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BidRank
22-05-2002, 09:01/09:01AM
Better keep an eye on your keywords. We have noticed recently that simply refreshing the search results in Overture will show different results some of the time. Keywords will bounce around between #1 and #4 without any user intervention. It's not something easy to notice so I thought I'd point it out here. I've only seen it on one of our keywords, but others are reporting seeing it on more.


Example
attempt 1
#1 URL1 .50
#2 URL2 .48
#3 URL3 .47
#4 URL4 .43

attempt2
#1 URL1 .50
#2 URL4 .48
#3 URL2 .48
#4 URL3 .47
Alan Perkins
22-05-2002, 09:12/09:12AM
Is this just bid-gap removal software in action, or do you think Overture is trying to automate bid-gap removal and distribute clicks among multiple advertisers? Or is it a bug?
BidRank
22-05-2002, 09:20/09:20AM
The results flip flop back and forth when you hit refresh. There are obviously different results on different servers in their cluster. I know because one of those results is mine and it changes back and forth without my intervention.
BidRank
22-05-2002, 09:32/09:32AM
Sorry for the multiple posts. Overture has confirmed that they are having problems with the search results.
Alan Perkins
22-05-2002, 09:50/09:50AM
Thanks, BidRank. :)
threewire
22-05-2002, 16:32/04:32PM
It seems to me that this SHOULD occur. As advertisers modify their bids, the results should be instantly available--and be displayed upon refreshing the screen. I think this shows that the system is working well, doesn't it? (Unless, of course, none of the advertisers in positions 1-4 actually changed their bids, but we have no way of knowing that.)
CSA
22-05-2002, 17:11/05:11PM
If it was a legit bid update then URL4 would be in third since the tie rule would let URL2 hold his position.

Overture has acknowledged the problem, plus BidRank said, "I know because one of those results is mine and it changes back and forth without my intervention." The servers appear to be yeilding different results.
Alan Perkins
22-05-2002, 17:15/05:15PM
Welcome to the forums CSA! :hi:

Nice logic, very nice, although its based on an assumption - that URL2 didn't bid down then back up between snapshots. :)
ihelpyou
22-05-2002, 17:48/05:48PM
Welcome to the forums threewire and CSA! :hi:
Alan Perkins
22-05-2002, 17:50/05:50PM
Oops. Sorry I missed you there threewire. Welcome. :hi:
BidRank
22-05-2002, 18:02/06:02PM
It is definitely an Overture problem. I watched my own bid in the serch results for another term go back and forth between the old bid of $2.70 and the new bid of .08 when refreshing the search screen!
polarmate
26-10-2002, 02:09/02:09AM
:cheers:
and
:bday: to you, threewire!
:hi:

this should really be in the Chat Area...forgive me...