Displaying paid search listings in proportion to advertiser spending
First Claim
1. A business method for a database search system in which searchers submit search queries to a database and receive search listings including at least some advertiser-sponsored search listings, the business method comprising:
- selling to an advertiser a specified quantity of searcher engagements for a specified price, wherein the searcher engagement is a searcher action from the group of searcher actions consisting of;
clicks, clickthroughs, and post-clickthrough actions of an advertiser-sponsored search listing; and
subsequently, providing advertiser-sponsored search listings of the advertiser in response to search queries and in proportion to the specified quantity of searcher engagements, wherein a total number of advertiser-sponsored search listings of the advertiser provided approximates the specified quantity of searcher engagements.
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Abstract
In a pay for placement database search system, in which advertisers pay to include their search listings in a database to be provided with search results in response to queries from searchers, each advertiser decides how much money he wants to spend on a search term. The search provider displays the advertisers'"'"' listings in proportion to the amount of money the respective advertisers spend. This permits the advertisers to subscribe to the database search system, deciding how much to pay for a subscription for a predetermined time period. The search provider can recommend an optimal spend amount for the advertisers.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A business method for a database search system in which searchers submit search queries to a database and receive search listings including at least some advertiser-sponsored search listings, the business method comprising:
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selling to an advertiser a specified quantity of searcher engagements for a specified price, wherein the searcher engagement is a searcher action from the group of searcher actions consisting of;
clicks, clickthroughs, and post-clickthrough actions of an advertiser-sponsored search listing; andsubsequently, providing advertiser-sponsored search listings of the advertiser in response to search queries and in proportion to the specified quantity of searcher engagements, wherein a total number of advertiser-sponsored search listings of the advertiser provided approximates the specified quantity of searcher engagements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer readable storage medium storing computer readable computer code configured to implement a method for a database search system in which searchers submit search queries to a database and receive search listings including at least some advertiser-sponsored search listings, the computer readable computer code comprising:
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first computer readable code for offering to respective advertisers a specified quantity of searcher engagements for a specified price, wherein the searcher engagement is a searcher action from the group of searcher actions consisting of;
clicks, clickthroughs, and post-clickthrough actions; andsecond computer readable code for providing advertiser-sponsored search listings of respective advertisers in response to subsequently received search queries and in proportion to the respective advertisers'"'"' specified quantity of searcher engagements, wherein a total number of search listings of respective advertisers'"'"'provided approximates the specified quantity of searcher engagements. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus operating over a computer network for generating a result list in response to a keyword entered by a user through a remote input device, the apparatus comprising a computer system connected to the computer network and having stored thereon:
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a database containing a plurality of listings, where each listing is associated with an advertiser; programming code for generating a result list in response to a user entering a keyword, the result list including listings having an associated keyword generating a match with the keyword entered by the user; and programming code for managing advertiser subscriptions that includes programming code for accepting advertiser subscription orders specifying a number of user engagements, maintaining advertiser subscription accounts and adjusting a respective advertiser'"'"'s subscription account when an advertiser listing is included in a generated search list, wherein the user engagement is a searcher action from the group of searcher actions consisting of;
clicks, clickthroughs, and post-clickthrough actions; andprogramming code for providing the advertiser listing in proportion to the advertiser'"'"'s specified number of user engagements, wherein a total number of advertiser listings provided approximates the specified quantity of user engagements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A subscription method for a pay or placement database search system, the method comprising:
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offering advertisers a specified number of searcher engagements at a specified cost, wherein the searcher engagement is a searcher action from the group of searcher actions consisting of;
clicks, clickthroughs, and post-clickthrough actions;initiating subscription accounts with one or more subscribing advertisers; receiving search requests from searchers; in response to the search requests, providing search results including search listings of subscribing advertisers in proportion to the specified number of searcher engagements, wherein a total number of search listings of the subscribing advertisers provided approximates the specified quantity of searcher engagements; and adjusting the subscription accounts of the subscribing advertisers in response to providing the search results. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification