Custom user definable keyword bidding system and method

• US 8,219,457 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin, Malhotra, Dipendra
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US11/510,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705 141- 1473, 705 261- 269, 709/224
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system and method allow a user or business entity to create customized rules for bidding on keywords to/from a search engine. A bid automation engine allows a user or business entity to specify a number of rules for bidding on keywords used in Internet advertising campaigns. The bid automation engine may be part of, or interface with, a web analytics tool and/or a bid management system to provide user-defined strategies for bidding on keywords. Accordingly, a user or business entity may set up a customized bidding strategy for keywords by building sets of bidding rules.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of keyword bidding for Internet advertising, comprising:

storing to a storage device;

a plurality of keywords;

a library of user-defined rules, each rule comprising;

a set of one or more keyword conditions that triggers a respective rule when a number of the keyword conditions is met;

a user-defined action to be taken when the respective rule is triggered, wherein the action includes bidding for a keyword that is associated with the respective rule via a user-specified bidding association; and

an indication of a respective time period within which the respective rule is active and outside of which the respective rule is disabled, the indication indicating a date or time of day;

user-specified bidding associations between ones of the rules and ones of the plurality of keywords; and

interfacing with a web analytics tool to receive web analytics data;

validating performance of a rule in the library based on the web analytics data from the web analytics tool;

interfacing with a search engine, separately from the interface with the web analytics tool, to receive metric data; and

determining, by a processor, that a current time is within the time period indicated by the stored indication of the rule in the library and in response;

determining, by the processor, a measure of web traffic based on the metric data,

wherein the web traffic was generated as a result of one or more advertisements, and

wherein the advertisements were served at least in part due to a previous bidding on the keyword;

comparing, by the processor, the measure of web traffic to the keyword conditions to determine if the number of keyword conditions is met during the time period when the rule is active; and

executing, by the processor, the action defined in the rule responsive to determining that the number of keyword conditions is met during the time period when the rule is active.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined action comprises adjusting a cost-per-click (CPC) parameter.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action results in bidding for the keyword according to a predefined selection.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

parsing the metric data for determining whether the keyword condition has been met,

wherein said parsing is based on formatting of the metric data specific to the search engine of a plurality of search engines.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user to define a library of customized bidding rules.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined action comprises at least one of disabling the keyword and taking no action.

7. A system for customized keyword bidding for Internet advertising, comprising:

a bid automation tool arranged to store a library of user-defined rules, each rule comprising;

a set of one or more keyword conditions that triggers a respective rule when a specified number of the keyword conditions is met,

a user-defined action to be taken when the respective rule is triggered, wherein the action includes bidding for a keyword associated with the respective rule, and

an indication of a respective user-defined time period within which the respective rule is active and outside of which the respective rule is disabled, the indication indicating a date or time of day;

a bid management system operatively connected to the bid automation tool and arranged to perform;

interfacing with a web analytics tool to receive web analytics data;

validating performance of a rule in the library based on the web analytics data from the web analytics tool;

interfacing with a search engine, separately from the interface with the web analytics tool, to receive metric data; and

in response to determining that a current time is within the time period indicated by the stored indication of the rule in the library,

compare a measure of web traffic data based on the metric data to the keyword condition to determine if the number of the keyword conditions is met during the time period when the rule is active, and to

execute the action defined in the rule responsive to the number of the keyword conditions being met during the time period when the rule is active; and

a web analytics tool operatively connected to the bid automation tool and arranged to provide the web analytics data to the bid automation tool, wherein the web analytics data was generated as a result of one or more advertisements, wherein the advertisements were served at least in part due to a previous bidding on the keyword.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the web analytics tool is arranged to monitor web traffic in correlation with instantiation of the rule.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the bid automation tool is further arranged to allow the user to select a cost-per-click (CPC) adjustment as part of the rule.

10. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein and that are executable by a processor, the instructions comprising instructions to:

store a library of user-defined rules, each rule comprising;

a set of one or more keyword conditions that triggers a respective rule when a specified number of the keyword conditions is met;

a user-defined action to be taken when the respective rule is triggered, wherein the action includes bidding for a keyword associated with the respective rule; and

an indication of a respective time period within which the respective rule is active and outside of which the respective rule is disabled, the indication indicating a date or time of day;

interface with a web analytics tool to receive web analytics data;

validate performance of a rule in the library based on the web analytics data from the web analytics tool;

interface with a search engine, separately from the interface with the web analytics tool, to receive metric data; and

determine, that a current time is within the time period indicated by the stored indication of the rule in the library and in response;

determine a measure of web traffic based on the metric data,

wherein the web traffic was generated as a result of one or more advertisements, and

wherein the advertisements were served at least in part due to a previous bidding on the keyword;

compare the measure of web traffic to the keyword conditions to determine if the number of keyword conditions is met during the time period when the rule is active; and

execute the action defined in the rule responsive to the number of the keyword conditions being met during the time period when the rule is active.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the user-defined action comprises adjusting a cost-per-click (CPC) parameter.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the action results in bidding for the keyword according to a predefined selection.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

parse the metric data for determining whether the keyword condition has been met,

wherein said parsing is based on formatting of the metric data specific to the search engine.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

enable the user to define a library of customized bidding rules.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the user-defined action comprises at least one of disabling the keyword and taking no action.