---
title: "Search ad load as a research question"
description: "Studied ad density, satisfaction and perceived search quality alongside the product team."
date: 2026-10-27
lang: en
translationKey: "search-ad-load"
translationStatus: machine
kind: project
name: "Search ad load"
period: "Search"
role: "Research into ad density and perceived quality"
status: "Research case"
tags: ["research", "search"]
related: []
sourceUrls: ["https://ux.shipulin.md/cv#shipped"]
canonical: "https://shipulin.md/projects/search-ad-load/"
---

A search results page serves several purposes at once. A person arrives looking for an answer or a next step. The product organises a page where different kinds of content sit alongside one another. Ad load becomes a question at the intersection of those purposes.

At Search, I studied ad density, satisfaction and perceived quality alongside the product team. My contribution was a research perspective on the relationship between the structure of the results page and a person’s experience of using it.

## What does “too much” mean?

Counting advertising elements describes a page, but does not explain how it is perceived. The task someone brings to search matters, as does their ability to make sense of the alternatives presented.

This is a general way of framing the research problem. For example, an assessment of how crowded a page feels can be distinguished from an assessment of how useful a particular result is. One does not automatically establish the other. Keeping those questions separate allows a more specific discussion than a single judgement about whether someone likes the page.

## Working with the product team

Ad load is an area where the research question is closely connected to a product decision. Research needs to help the team understand the human experience, which can then be considered alongside the product’s other requirements.

I worked on this subject with the product team. The focus was ad density, satisfaction and perceived quality: three connected subjects covering the structure of the results page, an assessment of the experience and an overall impression of search.

## Keep the distinctions visible

For me, the useful distinction is between a characteristic of the page and a conclusion about someone’s experience. Connecting them requires a clear research question and an appropriate way of answering it.

The same attention to the journey continues in my [research into trust in AI answers](/projects/trust-in-ai-answers/). In both cases, a person encounters the whole interface: what it offers, what it makes understandable and what it helps them do next.

## Sources

- [Public account of Search research](https://ux.shipulin.md/cv#shipped)
- [Trust in AI answers](/projects/trust-in-ai-answers/)