Ad ranking determines which sponsored products are shown when several ads compete for the same placement. In Voyado Product Discovery, the product discovery engine balances bid competitiveness, relevance, and expected clicks to help advertisers compete for visibility while keeping ads relevant to each shopper.
What affects ad ranking?
Two main factors influence how an ad ranks:
Bid competitiveness
For sponsored products, you set a target CPC, which is how much you’re aiming to pay for each click.
The product discovery engine uses your target CPC together with the ad’s expected click-through rate (CTR) to determine how strongly it can compete. This means that an ad with a stronger expected CTR can compete more effectively without requiring a higher target CPC.
Relevance
The system considers how relevant the advertised product is to the current context and shopper.
Just like organic product ranking, relevance can be personal, meaning two shoppers making the same search or viewing the same category can see different sponsored products.
Why doesn’t the highest target CPC always win?
Imagine two products competing for a sponsored position on a search for “running shoes.”
- One product is highly relevant to the shopper and has a strong expected CTR.
- Another advertiser may have set a higher target CPC, but their product may be less relevant or less likely to get clicked.
The first product may still rank higher because both bid competitiveness and relevance influence the ranking. The result can also differ between shoppers. Two people making the same search may see different sponsored products because relevance can be personal.
Getting the most from your campaigns
If your campaign is getting fewer impressions than expected, consider:
- Target CPC: A higher target CPC can make your ad more competitive.
- Performance: Products with a stronger CTR can compete more effectively at the same target CPC.
- Relevance: Choose products that are relevant to where and when your ads can appear.
Increasing your target CPC can improve your chances of winning impressions, but it does not guarantee a specific position, number of impressions, or share of voice.