Search Engine Panel

Advertisers using the Yahoo Search Marketing (YSM) platform received an email on January 5th from the YSM team, notifying them of changes to the YSM terms and conditions. The main reason being was to officially empower the Yahoo staff with ability to “optimize accounts” without any warning (bar the lone January 5th email).

Auto account optimizations have been causing an uproar among search marketers, as many of them see it as scheme for Yahoo to raise campaign bids without any consent or notification. Some account optimizations also included placing campaigns onto the lower-quality content network, even though the content network was turned off within the master settings.

In response to the many upset advertisers, a post was made on the YSM blog on Tuesday.

With regards to the account optimization program, the post stresses that:

- It is intended to help raise the performance of accounts that are experiencing issues like low-quality quality scores, low lead volume or low click-through rates.

- It is transparent. Advertisers are notified of any changes within 24 hours (usually, fewer than eight hours).

- It is reversible. An advertiser can ask us to reverse the changes, although we ask that you do so within two weeks from the date on which the changes were made.

It goes on to dispel some myths, saying that:

- It is not designed for larger advertisers who actively manage their accounts.

- It is not mandatory. If you ask not to participate, we will permanently opt out your account. Just contact us through the Support Request in your account, which is found in the upper right-hand corner of every page.

- It does not change an account’s daily spending limit.

- It won’t alter existing bids.

- It does not delete any ads or keywords in an account.

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