How do businesses get into these "Top X Software"/"Top X Business" lists?

I’m working with a friend (a developer) on a productivity app, and he asked me to handle the content marketing. While his dev team is still deep into building the product, I’ve started prepping the site, blog strategy, and long-term content plan.

But here’s something that’s been a huge question for me:

How do SaaS products actually get featured on those “Top 10 Software of 2025” lists from sites like Forbes Advisor, TechRadar, or PCMag?

I was browsing Forbes Advisor recently and came across their list of best time tracking software. They ranked softwares like Jibble, ClockShark, Deputy, Connecteam, and Homebase. All familiar names, but I’ve never really understood how these rankings come together.

Do companies pitch themselves to Forbes? Or does Forbes do their own outreach and independent testing?

Is it just smart SEO and visibility? Or is there something happening behind-the-scenes, like an affiliate partnership or a soft sponsorship, that helps a product land in these roundups?

Has anyone here actually worked to get a product featured on a list like this? Or seen what goes into it from the inside?