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. In both cases, a person encounters the whole interface: what it offers, what it makes understandable and what it helps them do next.