Featured churches: how they appear and how to help your church get there
In the directory you'll see some churches with a special marker: featured churches. This guide explains what they are, how they're chosen, and what you can do to help your church get there.
What are featured churches
Featured churches are listings curated by the EncuentraIglesias team. We periodically select the listings that best serve people looking for a faith community: complete information, data verified by our team, quality photos, and a clean track record in the directory. They appear in prominent positions in search results and on the site's main page.
It's not a paid service. There is no cost to appear as featured.
How they're chosen
The EncuentraIglesias team periodically evaluates listings based on these factors:
- Complete information: name, address, denomination, hours, phone or website, description, and at least one photo.
- Quality photos: clear images of the building or interior that help visitors identify the location.
- No pending reports: the listing has no unresolved reports of incorrect data or inappropriate content.
- Team-verified data: our team cross-checks the information against public sources to ensure it's reliable.
- Strong directory presence: the listing has built trust among directory users over time.
No single factor guarantees featured status. It's the combination of all of them that tips the balance.
What you can do to help your church get featured
Anyone — even if they're not church staff — can help improve a listing:
- Fill in missing information using the "Suggest correction" button ({HELP_ART:iglesias/editar-iglesia}). Updated hours, a phone or contact email, website, and a clear description make a big difference.
- Upload photos if the option is available on the listing — one of the exterior and one of the interior are the most useful.
- Keep information up to date by reporting changes as they happen: if the church changes its schedule, moves, or closes, suggest the correction right away.
- Avoid duplicates and reports — duplicates and unresolved reports reduce a listing's reliability.
How long does it take to show up?
Featured listing evaluations happen in periodic cycles, not immediately. After a listing improves its information, it may take several weeks before it appears as featured. There is no channel to speed up the process.
Have questions about your church's status?
Write to us from {CONTACT} with the church name and we'll give you guidance on which criteria might be missing.