How Referrals Are Matched to Your Listings
Quick Answer
Referrals are matched to your approved listings using a six-filter engine that evaluates publication source, professional license, specialty alignment, language capabilities, geographic distance, and years of experience. You must have at least one approved listing (profile, organization, job, or event) to receive matches. All matched referrals appear in your unified Leads Dashboard, with sponsors receiving 24-hour priority access, regardless of the listing type that earned sponsor status.
Overview
The Heritage Web matching system automatically connects client requests with qualified professionals and businesses across our network of 300+ publications. Understanding how this process works helps you optimize your listings for maximum referral opportunities and explains why specific leads appear in your dashboard while others don't.
The Six-Filter Matching Engine
Filter 1: Publication Match
The system prioritizes professionals with listings on the publication where the client submitted their request, but also considers network-wide matches when appropriate.
How It Works:
Client submits request on BlackLawyers.com
System first prioritizes professionals with listings on Blacklawyers.com
If the client hasn't requested publication-exclusive matching, the system also searches qualified professionals across the entire Heritage Web network.
Professionals in other publications can be matched if they meet the language, location, and license requirements.
Optimization Tip: List on multiple relevant publications to increase match volume and capture both direct and network-wide referrals.
Filter 2: License Verification
For licensed professions, the system confirms you hold valid, active credentials. Requirements vary by practice area.
Standard Licensed Services:
State-specific licenses for most legal and medical services
The license must be active in the client's state
Board certifications when relevant
National Practice Areas:
Immigration Law: Requires at least one valid bar license (any state)
Bankruptcy/Debt: Requires at least one valid license (any state)
Foreign Law: Expertise in international law (e.g., "Foreign Law > Italy")
Non-Licensed Services:
Translation services
Business consulting
Life coaching
Other professional services not requiring licenses
Example: An immigration attorney licensed in California can serve clients nationwide, while a personal injury lawyer needs a license in the client's specific state.
Filter 3: Specialty Alignment
The system matches client needs with your listed specialties, supporting up to 7 specialties per listing.
Matching Logic:
Exact specialty matches get the highest priority
Related specialties are considered secondarily
Broader categories catch more leads
Specific niches attract targeted leads
Best Practice: Use all 7 specialty slots strategically, balancing broad categories with specific expertise.
Filter 4: Language Requirements
When clients specify language preferences, only professionals who list those languages receive matches.
Language Matching:
High-level language match required (e.g., "Spanish" not specific dialects)
Include languages spoken by you or your team
Staff and colleagues' language capabilities count
English is assumed if not specified
Multiple languages expand opportunities
Best Practice: List every language spoken professionally by you or anyone in your firm who can assist clients.
Filter 5: Geographic Distance
The system calculates the distance between your listing location and the client's location using ZIP codes, taking into account license requirements.
Default Settings:
75-mile radius from your listing address
Calculated from ZIP code centers
Adjustable via [email protected]
Can be expanded, reduced, or removed entirely
Important Considerations:
"No Limit" radius still requires appropriate licensing
National practice areas (Immigration, Bankruptcy) can serve clients anywhere with one valid license
State-specific services require a license in the client's state, regardless of the radius
Options Available:
Specific radius (e.g., 25 miles, 150 miles)
"No Limit" for nationwide reach (with proper licensing)
Different radius per listing type
Filter 6: Experience Level
When multiple professionals pass all five filters, years of experience determine priority order.
Priority Ranking:
More experience = higher priority
Counted from the license/certification date
Used as a tiebreaker, not an elimination filter
Ensures senior professionals get the first opportunity
How Different Listing Types Receive Referrals
Listing Type | Typical Referral Types | Examples |
Profile Listing | Individual professional services | Legal consultation, medical appointments, therapy sessions, tax preparation |
Organization Listing | Business service inquiries | Corporate legal services, clinic appointments, accounting firms, consulting |
Job Listing | Employment-related inquiries | Job applications, candidate inquiries, and recruitment services |
Event Listing | Event participation requests | Registration inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, vendor applications |
The Matching Process Step-by-Step
Step 1: Client Submission
A potential client visits a Heritage Web publication (e.g., IranianDoctors.com) and completes an intake form describing their needs.
Step 2: Manual Review (24 Hours)
Our team reviews the submission to verify legitimacy, confirm contact information using third-party tools, and properly categorize the request.
Step 3: Matching Engine Activation
The approved request enters the matching system, which instantly applies all six filters to identify qualified professionals and businesses.
Step 4: Priority Distribution
Matched referrals are distributed based on listing status:
Sponsors: Immediate access with 24-hour exclusivity
Free Listings: Access after sponsor window expires
Step 5: Dashboard Delivery
All matched referrals appear in your unified Leads Dashboard, regardless of which listing generated the match.
Multiple Listings Under One Account
Unified Dashboard System
When you have multiple approved listings:
Single Dashboard: All referrals appear in one place
No Duplicates: Each referral appears only once
One Notification: Single alert per referral
Combined Reach: More listings = more opportunities
Priority Rules for Multiple Listings
When a referral could match multiple listings you own:
Sponsor Priority: ANY sponsor listing (profile, organization, job, or event) takes precedence
Oldest Free Listing: If no sponsor listings, your oldest approved free listing matches
Type Irrelevant: A sponsor event listing outranks a free profile listing
Example Scenario
You have:
Free profile listing (approved 3 months ago)
Sponsor organization listing (approved 1 month ago)
Free job listing (approved 2 weeks ago)
Result: All referrals match through your sponsor organization listing, giving you 24-hour priority on everything.
Optimizing Your Matching Potential
Maximize Your Reach
Multiple Publications: List on both community-specific and global directories for direct and network-wide matches
All Listing Types: Create profile + organization + job + event listings
Language Coverage: Include languages spoken by you and your team members
Complete Profiles: Fill every field to improve matching accuracy
Regular Updates: Keep information current (requires re-approval)
Strategic Specialty Selection
Slot 1-3: Your primary practice areas
Slot 4-5: Related or expanding services
Slot 6-7: Broader categories for volume
Geographic Strategy
Urban Markets: Consider a smaller radius (25-50 miles)
Rural Markets: Expand radius (100+ miles)
National Practice Areas: Request "No Limit" for Immigration, Bankruptcy, Foreign Law
Digital Services: Request "No Limit" for remote work
Multiple Offices: Create separate organization listings
Common Matching Scenarios
Scenario 1: Perfect Match
Client needs an immigration lawyer in Houston (submits on Losabogados.com)
You're listed on a different publication, but have an immigration specialty
You have at least one valid bar license (any state)
You're within your radius setting or have "No Limit"
You speak Spanish (listed in your profile)
Result: Referral appears in your dashboard (network-wide match)
Scenario 2: Missing One Filter
Client needs a Korean-speaking accountant in Austin
You're a Korean-speaking accountant in Dallas (200 miles away)
Your radius is set to the default 75 miles
Result: No match (outside radius)
Solution: Email [email protected] to expand the radius
Scenario 3: Pending Changes Block
You just added "Personal Injury" as a specialty
Changes are pending approval (2-3 days)
Personal injury referral comes in
Result: No match until changes are approved
Note: The Current approved version continues matching for existing specialties
Important Matching Rules
Must-Have Requirements
At least one approved listing (pending doesn't count)
Active status on the publication
Valid credentials (if applicable)
Matching specialty selected
Automatic Disqualifiers
No listing in the source publication
Expired or invalid license
Outside geographic radius
Language mismatch (when specified)
Listing is still pending approval
Sponsor Advantages
24-hour exclusive access to all matched referrals
Applies account-wide (any sponsor listing helps all)
See referrals before free listings
Higher visibility in client searches
FAQs
Q: Why am I not getting referrals from a specific publication where I have a listing? A: Check that your listing on that publication shows "Approved" status. Also verify your specialties match the types of requests coming through that publication.
Q: If I have a sponsor organization listing and a free profile listing, which one gets the referral? A: The sponsor organization listing takes priority. You'll receive 24-hour exclusive access to all referrals matching any of your listings.
Q: Can I have different radius settings for different listings? A: Currently, radius adjustments are made per listing by emailing [email protected]. Each listing can have its radius setting.
Q: Do I need to be listed on every publication to maximize matches? A: Focus on publications relevant to your target market, but remember that Heritage Web also matches network-wide when clients haven't requested publication-exclusive referrals. More publications increase both direct and network matches.
Q: Can my staff's language skills help me get more referrals? A: Yes! List all languages spoken by you or your team members. If your receptionist speaks Mandarin or your paralegal speaks Arabic, include those languages in your profile.
Q: I practice immigration law. Do I need licenses in every state? A: No. Immigration and Bankruptcy law are federal practices, so you only need one valid bar license to serve clients nationwide. Set your radius to "No Limit" for maximum reach.
Q: How quickly does the matching happen after a client submits a request? A: After the 24-hour manual review, matching is instantaneous. You'll receive email notifications immediately when new referrals match your listings.
Q: What happens if my license expires? A: You'll stop receiving referrals requiring that license until you update your information and it's re-approved. Keep credentials current to avoid interruption.
Next Steps
Review all your listings for "Approved" status
Add specialties to reach full 7-slot capacity
List additional relevant publications
Email [email protected] to optimize your radius
Consider sponsor status for 24-hour priority
Enable email notifications for instant alerts
Update any expired licenses or credentials
Related Articles
Understanding Lead Matching & Distribution
Setting Your Referral Radius for Optimal Results
Creating Your Professional Profile
Managing Multiple Listings and Referrals
Why Am I Not Receiving Referrals?
The Six-Filter Matching System Explained