Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Unlike the vast majority of "community" sites that rely on dry automatic algorithms, Localism employs a team of crack editors who approve the best content. Having your posts and photos consistently approved will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
"Legacy" content is also considered when ranking top neighbors. We don't want to leave the early adopters of Localism in the cold, and we're working hard to process that backlog.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
We all have friends and coworkers that work hard and may never hear a word of praise or recognition. I wanted to take a minute out of my day, and yours, to send a shout of recognition to Gail Ryan of Healdsburg, California. Gail is a realtor at 
