RSS Atlas explains its feed ranking system and what it refuses to count

RSS Atlas, an RSS feed directory, has published a detailed breakdown of how it ranks feeds, citing favorites, page views, and AI fetches as its three signals, weighted with time decay so recent engagement matters more. The platform states that payments, ad slots, article volume, and feed age are explicitly excluded from ranking calculations. Ad placements are inserted only at the display layer and have no effect on scores or ordering. To prevent manipulation, AI fetch counts are deduplicated per client per day, scale logarithmically across distinct clients, and sudden spikes are withheld pending review. The platform argues that allowing paid positions would undermine the directory's core value, turning it into an advertisement list rather than a trustworthy reference.