Participant Leaderboard Guide
1. What is the Leaderboard?
The leaderboard is a real-time dashboard that tracks SEO performance across all competing teams. It shows how each team’s website performs on key SEO metrics — organic traffic, engagement, search visibility, and more — updated automatically throughout the competition.
Important: The leaderboard is informational only. It does not determine the official winners. Judges use a separate, subjective rubric to evaluate teams. Think of the leaderboard as your live performance dashboard — it tells you how your SEO work is translating into measurable results.
2. How to View the Leaderboard
The leaderboard is available at:
imgscience.net/hackathon2026/leaderboard
Page Layout
- Track Tabs — Switch between the three competition tracks at the top of the page: On-Page SEO, Off-Page SEO, and AI/GEO Optimization.
- Leaderboard Table — Teams are ranked by their composite score (highest first). Columns include rank, team name (clickable to profile), score, and individual KPI values.
- Team Profile Link — Click any team name to view their full profile page with team details, site link, and track assignment.
Accessibility
The leaderboard is optimized for desktop and mobile browsers. No special software or login is required — it is publicly visible.
3. Understanding the Leaderboard
3.1 Competition Tracks
Teams compete in one of three tracks, each with a distinct SEO focus:
| Track | Focus Area | Primary KPIs |
|---|---|---|
| On-Page SEO | Content optimization, meta tags, site structure, Core Web Vitals | Organic traffic, engagement time, bounce rate |
| Off-Page SEO | Backlinks, domain authority, external signals | Backlinks, referral traffic, CTR |
| AI/GEO Optimization | AI-optimized content, GEO strategies, LLM visibility | AI-driven engagement metrics, search visibility |
Teams are grouped by track, and scores are normalized within each track. You only compete against teams in your assigned track.
3.2 Leaderboard Columns
| Column | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Rank | Your position within your track (1 = highest score) |
| Team | Your team name — click to view your team profile |
| Score | Composite score calculated from all KPIs (see Section 3.3) |
| Organic Sessions | Visitors arriving from organic search results |
| Engagement Time | Average time visitors spend on your site |
| Bounce Rate | Percentage of single-page visits (lower is better) |
| New Users | First-time visitors to your site |
| CTR | Click-through rate from search results to your site |
| Avg Position | Average search ranking position (lower is better) |
| Backlinks | Number of external sites linking to your site (if available) |
3.3 How Scoring Works
Your composite score is calculated from seven KPIs, each weighted by its importance to overall SEO performance:
| KPI | Source | Weight | Updates Every |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Sessions | Google Analytics 4 | 25% | ~5 minutes |
| Avg Engagement Time | Google Analytics 4 | 15% | ~5 minutes |
| Bounce Rate (inverted) | Google Analytics 4 | 10% | ~5 minutes |
| New Users | Google Analytics 4 | 15% | ~5 minutes |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | Google Search Console | 15% | ~30 minutes |
| Avg Position (inverted) | Google Search Console | 10% | ~30 minutes |
| Backlinks | Ahrefs (if available) | 10% | Daily |
Score formula:
score = (organic_sessions_normalized * 0.25)
+ (engagement_time_normalized * 0.15)
+ (bounce_rate_inverted_normalized * 0.10)
+ (new_users_normalized * 0.15)
+ (ctr_normalized * 0.15)
+ (position_inverted_normalized * 0.10)
+ (backlinks_normalized * 0.10)Normalization explained: Each KPI is min-max normalized across all teams within your track. This means the team with the highest value on a given KPI gets the maximum points for that KPI, and others receive proportional points. This keeps comparisons fair across teams of different sizes and starting points.
Inverted metrics: For bounce rate and average position, lower values are better. These are inverted during normalization — the lowest value gets the most points.
For full methodology details, see the KPI Definitions & Methodology document.
4. How You Appear on the Leaderboard
4.1 Registration
Teams register through the hackathon Slack workspace using the following command:
/hackathon-registerThe registration bot will prompt you for:
- Team name — the name displayed on the leaderboard
- Team slug — used for your team site URL (
{slug}.imgscience.net) - Track selection — On-Page SEO, Off-Page SEO, or AI/GEO Optimization
- Team member emails — for WordPress site access credentials
4.2 What Happens After Registration
- Your registration is validated and queued for provisioning.
- A WordPress site is automatically created at
{your-slug}.imgscience.net. - GA4 tracking is automatically injected into your site (no manual setup required).
- Your team appears on the leaderboard once your site is live and data begins flowing.
- You receive WordPress admin credentials by email.
Estimated time from registration to leaderboard appearance: 15–30 minutes for site provisioning, plus up to 5 minutes for the first KPI data refresh.
4.3 KPI Data Collection
Your site’s performance data is collected automatically:
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): A tracking code is installed on every page of your team site at provisioning time. You do not need to configure analytics manually.
- Google Search Console: Data is collected from the shared hackathon Search Console property. You do not need to verify your site.
- Ahrefs: Backlink data is collected if an Ahrefs API key is available (pending sponsorship).
Your KPIs begin populating as soon as your site receives traffic. Initially, you may see zeros or low values — this is normal and will improve as your SEO work takes effect.
5. Team Profiles
5.1 Accessing Your Profile
Each team has a public profile page linked from the leaderboard. Click your team name on the leaderboard to view your profile. The profile is also accessible directly at:
imgscience.net/hackathon2026/teams/{your-slug}Your profile displays:
- Team name and logo (if set)
- Competition track
- Link to your team site (
{slug}.imgscience.net) - Team description or bio
- Current leaderboard rank and score snapshot
5.2 Updating Your Profile
Team profiles are editable by team members. To update your profile:
- Log in to your team’s WordPress admin panel at
{your-slug}.imgscience.net/wp-adminusing the credentials you received by email. - Navigate to the Team Profile editor in the WordPress dashboard (under the “Hackathon” menu).
- Update your team name, description, logo, and any other profile fields.
- Save your changes — they will appear on the leaderboard profile page immediately.
Profile tips:
- Add a clear team description so judges and fans know who you are.
- Upload a logo or team avatar for recognition.
- Keep your team name consistent — changing it mid-competition may confuse viewers.
6. Leaderboard Refresh Cadence
| Data Source | Refresh Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GA4 metrics (sessions, engagement, bounce, new users) | Every ~5 minutes | Near real-time |
| Google Search Console (CTR, position) | Every ~30 minutes | GSC API has inherent reporting delay |
| Ahrefs backlinks | Once daily | Pending API key availability |
Scores and rankings recalculate automatically on each refresh cycle. There is no need to refresh your browser manually — the leaderboard widget updates automatically.
Data lag note: GA4 typically has a 24–48 hour processing window for some metrics. During the competition, you will see data from the most recent available reporting window. Search Console data may lag by 2–3 days. These delays are normal and affect all teams equally.
7. Important Notes
Leaderboard vs. Judging
The leaderboard score is not your official competition score. Judges evaluate teams using a separate subjective rubric that considers factors beyond raw KPIs — including strategy quality, creativity, methodology documentation, and adherence to track objectives. Do not optimize exclusively for leaderboard metrics at the expense of sound SEO practice.
Track Assignment
Your track is set at registration and cannot be changed mid-competition. Choose carefully based on your team’s strengths.
Missing Data
If you see “—” or zeros for some KPIs, this is expected in the early hours after registration. GA4 data begins populating after traffic arrives. If data is missing for more than 24 hours after your site is live, contact hackathon staff via Slack in the #help channel.
Deprovisioning
At the end of the competition, team sites are deprovisioned and removed from the leaderboard automatically. Make sure to export any data or content you want to keep before the competition ends.
8. Further Reading
- KPI Definitions & Methodology — Detailed definitions of every KPI, normalization methods, and data sources.
- Judges Scoring Guide — How judges evaluate teams (separate from the leaderboard).
- Hackathon Home Page — Event overview, schedule, rules, and announcements.
- FAQ — Common questions about the leaderboard, from registration to scoring.
9. Getting Help
For leaderboard questions, data issues, or registration problems, reach out in the hackathon Slack workspace:
#help— General support and troubleshooting#announcements— Official event updates- DM hackathon staff for urgent account or access issues
This guide is maintained by the IMG Hackathon team. Last updated May 19, 2026.