Formatting a user network site based on user preferences and format performance data

• US 7,603,619 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Baugher, Alexandra
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell; James H
• Application Number:
  US11/288,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20070300152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 715201-205, 715/210, 715/234, 715/235, 715/243, 715/253, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 709/223, 345/418
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration

Abstract

A system and method for formatting an electronic document. Format preference information related to the format of a user network site associated with a user is received. Document format criteria based on the format preference information and format performance information is automatically determined. An electronic document associated with the user network site is output according to the document format criteria.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of formatting content on a user network site, comprising:

receiving format preference information for the user network site from a network site administrator, the format preference information defining a format preference of the user network site;

identifying format performance information comprising performance metrics of advertisements, each of the performance metrics based upon a performance of a particular advertisement positioned at a particular advertisement location on network sites having a particular format;

based upon the identified format performance information, determining advertisement locations on the user network site that optimize a performance metric of advertisements presented on the user network site;

determining a document format for the user network site based on the format preference information and the determined advertisement locations;

dynamically adjusting the document format based on changes to the format preference information or the format performance information; and

formatting the user network site based on the adjusted document format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user format preference information comprises a size, color or layout of content on the user network site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the document format specifies at least one location of at least one advertisement relative to at least one object comprised in the user network site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the document format specifies a timing of display for at least one object in the user network site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the format performance information comprises information based on the click through rate of one or more advertisements having a particular format attribute.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the particular format attribute relates to at least one of a position, size, color, and a time factor related to display of the one or more advertisements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user network site comprises a user webpage, and wherein the document format defines a template for displaying one or more advertisements in the user webpage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user network site comprises a blog site administrated by at least one human user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the format preference information is received from the network site administrator during a setup of the user network site.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the format preference information is received during a user network site setup process guided by a software setup wizard.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the software setup wizard automatically determines the document format based on a plurality of network site administrator inputs.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an electronic document in response to a request for content accessible at the user network site.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a document associated with the user network site.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting an electronic document from the user network site based on the request and content associated with the user network site.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an electronic document in a webpage associated with the user network site, the electronic document formatted according to the document format.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the format preference information comprises information about a network site administrator'"'"'s preference regarding the location of a plurality of electronic document objects on a webpage.

17. A system for formatting content on a user network site, comprising:

an input device that receives format preference information from a network site administrator, the format preference information defining a format preference of the user network site;

a format determination processor configured to;

identify format performance information comprising performance metrics of advertisements, each of the performance metrics based upon a performance of advertisements positioned at a particular advertisement location on network sites having a particular format;

based upon the identified format performance information, determine advertisement locations on the user network site that optimize a performance metric of advertisements presented on the user network site;

determine a document format for the user network site based on the format preference information and the determined advertisement locations;

dynamically adjust the document format based on changes to the user format preference information or the format performance information; and

a server that provides the user network site based on the adjusted document format.

18. A computer-implemented method of formatting content on a user network site, comprising:

receiving user format preference information from a user, the user format preference information including data that defines a format of the user network site;

determining document format criteria that optimize a performance measure of advertisements presented on the user network site formatted in accordance with the document format criteria, the document format criteria being identified based on the user preference information and format performance information, the format performance information comprises information based on a difference between (i) an aggregate click through rate of one or more advertisements having one particular format attribute and (ii) an aggregate click through rate of one or more advertisements having at least one different format attribute;

dynamically adjusting the document format criteria based on changes to the user format preference information and the format performance information; and

generating the user network site based on the document format criteria.