This week has seen the latest QBR (Quality based ranking) update from Microsoft adCenter [site | blog]. Quality based ranking is the name for one of Microsoft’s algorithmic formulas that calculates which ads appear in the top tier paid search positions, above the natural search listings. Essentially positions one, two and three. This is an incredibly important area for search marketers, as positional analysis shows; the lion’s share of volume for search traffic comes from this very area itself, the top three positions. Microsoft’s latest update makes it possible for any ad to feature in these top positions as long as that ad meets a minimum threshold quality score.
We have always been big advocates for such notifications that Microsoft release in terms of the updates it makes to its search listings, however the key and most important factor here in our opinion is how this symbolises the importance of monitoring and analysing search campaigns daily, if not hourly.
If we are not analysing such minutae, changes such as this update to the Microsoft QBR, can have an adverse effect on a search campaign and by the time you have found out, it may be too late to make any impactful changes to counter this.
At Cheeze, our in house search campaign monitoring tool ‘Campaign pulse’ allows us to monitor key performance indicators across search campaigns at a granular level. It means that we can react quickly and dynamically to any changes we see from any angle whether that be a qualitative factor such as keyword rejections or a quantitative factor such as a change to global search engine algorithms.
This QBR update is a welcomed step by Microsoft to improve their search listings but also a reminder for search marketeers to be aware of the impacts that these updates can have on their search campaigns and the importance of being able to react to this effectively.
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