Software for initialized explore-exploit creates a plurality of probability distributions. Each of these probability distributions is generated by inputting a quantitative description of one or more features associated with an image into a regression model that outputs a probability distribution for a measure of engagingness for the image. Each of the images is conceptually related to the other images. The software uses the plurality of probability distributions to initialize a multi-armed bandit model that outputs a serving scheme for each of the images. Then the software serves a plurality of the images on a web page displaying search results, based at least in part on the serving scheme.