Methodology: How We Score Trust

Every influencer on Realfluence carries a Trust Score out of 100. This page explains exactly how that score is put together, what it does and does not mean, and how community voting fits alongside it.

The Trust Score

The Trust Score is an editorial assessment across five weighted areas. It is reviewed periodically and updated when someone’s output or behaviour changes materially.

1. Credentials and expertise (30 points). Relevant qualifications, clinical registration, academic record, or a demonstrable track record of applied expertise. We check claimed credentials against public registers where they exist, such as the GMC and HCPC.
2. Evidence quality (25 points). Do their claims match the balance of published evidence? Do they cite sources, distinguish between strong and weak studies, and update their position when the evidence moves?
3. Commercial transparency (20 points). Are sponsorships, affiliate links and product interests clearly declared? Heavy undisclosed selling, miracle product promotion, or supplement lines that contradict their own advice all cost points.
4. Communication honesty (15 points). Nuance over hype. We reward people who say “it depends” when it does, acknowledge uncertainty, and avoid fear based framing and ragebait.
5. Consistency and conduct (10 points). A sustained record of the above over time, plus how they respond when challenged or corrected.

What the bands mean

• 85 to 100: Exceptional. Rigorous, transparent and consistently evidence led.
• 70 to 84: Strong. Reliable overall, with minor caveats.
• 50 to 69: Mixed. Worth following with a critical eye.
• Below 50: Not listed. We do not give a platform to accounts that fall below this line.

Community voting

Votes are the community’s layer on top of our editorial score. Anyone can vote each influencer up or down once, and change or withdraw that vote at any time. The net score (upvotes minus downvotes) drives the Highest Rated sort order across the directory. Votes never alter the Trust Score itself; the two measures deliberately stay separate so you can see when the community and the editors disagree.

We apply rate limiting and one vote per visitor to keep the numbers honest. Patterns that look like coordinated manipulation are investigated and removed.

What this is not

A high Trust Score is not an endorsement of every individual claim a person makes, and nothing on this site is medical advice. It is a considered judgement that someone’s overall output is credible, honest and safe to engage with. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation.

Corrections and appeals

If you believe a score is wrong, or that we have missed a disclosure issue, use the contact page. Influencers listed here can appeal their own score through the same route; appeals are reviewed against the criteria above, never against follower counts or commercial pressure.