System and method for analyzing website activity

• US 7,085,682 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Doubleclick Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Merriman, Dwight Allen, Heller, Jonathan Marc, Erlichson, Andrew Joel, Kim, James Christopher, Lee, Benjamin Chien-wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/245,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 702/186, 702/178, 707/102, 707/101, 707/9, 707/203, 705/17, 705/14, 705/10, 705/26, 705/29, 705/9, 329/265, 709/224, 709/219, 709/283, 709/203, 709/218, 709/213, 709/217, 713/200, 434/238, 345/716, 725/9, 455/67
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for analyzing website activity. According to an example embodiment, the system receives event-level data representing visitor session activity on a client website; attributes characteristic information of the event-level data associated with each visitor'"'"'s session to at least one of a plurality of visitor segments, stores results of the attributed information aggregated according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data, and provides online reports based on the resultant data in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of a web page viewed by at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website.

2. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data, wherein the event-level data includes identification of a web page from which at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website places a product in a shopping cart.

3. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of a website from where at least one of the plurality of visitors came before viewing a web page on the client website.

4. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of a product clicked on by at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website.

5. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of a product placed into a shopping cart by at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website.

6. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of a product purchased after being placed into a shopping cart by at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website.

7. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the event-level data includes identification of at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments associated with at least one of the plurality of visitors on the client website.

8. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the characteristic information includes total number of web pages viewed.

9. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the attributed aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the characteristic information includes total number of products placed in a shopping cart.

10. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein the characteristic information includes total number of products purchased.

11. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data,

wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments includes repeat customers.

12. A method for analyzing website activity, comprising:

receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the characteristic information includes total revenue.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments includes one-time customers.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments includes prospective customers.

16. An apparatus for analyzing website activity, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

receive event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

determine, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

determine, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

attribute the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

aggregate the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

store the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

provide online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data.

17. An apparatus for analyzing website activity, comprising:

means for receiving event-level data representing session activity of each of a plurality of visitors on a client website;

means for determining, based on the event-level data, characteristic information associated with the session activity of each of the plurality of visitors;

means for determining, based at least in part upon the event-level data, membership of each of the plurality of visitors into at least one of a plurality of pre-defined visitor segments, each of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments corresponding to a categorization associated with a type of visitor;

means for attributing the characteristic information to at least one of the plurality of pre-defined visitor segments based on the visitor segment membership of each of the plurality of visitors;

means for aggregating the attributed characteristic information according to visitor segment;

means for storing the aggregated information according to visitor segment prior to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data; and

means for providing online reports based on the stored aggregated information in response to a client-requested analysis of the event-level data.