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VertiScore Methodology

How VertiScore Ranks Vertical Dramas

The Independent Standard for Micro-Drama Rankings

VertiScore is our proprietary ranking system that measures a show’s true audience impact by combining publicly observable engagement signals with human editorial review.

Methodology v2.0 ·Last updated September 26, 2026 Charts publish Thursdays, 9:00 AM ET

Overview

What is VertiScore?

VertiScore is Vertical Charts’ proprietary scoring system that ranks micro-drama content across all major platforms. Unlike simple view counts, VertiScore captures the full picture of a show’s impact: how fast it’s growing, whether viewers actually finish it, whether they care enough to share it, and whether it delivers as a story.

VertiScore is built entirely on what audiences visibly do and what our reviewers see on screen. It doesn’t depend on any platform’s API, private data feed, or any single source that could be revoked. The ranking is derived from audience behavior, not handed down by a platform.

What a score captures

GrowthHow fast it’s growing
CompletionWhether viewers actually finish it
SharingWhether they care enough to share it
StoryWhether it delivers as a story

Reading a score

Score bands

Every show receives a score from 0-100, updated weekly. Scores fall into five bands.

Needs AttentionBelow 40
Steady Performer40–59
Rising Star60–74
Top Performer75–89
Viral Hit90–100

The method

How a score is built

Every score is built from three parts: what audiences do, what our reviewers see, and how much data each show has behind it.

How VertiScore is built Public audience behavior (views, episode drop-off, shares) feeds Engagement. Human review (hook, pacing, payoff) feeds Editorial. Both pass through Adaptive Weighting to produce the VertiScore from 0 to 100. Platform APIs and private data are not an input. INPUTSBUCKETSWEIGHTINGOUTPUT Public audience behavior Views Episode drop-off Shares Human review Hook Pacing Payoff Same published rubric for every show Platform API / private data Private feeds, paid placement data Not an input VertiScore never depends on a platform feed Engagement Velocity 40% · Completion 35% Share-to-view 25% Editorial Hook · Pacing · Payoff Equal weight (1/3 each) Adaptive weighting Shifts by data available VertiScore 0–100 Updated weekly
How VertiScore is built Public audience behavior (views, episode drop-off, shares) feeds Engagement. Human review (hook, pacing, payoff) feeds Editorial. Both pass through Adaptive Weighting to produce the VertiScore from 0 to 100. Platform APIs and private data are not an input. INPUTS Public audience behavior Views Episode drop-off Shares Human review Hook Pacing Payoff Engagement Velocity 40% Completion 35% Share-to-view 25% Editorial Hook · Pacing · Payoff Equal weight (1/3 each) Adaptive weighting Shifts by data available per title VertiScore 0–100 Updated weekly Platform API / private data Not an input VertiScore never depends on a platform feed
Two independent inputs, one weighting step. Platform APIs and private data feeds are not part of the pipeline.
Part 1

Engagement

Audience Behavior

What are viewers actually doing? We measure three signals that are publicly visible on the platforms and their official channels:

Within Engagement, view velocity counts for 40%, completion rate for 35%, and share-to-view ratio for 25%.

  • View velocity40%

    How fast is the show gaining viewers? We track week-over-week growth to identify breakout hits before they peak. A show climbing rapidly scores higher than one with stagnant viewership, even if its total views are lower.

  • Completion rate35%

    Do viewers stay to the end? We measure how much of a show’s audience carries through from the first episode to the last, using public episode-by-episode view counts. A show people finish beats a show people abandon.

  • Share-to-view ratio25%

    Do viewers pass it along? We compare shares to views, so a smaller show with a passionate audience can compete with a giant.

Part 2

Editorial

Story Quality

Popularity alone doesn’t make a great show. Every title is scored by a human reviewer on a short, published rubric:

The three rubric criteria carry equal weight.

  • Hook strength1/3

    Does the opening grab you in the first episodes?

  • Pacing1/3

    Does the story keep moving without stalling or rushing?

  • Payoff delivery1/3

    Does it deliver on what it promised?

Every show is scored against the same rubric, so the chart isn’t purely a popularity contest.

Part 3

Adaptive Weighting

Fair to Every Show

Not every title has the same amount of data behind it. A hit with millions of views has deep engagement signals, while a new release may have only a few days of them. VertiScore adjusts how much each part counts based on how much data is actually available for that title:

  • Established titles with rich engagement data: Engagement 75%, Editorial 25%
  • Growing titles with partial data: Engagement 60%, Editorial 40%
  • New or quieter releases with limited data: Engagement 40%, Editorial 60%

Weight by data available

EngagementEditorial
EstablishedRich data
75%
25%
GrowingPartial data
60%
40%
New / quieterLimited data
40%
60%

As a show builds a track record, its score shifts toward audience behavior.

No single signal dominates

No individual measure ever counts for more than 30% of a show’s score.

Max share = bucket weight × signal weight
75% × 40% = 30% (view velocity, Established tier)

Every ranked show also needs at least one observable engagement signal, so editorial review can’t carry a title on its own.

Maximum possible share of a score

Engagement · max at Established (75%)
View velocity75% × 40%
30%
Completion rate75% × 35%
26.25%
Share-to-view75% × 25%
18.75%
Editorial · max at New / quieter (60%)
Hook strength60% × 1/3
20%
Pacing60% × 1/3
20%
Payoff delivery60% × 1/3
20%

Inputs

Our Data Sources

VertiScore is built on public information and our own review, from sources no single company controls:

Platform pages

Public view counts and episode-by-episode view counts on platform pages and official channels (ReelShort, DramaBox, ShortMax)

Official social clips

Public view and share counts on official show clips across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X/Twitter

Top & Trending lists

Platform Top and Trending lists

Editorial review

Hands-on viewing and scoring by Vertical Charts editorial reviewers

We don’t rely on platform APIs, private data feeds, or paid placement data. If any one source becomes unavailable, VertiScore keeps working from the others.

Rankings are updated every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET.

Behavior-Driven

No paid placements. Rankings come from what audiences actually do, checked by human reviewers who score every show against the same rubric.

Transparent

We publish our methodology because we have nothing to hide. The best shows rise to the top.

Independent

Built on publicly observable signals and our own review, not on any platform’s API or permission. No platform can switch it off or tilt it in its own favor.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How often are rankings updated?

VertiScore rankings update weekly, every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET.

Can shows pay for higher rankings?

No. There are no paid placements. Editorial scores come from our reviewers using a fixed rubric, and no platform, studio, or advertiser can buy or influence them.

Can a show game its way up the chart?

It’s much harder than on a platform’s own chart. VertiScore is derived from how audiences behave, not handed down by a platform, and it blends several independent signals, so no single number can be pushed up to carry a show to the top. Inflated views don’t help without real viewers finishing and sharing the show, and a human reviewer watches every title.

Which platforms do you track?

We currently track ReelShort, DramaBox, ShortMax with more platforms being added soon.

How do I submit my show for ranking?

Shows are automatically tracked once they appear on supported platforms. Contact us at partners@myfix.app for platform partnership inquiries.

Why is my favorite show ranked lower than expected?

VertiScore measures more than total views. A show with massive reach but slowing growth, low completion, and few shares may score lower than a newer show that viewers finish and pass along. New releases with strong storytelling can also earn extra weight from their editorial score while their audience data builds.

The Vertical Micro-Drama Insider. Independent rankings, transparent methodology, editorial integrity.

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