Method and system for generating and distributing electronic communications for maximum revenue

• US 20060122883A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adknowledge
• Original Assignee: Adknowledge
• Inventors: Lynn, Scott W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.460
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing content in accordance with informational campaigns or advertisements administered by one or more distribution partners. the distribution partners typically revenue share with the system administrator (system owner), who coordinates the informational campaigns and sends electronic mails (e-mails) associated therewith. By applying a distribution optimization formula to various informational or advertising campaigns of the distribution partners, e-mails with links to these distribution partners will be sent to users, and each user who opens the e-mail and clicks on a portion of the e-mail over an underlying link, will be directed to the requisite distribution partner, typically the server associated therewith.

Claims

1. A method for directing a user to at least one data object, comprising:

providing a plurality of listings of at least one entity, each of the listings associated with at least one keyword, the plurality of listings administered by at least one distribution partner and accessible from at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner, each of the listings including data for directing the browser of a user to the at least one second server of the distribution partner from whom the listing was provided;

receiving data from at least one user, the data from an electronic communication associated with the at least one user, the data for accessing at least one campaign identifier, the at least one campaign identifier associated with the at least one keyword; and

,

providing at least one listing, from the plurality of listings corresponding to the at least one keyword, to the electronic communication, the electronic communication accessible by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

directing the browser of the at least one user to the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner, upon activation of the data for directing the browser of the user to the at least one second server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, each of the listings includes data for directing the browser of a user from the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner to at least one data object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one data object includes a targeted web site associated with the entity associated with the listing.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner is the same server as the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner is a different server than the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one listing includes providing the at least one listing that will yield a maximum amount of revenue.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, providing the at least one listing that will yield a maximum amount of revenue, includes applying a distribution optimization formula to the plurality of listings.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication includes an electronic mail.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data for accessing at least one campaign identifier, includes at least one request for the at least one campaign identifier in the electronic mail sent to the user.

11. A method for directing a user to at least one data object, comprising:

(a) receiving input from at least one user who received an electronic communication for activating data corresponding to the at least one keyword;

(b) polling at least one distribution partner for listings corresponding to the at least one keyword and obtaining a plurality of listings corresponding to the at least one keyword, each of the listings including at least one link, that when activated, directs the browser of the user to the at least one data object;

(c) determining a predetermined number of the plurality of listings that will provide the maximum revenue;

(d) providing the electronic communication associated with the at least one user with at least one listing of the plurality of listings that will provide the maximum revenue; and

,

(e) directing the browsing application of the at least one user to the at least one data object corresponding to at least one listing of the predetermined number of listings that will provide maximum revenue, when an indicator is received that the link in the at least one listing has been activated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data corresponding to the at least one keyword includes an identifier associated with the at least one keyword.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the input includes at least one request from the electronic communication sent to the at least one user, the at least one request being activated upon the opening of the electronic communication, the at least one request including data for accessing the at least one identifier.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one listing of the plurality of listings includes a predetermined number of listings equal to the number of positions for supporting links in the electronic communication.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one data object includes a location associated with the distribution partner from whom the listing that had the link associated therewith was activated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the location associated with the distribution partner redirects the browsing application associated with the at least one user to a targeted web site associated with the entity associated with the listing.

17. A method for directing at least one user to a targeted data object comprising:

sending an electronic communication activatable by a user, to at least one user, the electronic communication including data associated with at least one identifier, the at least one identifier associated with at least one keyword;

receiving at least a portion of the data associated with the at least one identifier from the at least one user, indicating that the electronic communication has been activated;

polling at least one distribution partner for listings in accordance with at least one keyword corresponding to the at least one identifier, each of the listings including at least one activatable link to direct the browser of a user to at least one data object associated with the link; and

,

providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings.

18. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising:

determining the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated; and

,

providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings from the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein,

at least a portion of the data associated with at least one identifier includes at least one request for the at least one identifier.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined number of listings for being provided to the electronic communication is equal to the number of positions supporting links in the electronic communication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic communication includes an electronic mail.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic communication includes a banner.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the data object includes a targeted location associated with the distribution partner associated with the listing for which a link was activated.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the targeted location includes a server associated with the distribution partner associated with the listing for which a link was activated.

25. A method for managing content provided to electronic communications, comprising:

electronically maintaining at least one database of campaign identifiers;

electronically maintaining a database of at least one keyword for each of the campaign identifiers;

electronically maintaining a database of listings, the listings obtained from at least one distribution partner based on the at least one key word of the corresponding campaign identifier, each of the listings including at least one activatable link to direct the browser of a user to at least one data object associated with the link;

ordering the listings in accordance with at least one predetermined criteria; and

,

providing a predetermined number of the listings to an electronic communication upon receiving at least one indication that the electronic communication has been activated by at least one user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one predetermined criteria includes the maximum amount of revenue.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the predetermined number of listings for providing to the electronic communication is equal to the number of positions supporting links in the electronic communication.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic communication includes an electronic mail.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic communication includes a banner.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one data object includes a targeted location associated with the distribution partner associated with the listing for which a link was activated.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the targeted location includes a server associated with the distribution partner associated with the listing for which a link was activated.

32. A system for directing a user to at least one data object, comprising:

a first component for receiving input from at least one user who received an electronic communication for activating data corresponding to the at least one keyword;

a second component for polling at least one distribution partner for listings corresponding to the at least one keyword and obtaining a plurality of listings corresponding to the at least one keyword, each of the listings including at least one link, that when activated, directs the browser of the user to the at least one data object;

a third component for determining a predetermined number of the plurality of listings that will provide the maximum revenue;

a fourth component for providing the electronic communication associated with the at least one user with at least one listing of the plurality of listings that will provide the maximum revenue; and

,

a fifth component for directing the browsing application of the at least one user to the at least one data object corresponding to at least one listing of the predetermined number of listings that will provide maximum revenue, when an indicator is received that the link in the at least one listing has been activated.

33. The system of claim 32, additionally comprising:

an electronic mail module for handling electronic communications as electronic mail in communication with at least the first component and the fourth component.

34. The system of claim 32, additionally comprising:

a banner module for handling electronic communications as banners in communication with at least the first component and the fourth component.

35. A system for directing at least one user to a targeted data object comprising:

a first component for sending an electronic communication activatable by a user, to at least one user, the electronic communication including data associated with at least one identifier, the at least one identifier associated with at least one keyword;

a second component for receiving at least a portion of the data associated with the at least one identifier from the at least one user, indicating that the electronic communication has been activated;

a third component for polling at least one distribution partner for listings in accordance with at least one keyword corresponding to the at least one identifier, each of the listings including at least one activatable link to direct the browser of a user to at least one data object associated with the link; and

,

a fourth component for providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings.

36. The system of claim 35, additionally comprising:

a fifth component for determining the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated; and

,

the fourth component additionally for providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings from the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated.

37. The system of claim 36, additionally comprising:

an electronic mail module for handling electronic communications as electronic mail in communication with at least the first component and the fourth component.

38. The system of claim 36, additionally comprising:

a banner module for handling electronic communications as banners in communication with at least the first component and the fourth component.

39. A system for managing content provided to electronic communications, comprising:

a first database of campaign identifiers;

a second database of at least one keyword for each of the campaign identifiers;

a third database of listings, the listings obtained from at least one distribution partner based on the at least one key word of the corresponding campaign identifier, each of the listings including at least one activatable link to direct the browser of a user to at least one data object associated with the link;

a first component for ordering the listings in accordance with at least one predetermined criteria; and

,

a second component for providing a predetermined number of the listings to an electronic communication upon receiving at least one indication that the electronic communication has been activated by at least one user.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the first component includes a component for determining the least one predetermined criteria as the maximum amount of revenue.

41. The system of claim 39, additionally comprising:

an electronic mail module for handling electronic communications as electronic mail in communication with at least the second component.

42. The system of claim 39, additionally comprising:

a banner module for handling electronic communications as banners in communication with at least the second component.

43. A computer usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon for causing a suitably programmed system to direct a browsing application to at least one data object by performing the following steps when such program is executed on the system, the steps comprising:

providing a plurality of listings of at least one entity, each of the listings associated with at least one keyword, the plurality of listings administered by at least one distribution partner and accessible from at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner, each of the listings including data for directing a browsing application to the at least one second server of the distribution partner from whom the listing was provided;

receiving data from at least one user, the data from an electronic communication associated with the at least one user, the data for accessing at least one campaign identifier, the at least one campaign identifier associated with the at least one keyword; and

,

providing at least one listing, from the plurality of listings corresponding to the at least one keyword, to the electronic communication, the electronic communication accessible by the user.

44. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

directing the browsing application of at least one user to the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner, upon activation of the data for directing the browsing application to the at least one second server.

45. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner is the same server as the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner.

46. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the at least one first server of the at least one distribution partner is a different server than the at least one second server of the at least one distribution partner.

47. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the step of providing the at least one listing includes providing the at least one listing that will yield a maximum amount of revenue.

48. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 47, wherein the step of providing the at least one listing that will yield a maximum amount of revenue, includes applying a distribution optimization formula to the plurality of listings.

49. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 43, wherein the electronic communication includes electronic mail.

50. A computer usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon for causing a suitably programmed system to direct a browsing application to at least one data object by performing the following steps when such program is executed on the system, the steps comprising:

sending an electronic communication activatable by a user, to at least one user, the electronic communication including data associated with at least one identifier, the at least one identifier associated with at least one keyword;

receiving at least a portion of the data associated with the at least one identifier from the at least one user, indicating that the electronic communication has been activated;

polling at least one distribution partner for listings in accordance with at least one keyword corresponding to the at least one identifier, each of the listings including at least one activatable link to direct the browser of a user to at least one data object associated with the link; and

,

providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings.

51. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 50, wherein the steps when such program is executed on the system additionally comprise:

determining the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated; and

,

providing the electronic communication with a predetermined number of listings from the listings that will generate the maximum amount of revenue when the links associated with each listing are activated.

52. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the electronic communication includes electronic mail.

53. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the electronic communication includes banners.