by Players
Shows servers sorted by current online player count. This reflects real-time activity.
Trending
Our trending algorithm identifies servers growing fastest based on:
- Recent vote velocity (votes gained in the last 24-48 hours)
- Player count growth trends
- New votes compared to historical average
Newest
Recently added servers sorted by submission date. Great for discovering fresh communities.
Top Rated
Servers ranked by average community review score (1-5 stars).
Tips to Rank Higher
- 1Encourage voting — Add vote links on your Discord and website
- 2Set up Votifier rewards — Incentivize players to vote daily
- 3Keep your server online — Uptime matters for rankings
- 4Optimize your listing — Great descriptions and banners attract clicks
- 5Engage with reviews — Respond to player feedback
- 6Claim your server — Unlock verification and management features
Gamemode Rankings
Each gamemode category (/best-survival-servers, /best-pvp-servers, etc.) has its own ranking showing only servers tagged with that gamemode. The same vote-based ranking applies within each category.