Equilibrium Bidding Strategy for GSP Keyword Auctions

The generalized second-price (GSP) mechanism is the most widely-used auction format in sponsored search markets. However, figuring out how to bid on GSP auctions presents major theoretical and computational challenges due to the complex nature of the auction format and the infinite number of equilibria. Our study characterizes various equilibrium bidding behaviors in GSP auctions. We develop an algorithm to identify all pure-strategy Nash equilibria and discuss their distribution in the pure-strategy space. This equilibrium distribution can help advertisers formulate bidding strategies, and help search engines calculate their expected revenues.

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