The Popularity factor accounts for 20% of every Trust Score. It reflects how many people use a site, based on third-party traffic data.
Why traffic matters
A site with high, steady traffic has an active user base that keeps coming back, which is a signal the service delivers on its promises. Very low traffic on a site that claims large transaction volumes is worth a second look.
Traffic alone does not guarantee quality. A popular site can still have weak security or poor reviews, which is why popularity is one of four factors rather than the whole score.
Monthly visitors
The factor is based on a site's monthly visitor volume, drawn from third-party traffic data. More visits map to a higher popularity score, in broad bands rather than precise rankings.
Traffic is read relative to a site's category, so a niche service is not unfairly compared with a major marketplace. Sites with very high, sustained traffic also hold a minimum score floor, since a large, stable audience is itself a strong trust signal.
How often traffic updates
Traffic data is refreshed periodically (monthly), while the Trust Score itself recalculates daily from the latest available data. Large shifts in a site's visitor numbers show up at the next traffic refresh.
Because traffic is read relative to category peers, a smaller site can still score well on popularity by being well-used within its own niche.