Auction flighting

One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more server devices, cause the one or more server devices to implement an advertising flighting tool configured to:

• detect a resource request from a client device;
• parse the resource request to identify keywords related to the resource request;
• ascertain ad auction participants who compete for ad space based on the identified keywords;
• selectively conduct an ad auction based upon whether the ascertained ad auction participants include members associated with a test group, wherein:
• test conditions are used for the ad auction when members of the test group participate in the auction;
• and
• control conditions are used for the ad auction when members of the test group do not participate in the ad auction.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• computer readable storage media having one or more modules stored thereon, that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform acts including:
• dividing advertisers who compete one to another in auctions for ad space from a service provider into a control group and a test group that is designated to receive test conditions for auctions;
• parsing a search query received through the service provider to identify keywords related to the search query;
• selecting at least some of the advertisers to compete in an ad auction related to the search query based in part on the identified keywords;
• determining when at least one advertiser from the test group is selected;
• using the test conditions for the ad auction related to the search query when at least one advertiser from the test group is selected;
• employing control conditions for the ad auction related to the search query when at least one advertiser from the test group is selected;
• storing data indicative of behaviors of the advertisers in the ad auction related to the search query to enable analysis of advertiser behavior under the test conditions.