Quality-Based What?

Questions and Answers about Quality-Based Pricing

Overall, feedback on the launch of our new quality-based pricing model has been positive among advertisers. But there seems to be a perception in some quarters of the blogosphere that we launched QBP with the purpose of using the knowledge we gain about publisher conversion rates to raise prices on clicks from high-converting publishers.

Sorry to ruin the fun of a good conspiracy theory, but we really did launch QBP to help provide better ROI to advertisers—you guys and gals who are this company’s life blood. It’s not meant to raise the price of clicks. In fact, we are not increasing the amount you pay for traffic from high-quality sites, and you will never pay more than your maximum bid amount. You may pay less, but not more.

We’re trying, with our advertisers and our publishing partners, to encourage greater participation in our marketplace, and, in turn, provide even more relevant results to our end users.

I know; it’s not as much fun as the whole Snidely Whiplash, Area 51, conspiracy theory thing. But it’s the truth. It says so in our FAQs.

—Michael Mattis