Temporary change visible for brand search terms

We continue to improve the Sponsored Products algorithm so that ads better match what shoppers are looking for and doing. Our goal is a fair and consistent playing field, where all ads are evaluated according to the same logic.

For brand search terms, a separate, outdated method is currently used to determine relevance. For other search queries, we already use new machine learning models. These better estimate how relevant an ad is, based on brand and search query, among other things.

In that logic, two things together determine which ads are visible:

• Relevance: how well an item matches the search query
• Bid: what you are willing to pay per click

Because a small part of the traffic ran through this new logic, you might have temporarily seen different results:

• For a brand search query, another relevant brand could be visible alongside the searched brand
• You might have seen shifts in visibility, clicks, or conversions

This is part of the test and not an error. The impact was intentionally small and temporary, so we could learn effectively without major effects.

During this test, you did not need to make any adjustments to your campaigns.

Good to know: this test is part of a larger development. We are working towards one clear approach, where all search queries are evaluated in the same way and visibility is determined by the combination of relevance and bid. Your own brand often still has a strong starting position, as it usually aligns well with the shopper's search intent.

Towards the end of the summer, we will bring all search terms under one and the same logic. This will ensure a more consistent and fair playing field. For the broader rollout, we will share more information in time, so you are well prepared.