Machine learning-based ranking of cold-start items in search systems using predicted interaction rates

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving, for a user of an online system, a search query;
• retrieving, by the online system, a plurality of relevant items, the plurality of relevant items selected based at least in part on query-item relevance scores describing expected relevance of items to the search query;
• generating, for each item of the plurality of relevant items, a baseline interaction rate, the baseline interaction rate generated based at least in part on historic interaction rate data of other items;
• ranking the plurality of relevant items based at least in part on the baseline interaction rate;
• based on the ranking, selecting one or more items of the plurality of relevant items for presentation to the user of the online system;
• and
• causing a device of the user to display the selected one or more items.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a processor that executes instructions;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions executable by the processor for:
• receiving, for a user of an online system, a search query;
• retrieving, by the online system, a plurality of relevant items, the plurality of relevant items selected based at least in part on query-item relevance scores describing expected relevance of items to the search query;
• generating, for each item of the plurality of relevant items, a baseline interaction rate, the baseline interaction rate generated based at least in part on historic interaction rate data of other items;
• ranking the plurality of relevant items based at least in part on the baseline interaction rate;
• based on the ranking, selecting one or more items of the plurality of relevant items for presentation to the user of the online system;
• and
• causing a device of the user to display the selected one or more items.