How the directory works
Drop's directory brings together the tattoo artists with a public page. Here we explain who appears, in what order and what counts for that order. Nobody can pay to come first: the artist's plan has no influence.
Who appears
Artists whose page is set to “Public”. Pages set to “Unlisted”, accounts being deleted and suspended accounts do not appear.
In what order
Without a search, artists are ordered by their score, highest first. When you search, those that best match what you type (name, style or city) come first and, among equally good matches, the score decides. You can filter by city, style and minimum rating, and change the order to “Top rated” (average rating and, at the same average, more reviews) or “Newest” (the latest to join the directory).
What counts in the score
The score goes from 0 to 1 and adds up four parameters, each with its weight:
- Complete page · 25% of the score
- How many of these 6 things the page has: profile photo, cover, bio, a social link, at least one piece in the Flash and at least one FAQ question.
- It weighs a quarter because a complete page is what lets a client decide whether to write, but it says nothing about the artist's work.
- Reviews · 35% of the score
- The average of the published reviews, smoothed towards the average of all reviews on Drop as if it had 5 more reviews at that average, and weighted by how many there are. So a single 5-star review does not outweigh fifty at 4.8, and without reviews this parameter adds 0.
- It weighs the most because it is the only part told by clients who have already been tattooed by the artist.
- Completed projects · 25% of the score
- The projects the artist has finished on Drop. Each one counts less over time (half after 365 days) and the total grows more and more slowly, up to 50. Projects that come through the chat and projects the artist creates count the same.
- It weighs a quarter because it shows finished work on Drop; it counts less over time so recent work weighs more.
- Recent activity · 15% of the score
- Pieces added to the Flash and new projects in the last 60 days. It also grows more and more slowly, up to 20. Every piece counts, including those a smaller plan hides, so the plan has no influence.
- It weighs the least: it only shows the artist is still active and taking work, which also gives new artists a place.
What does not count
The plan the artist pays for, their credits or any other payment to Drop, neither directly nor indirectly: pieces a smaller plan hides still count; response time, because the artist's AI agent answers in the chat; and anything not on this page. Drop offers no way to pay for a better position.
When it is updated
The score is recalculated every night (at 00:15 UTC). The average rating and the number of reviews update right away. An artist who joins the directory gets their score at that moment.
If this changes
If we change the parameters or their weights, we will update this page before the change applies.