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Featured Search & Ranking Policy

Effective Date: 1 January 2026 · Version 1.0 · Applies To: All Merchants, Brand Partners, Tour Operators, and Couriers discoverable through Vyete search

This policy describes how Vyete ranks results in its Search Service and allocates Featured Placement slots. Vyete is committed to transparency in how algorithmic and commercial factors influence visibility.

1. How Organic Search Works

Vyete's Search Service ranks results using a combination of signals. No single signal is determinative.

| Signal | Description | |---|---| | Relevance | How closely the listing matches the search query (title, description, category, tags) | | Availability | Whether the item is in stock or the experience is bookable for a near-future date | | Quality score | A composite of Customer rating, review count, response time, and cancellation rate | | Recency | How recently the listing was created or significantly updated | | Delivery coverage | Whether the Merchant or Courier can serve the Customer's location | | Price competitiveness | Relative pricing within the same category (not the sole factor) |

Vyete periodically adjusts signal weightings as the Platform evolves. Material changes will be communicated to all affected participants with at least 14 days' notice.

1.1 Personalisation

Where a Customer is signed in, results may be personalised based on previous purchase categories, previously viewed or saved listings, and the Customer's registered delivery address. Personalisation signals are derived solely from the Customer's own Platform activity.

1.2 What Does Not Affect Organic Ranking

  • The existence or value of a paid advertising campaign (campaigns affect Featured Placement slots, not organic ranking).
  • The commercial relationship between a participant and Vyete beyond standard policy compliance.
  • Political, ethnic, or non-commercial characteristics of the participant.

2. Search Ranking Integrity

Attempts to manipulate organic search ranking are prohibited, including:

  • Keyword stuffing in titles or descriptions.
  • Using misleading category tags to appear in unrelated search results.
  • Creating duplicate listings for the same product to increase search presence.
  • Any form of click fraud or artificial engagement to inflate quality signals.

Violations may result in listing demotion, suppression, or permanent removal from search results.

3. Featured Placements

3.1 What Are Featured Placements?

Featured Placements are premium, clearly labelled display positions providing enhanced visibility beyond organic results. They appear on:

  • Homepage featured sections.
  • Category page top slots.
  • Search results pages (above or alongside organic results).
  • Product and experience detail pages (related/sponsored items).
  • Push notifications (subject to Customer consent).

3.2 Disclosure

All Featured Placements are labelled with "Sponsored", "Featured", or "Ad" prominently adjacent to the content. Paid placements are never rendered in a way indistinguishable from organic results.

3.3 Allocation Mechanism

Featured Placement slots are allocated through an auction. The outcome considers:

  • The bid amount (CPC or CPM, as applicable).
  • The Quality Score of the listing being promoted.
  • Relevance of the listing to the placement context.

A high bid does not guarantee placement; a low-quality listing may rank below a high-quality listing with a lower bid.

3.4 Placement Types

| Type | Description | Available To | |---|---|---| | Homepage Banner | Full-width promotional banner | Brand Partners, Merchants (seasonal campaigns only) | | Category Top | Top 1–3 slots in a category browse page | Merchants, Tour Operators | | Search Top | Top 1–4 sponsored results on a search page | Merchants, Brand Partners, Tour Operators | | Related Listings | "Customers also viewed" sidebar slots | Merchants, Tour Operators | | Push Notification Promotion | Targeted push to opted-in Customers | Merchants, Brand Partners (via Campaign Service) |

3.5 Eligibility

To be eligible for Featured Placement, a participant must:

  • Have an active, policy-compliant account in good standing.
  • Have at least one active, non-suppressed listing.
  • Not be subject to an enforcement action restricting commercial activities.
  • Meet the minimum Quality Score threshold published in the Partner Help Centre.

4. Curated Sections

The following curated sections are populated algorithmically and are not available for purchase:

  • Trending Now — based on purchase velocity and search volume.
  • Recommended for You — based on Customer personalisation signals.
  • New Arrivals — based on listing recency.
  • Top Rated — based on verified review data.

Attempts to artificially inflate signals for these sections (fake sales, coordinated review activity, search volume inflation) are severe violations of the Acceptable Use Policy.

5. Search Appearance Reporting

Merchants, Brand Partners, and Tour Operators can access Search Appearance Reports in the Dashboard showing:

  • Impressions (number of times listings appeared in search results).
  • Click-through rate from search to listing pages.
  • Average ranking position for listed categories.
  • Keyword terms that triggered listings most frequently.

Data is updated on a 48-hour delay and provided to improve organic visibility.

6. Restrictions on Data Use

Search and Featured Placement data provided through the Dashboard:

  • May be used to improve the participant's own listings and business.
  • Must not be shared with third-party commercial platforms or competitors.
  • Must not be used to build market intelligence products for resale.
  • Must not be scraped or extracted in bulk outside the Dashboard or authorised API.

7. Governing Law

This policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of Kenya. Disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Nairobi, Kenya.

8. Contact

Search and advertising enquiries: [email protected]