Inferring target clusters based on social connections
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- identifying a plurality of seed users of an online social networking system as an audience of a content item, where each seed user previously self-declared a particular affiliation in the user'"'"'s profile on the online social networking system;
for each seed user;
selecting a plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system, wherein each of the plurality of primary users has not previously self-declared the particular affiliation; and
for each of the plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system,determining that one or more secondary users connected to the selected primary user having the particular affiliation satisfy a predetermined criterion based on affinity of the seed user for the one or more secondary users, the affinity indicating strength of relationship between the seed user and the one or more secondary users, wherein at least one of the one or more secondary users are not connected with the seed user in the online social networking system, andbased on the determination, inferring that the primary user has the particular affiliation;
storing information defining a targeting cluster of users in the online social networking system, where the targeting cluster comprises the seed cluster of users and the one or more primary users inferred to have the particular affiliation; and
providing the content item for display to the users in the targeting cluster.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seed cluster comprising a group of users who share a particular attribute and/or affiliation is determined by a social networking system. For each user of the seed cluster, other users and/or entities connected to the user in the social networking system are retrieved. For each retrieved other user or entity, the social networking system may determine whether the other user or entity exhibits the attribute or affiliation based on a random walk algorithm. A resulting targeting cluster of users and/or entities may be used for targeting advertisements targeting to members. A social networking system may also infer an affiliation for a user based on the user'"'"'s interaction with a page, application, or entity where other users who interacted with the same page, application, or entity have the same affiliation.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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identifying a plurality of seed users of an online social networking system as an audience of a content item, where each seed user previously self-declared a particular affiliation in the user'"'"'s profile on the online social networking system; for each seed user; selecting a plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system, wherein each of the plurality of primary users has not previously self-declared the particular affiliation; and for each of the plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system, determining that one or more secondary users connected to the selected primary user having the particular affiliation satisfy a predetermined criterion based on affinity of the seed user for the one or more secondary users, the affinity indicating strength of relationship between the seed user and the one or more secondary users, wherein at least one of the one or more secondary users are not connected with the seed user in the online social networking system, and based on the determination, inferring that the primary user has the particular affiliation; storing information defining a targeting cluster of users in the online social networking system, where the targeting cluster comprises the seed cluster of users and the one or more primary users inferred to have the particular affiliation; and providing the content item for display to the users in the targeting cluster. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by a server system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
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identifying a plurality of seed users of an online social networking system as an audience of a content item, where each seed user previously self-declared a particular affiliation in the user'"'"'s profile on the online social networking system; for each seed user; selecting a plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system, wherein each of the plurality of primary users has not previously self-declared the particular affiliation; and for each of the plurality of primary users connected to the seed user in the online social networking system, determining that one or more secondary users connected to the selected primary user having the particular affiliation satisfy a predetermined criterion based on affinity of the seed user for the one or more secondary users, the affinity indicating strength of relationship between the seed user and the one or more secondary users, wherein at least one of the one or more secondary users are not connected with the seed user in the online social networking system, and based on the determination, inferring that the primary user has the particular affiliation; storing information defining a targeting cluster of users in the online social networking system, where the targeting cluster comprises the seed cluster of users and the one or more primary users inferred to have the particular affiliation; and providing the content item for display to the users in the targeting cluster. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification