Method and System for Determining Overall Content Values for Content Elements in a Web Network and for Optimizing Internet Traffic Flow Through the Web Network

• US 20100146144A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenX Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Jump-Time, Inc.
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Andres, Lustig, Hanno, Audenaert, Anke, DiLorenzo, Michele
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/235
• 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 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/02 Capturing of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for optimizing internet traffic flow through a web network including the steps of collecting content data corresponding to the content elements, determining a revenue value for each content element, calculating an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent traffic flow of a user during a visit to the web network, and modifying the web network based on the overall content value and the content data, so as to maximize the value of the web network. Also disclosed is a system for determining overall content values for a plurality of content elements including an analytic server for receiving content data corresponding to the content elements, and a processor for determining a revenue value for each content element, and to calculate an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent traffic flow of a user during a visit to the web network.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing internet traffic flow through a web network containing a plurality of interlinked content elements, the method comprising:

collecting content data corresponding to a content element in the web network;

obtaining a revenue value corresponding to the content element based on the corresponding content data;

calculating a subsequent flow value corresponding to the content element;

calculating an overall content value for the content element based on the corresponding revenue value and the corresponding subsequent flow value; and

modifying the web network based on the overall content value and the content data, so as to increase overall revenue generated by the web network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting comprises collecting traffic data and value data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the traffic data comprises transition values and view values.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a result for use in modifying the web network based on the overall content value and the content data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the result comprises a ranking of a plurality of content elements based on corresponding overall content values.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the result comprises a ranking of a plurality of content elements based on corresponding view values.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the result comprises a scatter plot for a plurality of content elements based on corresponding view values and corresponding overall content values.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the result comprises a correlation coefficient representing a correlation between overall content values and view values of a plurality of content elements.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein modifying comprises:

identifying at least one of the plurality of content elements with a significant imbalance between the identified content element'"'"'s overall content value and view value, based on the correlation; and

modifying the web network so as to reduce the imbalance.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein modifying comprises altering interlinking between the plurality of interlinked content elements based on the correlation coefficient so as to reduce the imbalance.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating comprises calculating the following value function:

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating comprises calculating the following iteration formula:

V_k+1= R+β

Π

V_k

wherein V_k+1 is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the (k+1)-th iteration;

β

=1/(1+r);

r is a cost of capital over a relevant predetermined time interval;

R is a matrix of revenue values;

Π

is a matrix of transition probabilities and V_k is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the k-th iteration.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising assigning initial overall content values to V_k for use in a first iteration calculation where k=0.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the initial overall content values assigned to V_k are equal to R.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the content data is collected statically.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the content data is collected dynamically.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the content element is selected from a group comprising:

a web page, a web page type, a web page element, a video, a widget, a flash module, an AJAX module, a display ad, and a combination of any of the foregoing.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the content element is a web page that is part of an online advertising network.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein the value data is based at least in part on revenue based parameters.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one revenue based parameter is selected from a group comprising advertising revenue, affiliate marketing revenue, sponsorship revenue, content licensing cost, data collection costs, web network maintenance costs, and e-commerce transaction revenue.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein the value data is based at least in part on non-revenue based parameters.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one non-revenue based parameter is selected from a group comprising at least one of number of subscriptions, number of registrations, number of memberships, number of online transactions, number of offline transactions, ranking information, number of red pixels, and predetermined subjective value.

23. A system for determining an overall content value for a content element in a web network containing a plurality of interlinked content elements, the system comprising:

an analytic server configured to receive content data relating to the content element; and

a processor in operable communication with the analytic server, the processor configured to receive a revenue value for the content element based on the content data, and to determine a subsequent flow value for the content element;

the processor further configured to calculate an overall content value based on the revenue value and the subsequent flow value.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the content data comprises traffic data, and the traffic data comprises transition values and view values.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising a filter module in operable communication with the analytic server, wherein the filter module is configured to filter a plurality of overall content values.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the analytic server is configured to calculate the following value function:

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the analytic server is configured to calculate the following iteration formula:

V_k+1= R+β

Π

V_k

wherein V_k+1 is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the (k+1)-th iteration;

β

=1/(1+r);

r is a cost of capital over a relevant predetermined time interval;

R is a matrix of revenue values;

Π

is a matrix of transition probabilities and V_k is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the k-th iteration.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein initial overall content values are assigned to V_k for use by the analytic server in a first iteration calculation where k=0.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the initial overall content values assigned to V_k are equal to R.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the processor is configured to determine a correlation between overall content values and view values.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the processor is configured to generate a scatter plot for a plurality of content elements based on corresponding view values and corresponding overall content values, such that content elements having a significant imbalance between overall content value and view value are easily identifiable.

32. The system of claim 23 wherein the analytic server is in communication with a content management system configured to modify the web network based on the overall content value and the content data.

33. The system of claim 23 wherein the analytic server dynamically receives traffic data.

34. The system of claim 23 wherein the analytic server dynamically receives value data.

35. The system of claim 23 wherein the content element is selected from a group comprising:

a web page, a web page type, a web page element, a video, a widget, a flash module, an AJAX module, a display ad, and a combination of any of the foregoing.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the content element is a web page that is part of an online advertising network.

37. A method for determining an overall content value for a content element in a web network containing a plurality of interlinked content elements, the method comprising:

obtaining content data related to the content element;

obtaining a revenue value corresponding to the content element;

calculating a subsequent flow value for the content element;

calculating the overall content value for the content element based on the revenue value and subsequent flow value.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the content data comprises transition values and view values.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein calculating comprises calculating the following value function:

40. The method of claim 37 wherein calculating comprises calculating the following iteration formula:

V_k+1= R+β

Π

V_k

wherein V_k+1 is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the (k+1)-th iteration;

β

=1/(1+r);

r is a cost of capital over a relevant predetermined time interval;

R is a matrix of revenue values;

Π

is a matrix of transition probabilities and V_k is a matrix of a plurality of overall content values for the k-th iteration.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising assigning initial overall content values to V_k for use in a first iteration calculation where k=0.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the initial overall content value for V_k is equal to R.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein the content element is selected from a group comprising:

a web page, a web page type, a web page element, a video, a widget, a flash module, an AJAX module, a display ad, and a combination of any of the foregoing.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the content element is a web page that is part of an online advertising network.

45. A method for optimizing internet traffic flow through a web network containing a plurality of interlinked content elements, the method comprising:

receiving an overall content value corresponding to a content element, wherein the overall content value is based on a revenue value corresponding to the content element, and a subsequent flow value corresponding to the content element;

balancing the overall content element with a cost associated with the content element; and

modifying the web network based on the balancing, so as to increase overall revenue generated by the web network.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising determining a return value arising from modifying the web network.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the return value is equal to an internal rate of return (“

IRR”

) such that

48. The method of claim 46 further including determining a minimum desired return value, and wherein modifying includes bidding on a search engine keyword, wherein a maximum bid for the search engine keyword is based on the minimum return value.

49. The method of claim 46 wherein modifying includes modifying placement of an advertisement in a video stream so as to increase the return value.