Methods and apparatus for ordering advertisements based on performance information and price information

• US 7,778,872 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Veach, Eric, Kamangar, Salar Arta, Koningstein, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US10/112,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,063 Days
• Field of Search: 715/517, 715/210, 705/14, 705/27, 705/14.43, 705/14.52, 705/14.73, 707/3
• US Class Current: 705/14.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0263 based upon Internet or website rating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

An ordering of advertisements requested by an ad consumer is based on scores generated for the ads. In each case, a score may be a function of at least one performance parameter associated with the ad and/or a price parameter associated with the ad. The ad consumer may generate presentation information (e.g., a Web page) including advertisements and non-advertisement content (e.g., search results) by (i) accepting the non-advertisement content and advertisements, each of the advertisements including a score, and (ii) combining the non-advertisement content and the advertisements such that relative placements of the advertisements are based on their associated scores.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for ordering and serving ads, each of the ads corresponding to an advertiser, the computer-implemented method comprising:

a) accepting, with a computer system including at least one computer, an ad request, the ad request associated with (A) content of a document with which the ads are to be served, and (B) a category corresponding to content of a document with which the ads are to be served;

b) determining, with the computer system, a plurality of candidate ads using information included in the ad request and targeting information associated with ads;

c) accepting, with the computer system, price information for each of the plurality of candidate ads;

d) accepting, with the computer system, performance information for each of the plurality of candidate ads;

e) weighting, with the computer system, the performance information for each of the plurality of candidate ads;

f) ordering, with the computer system, at least some of the plurality of candidate ads using both the price information and the weighted performance information, to generate a set of ordered ads; and

g) serving the ordered set of ads to induce presentation of the ordered set of ads to a user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the price information is based on an amount the advertiser has agreed to pay each time the ad is rendered.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the price information is based on an amount the advertiser has agreed to pay each time the ad is rendered and selected.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the price information is based on an average over time of the amount the advertiser has agreed to pay each time the ad is rendered and selected.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the price information is based on an amount the advertiser has agreed to pay each time the ad is rendered and a conversion, associated with the ad, occurs.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the price information is based on cost per selection information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the cost per selection information is based on an average of cost per selection information over a period of time.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the cost per selection information is based on a weighted average of cost per selection information over a period of time.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the performance information is based on a frequency with which the ad is selected.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the performance information is based on an average over time of measurements of a frequency with which the ad is selected.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the weight of each piece of the weighted performance information is based on the time at which the measurement was taken.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the weight of each piece of the weighted performance information is based on a time of the measurement relative to a given time.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the act of ordering at least some of the plurality of candidate ads comprises:

i) determining a price score for each of the plurality of candidate ads based on the price information;

ii) determining a performance score for each of the plurality of candidate ads based on the weighted performance information;

iii) determining an overall score for each of the plurality of candidate ads based on the price score of the ad and the performance score of the ad; and

iv) ordering the at least some of the plurality of candidate ads based on the overall scores.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein determining an overall score for each of the plurality of candidate ads is based on a product of the price score of the ad and the performance score of the ad.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising applying a multiplier to each product.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the multiplier is based on a strategic value of the advertiser corresponding to the ad.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the multiplier is based on historical performance information corresponding to the ad.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ad request includes a keyword from a query used to generate a search results document with which the ads are to be served, and

wherein the performance information for each of the candidate ads is dependent upon the keyword.

19. A computer-implemented method for ordering and serving advertisements, the computer-implemented method comprising:

a) accepting, with a computer system including at least one computer, an ad request, the ad request associated with (A) content of a document with which the ads are to be served, and (B) a category corresponding to content of a document with which the ads are to be served;

b) determining, with the computer system, a plurality of candidate ads using information included in the ad request and targeting information associated with ads;

c) accepting, with the computer system, at least one performance parameter and at least one performance-based price parameter for each of the plurality of candidate ads,

wherein the at least one performance parameter is a function of weighted performance information of the ad;

d) determining, with the computer system, a score for each of the plurality of candidate ads using the at least one performance parameter and the at least one price parameter;

e) ordering, with the computer system, at least some of the plurality of candidate ads based on their respective scores to generate an ordered set of ads; and

f) serving the ordered set of ads to induce presentation of the ordered set of ads to a user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 wherein the performance information includes a measure of user interest in the associated ad.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 wherein the performance information includes a click-through rate of the associated ad, and

wherein the at least one price parameter is a fee per click.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 wherein the performance information of an ad includes at least one parameter selected from a group of parameters consisting of (a) a click-through rate associated with the ad, (b) user ratings of the ad, (c) focus group ratings of the ad, (d) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for a size of the ad relative to that of other ads, (e) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for past positions of the ad relative to those past positions of other ads, (f) expected user interest in the ad,

(g) a time needed to render the ad relative to that needed to render other advertisements, (h) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for a media type of the ad, and (i) a conversion rate associated with the ad, and

wherein the at least one price parameter is a fee per click.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the ad request includes a keyword from a query used to generate a search results document with which the ads are to be served, and

wherein the at least one performance parameter for each of the candidate ads is dependent upon the keyword.

24. Apparatus for ordering at least two advertisements, the apparatus comprising:

a) at least one processor; and

b) at least one storage device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method including

1) accepting an ad request, the ad request associated with (A) content of a document with which the ads are to be served, and (B) a category corresponding to content of a document with which the ads are to be served,

2) determining a plurality of candidate ads using information included in the ad request and targeting information associated with ads,

3) accepting

i) the plurality of candidate ads, and

ii) at least one performance parameter and at least one price parameter for each of the plurality of candidate ads, wherein the at least one performance parameter is a function of weighted performance information of the ad,

4) determining a score for each of the plurality of candidate ads using their respective at least one performance parameter and at least one price parameter, and

5) ordering the at least two of the plurality of candidate ads based on their determined scores.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the performance information includes a measure of user interest in the associated ad.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the performance information includes a click-through rate of the associated ad, and

wherein the at least one price parameter is a fee per click.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the performance information of an ad includes at least one parameter selected from a group of parameters consisting of (a) click-through rate associated with the ad, (b) user ratings of the ad, (c) focus group ratings of the ad, (d) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for a size of the ad relative to that of other ads, (e) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for past positions of the ad relative to those of other ads, (f) expected user interest in the ad, (g) a time needed to render the ad relative to that needed to render other ads, (h) a measure of user interest for the ad weighted for a media type of the ad, and (i) a conversion rate associated with the ad, and

wherein the at least one performance-based price is a fee per click.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the ad request includes a keyword from a query used to generate a search results document with which the ads are to be served, and

wherein the at least one performance parameter for each of the candidate ads is dependent upon the keyword.

29. A computer-implemented method for generating presentation information including advertisements and non-advertisement content, the computer-implemented method comprising:

a) accepting, with a computer system including at least one computer, the non-advertisement content, wherein the non-advertisement content includes search results to a user entered search query including at least one term;

b) accepting, with the computer system, an ad request, the ad request including each of the at least one term included in the user entered search query;

c) determining at least two candidate ads using information included in the ad request and targeting information associated with ads;

d) receiving at least one performance parameter and at least one performance-based price for each of the at least two candidate ads, wherein the at least one performance parameter for at least one of the at least two candidate ads is dependent upon the at least one term included in the user entered search query and wherein the at least one performance parameter is a function of weighted performance information of the ad;

e) determining a score for each of the at least two candidate ads using their respective at least one performance parameter and at least one performance-based price; and

f) generating a page, to be rendered to a user, by combining the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements, wherein relative placements of the at least two advertisements are based on their respective placement values, and wherein the generated page includes the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29 wherein the placements of the at least two advertisements are spatial placements.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29 wherein the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements are placed in different areas of a display.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 31 wherein the area of the display of at least some of the accepted non-advertisement content and the area of the display of the accepted at least two advertisements are linearly separable.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 31 wherein the accepted at least two advertisements are positioned in a column to the left or right of at least some of the accepted non-advertisement content.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 33 wherein one of the accepted at least two advertisements having the best placement value is positioned above other of the at least two advertisements.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 29 wherein each of the at least two advertisements is a text-only advertisement.

36. Apparatus for generating presentation information including advertisements and non-advertisement content, the apparatus comprising:

a) at least one processor; and

b) at least one storage device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one process, perform a method including

1) accepting

i) the non-advertisement content, wherein the non-advertisement content includes search results to a user entered search query including at least one term, and

ii) an ad request, the ad request including each of the at least one term included in the user entered search query,

2) determining at least two candidate ads using information included in the ad request and targeting information associated with ads,

3) receiving at least one performance parameter and at least one performance-based price for each of the at least two candidate ads, wherein the at least one performance parameter for at least one of the at least two candidate ads is dependent upon the at least one term included in the user entered search query and wherein the at least one performance parameter is a function of weighted performance information of the ad,

4) determining a score for each of the at least two candidate ads using their respective at least one performance parameter and at least one performance-based price, and

5) generating a page, to be rendered to a user, by combining the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements, wherein relative placements of the at least two advertisements are based on their respective placement values, and wherein the generated page includes the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the placements of the at least two advertisements are spatial placements.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the act of generating places the accepted non-advertisement content and the accepted at least two advertisements in different areas of a display.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the act of generating places the display of the accepted non-advertisement content in first area and the display of the accepted at least two advertisements in a second area, the second area being linearly separable from the first area.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the act of generating positions the accepted at least two advertisements in a column to the left or right of the accepted non-advertisement content.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the act of generating positions one of the accepted at least two advertisements having the best score above other of the at least two advertisements.

42. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein each of the at least two advertisements is a text-only advertisement.