Network for distribution of re-targeted advertising

• US 8,566,154 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Merriman, Dwight A, O'Connor, Kevin J
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US10/082,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,256 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.23, 705/14.25, 705/14.51, 705/14.53
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A computer system for automatic replacement of advertisements includes an advertising server for selecting an advertisement based on criteria related to the individual viewer. In particular, advertisements are selected for a given user, based on the past behavior of that specific given user. Advertiser web sites on the network are configured to anonymously report back user activity such as visit dates, purchases, specific product pages visited and the like. Alternative reporting embodiments include email, file transfer protocol and spotlight tags. User activity lists are processed to select candidates for re-targeting. Candidates for re-targeted advertisements are identified based on their own individual past activity, and stored in a list of candidate user ID'"'"'s. When a candidate on the re-targeted list is identified at any network affiliate web site, a re-targeted advertisement is delivered to the candidate user.

Claims

1. A method for online re-targeted advertisement selection, comprising:

receiving a description of online activities for a collection of online identities for users accessing one or more affiliate web sites;

identifying a desired behavior, the desired behavior describing a user interaction that indicates that an online identity demonstrating the desired behavior is more likely to be responsive to a re-targeted advertisement;

analyzing the description of online activities to determine whether a particular online identity appearing in the description of the online activities demonstrates the desired behavior;

generating a watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements based on analyzing the description of online activities;

monitoring, in real-time and from the one or more affiliate web sites, information related to user interaction with the one or more affiliate web sites;

receiving, from within the monitored information, a request to display advertising content to a user;

determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements; and

selecting, in response to the request, advertising content for display based upon determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request to display advertising content is received from the user via a redirect message from an affiliate Web site.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities is an email message received from the Web site, the email message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities is a file transfer protocol (FTP) message received from the Web site, the FTP message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities is a tag included in a redirect message from the Web site, the tag identifying a specific Web page and indicating a prior activity of the user at the Web site.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities is provided by a proxy server interposed between the user and the Web site, the proxy server providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of which Web page was visited on the Web site.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user made a purchase on the Web site.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user has become registered on the Web site.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the description of online activities is listed in a stored table.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the watch list of re-targeted advertisements are created from the stored table.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made more than one recent visit to the Web site to review a product, but did not purchase the product.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the re-targeted advertisement created for the user is a coupon to purchase the product at the Web site.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a purchase prior to a predetermined time at the Web site, but did not make a purchase subsequent to the predetermined time at the Web site.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a reminder message specifying the Web site.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a predetermined amount of purchases within a predetermined time period at the Web site.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a message indicating appreciation to customers of the Web site.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the advertising content is an ad banner.

19. The method of claim 5, wherein the tag is a graphic that includes a redirect message to an advertising server.

20. A computer system for online re-targeted advertisement selection, comprising:

a storage device configured to store advertising content associated with a Web site;

a communications device configured to communicate with the Web site and a user;

and an advertisement server configured to;

receive a description of online activities for a collection of online identities for users accessing one or more affiliate web sites;

identify a desired behavior, the desired behavior describing user interaction that indicates that an online identity demonstrating the desired behavior is more likely to be responsive to a re-targeted advertisement;

analyze the description of online activities to determine whether a particular online identity appearing in the description of the online activities demonstrates the desired behavior;

generate a watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements based on analyzing the description of online activities;

monitor, in real-time and from the one or more affiliate web sites, information related to user interaction with the one or more affiliate web sites;

receive, from within the monitored information, a request to display advertising content to a user;

determine that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements; and

select, in response to the request, advertising content for display based upon determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the request to display advertising content is received from the user via a redirect message from an affiliate Web site.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities is an email message received from the Web site, the email message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities is a file transfer protocol (FTP) message received from the Web site, the FTP message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities is a tag included in a redirect message from the Web site, the tag identifying a specific Web page and indicating a prior activity of the user at the Web site.

25. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities is provided by a proxy server interposed between the user and the Web site, the proxy server providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

26. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of which Web page was visited on the Web site.

27. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user made a purchase on the Web site.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user has become registered on the Web site.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein the description of online activities is listed in a stored table.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the watch list of re-targeted advertisements are created from the stored table.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made more than one recent visit to the Web site to review a product, but did not purchase the product.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the re-targeted advertisement created for the user is a coupon to purchase the product at the Web site.

33. The system according to claim 30, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a purchase prior to a predetermined time at the Web site, but did not make a purchase subsequent to the predetermined time at the Web site.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a reminder message specifying the Web site.

35. The system according to claim 30, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a predetermined amount of purchases within a predetermined time period at the Web site.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a message indicating appreciation to customers of the Web site.

37. The system according to claim 20, wherein the advertising content is an ad banner.

38. The system of claim 24, wherein the tag is a graphic that includes a redirect message to an advertising server.

39. A machine-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

receive a description of online activities for a collection of online identities for users accessing one or more affiliate web sites;

identify a desired behavior, the desired behavior describing user interaction that indicates that an online identity demonstrating the desired behavior is more likely to be responsive to a re-targeted advertisement;

analyze the description of online activities to determine whether a particular online identity appearing in the description of the online activities demonstrates the desired behavior;

generate a watch list of users to receive advertisements based on analyzing the description of online activities;

monitor, in real-time and from the one or more affiliate web sites, information related to user interaction with the one or more affiliate web sites;

receive a request to display advertising content to a user;

determine that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements; and

select, in response to the request, advertising content for display based upon determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements.

40. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the request to display advertising content is received from the user via a redirect message from an affiliate Web site.

41. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities is an email message received from the Web site, the email message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

42. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities is a file transfer protocol (FTP) message received from the Web site, the FTP message providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

43. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities is a tag included in a redirect message from the Web site, the tag identifying a specific Web page and indicating a prior activity of the user at the Web site.

44. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities-is provided by a proxy server interposed between the user and the Web site, the proxy server providing a list of prior activities of the user at the Web site.

45. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of which Web page was visited on the Web site.

46. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user made a purchase on the Web site.

47. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities includes a description of whether the user has become registered on the Web site.

48. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the description of online activities is listed in a stored table.

49. The medium according to claim 48, wherein the list of re-targeted advertisements are created from the stored table.

50. The medium according to claim 49, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made more than one recent visit to the Web site to review a product, but did not purchase the product.

51. The medium according to claim 50, wherein the re-targeted advertisement created for the user is a coupon to purchase the product at the Web site.

52. The medium according to claim 49, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a purchase prior to a predetermined time at the Web site, but did not make a purchase subsequent to the predetermined time at the Web site.

53. The medium according to claim 52, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a reminder message specifying the Web site.

54. The medium according to claim 49, wherein a re-targeted advertisement is created for the user if the user made a predetermined amount of purchases within a predetermined time period at the Web site.

55. The medium according to claim 54, wherein the re-targeted advertisement is a message indicating appreciation to customers of the Web site.

56. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the advertising content is an ad banner.

57. The medium of claim 43, wherein the tag is a graphic that includes a redirect message to an advertising server.

58. A system for online advertisement selection, comprising:

means for receiving a description of online activities for a collection of online identities for users accessing one or more affiliate web sites;

means for identifying a desired behavior, the desired behavior describing user interaction that indicates that an online identity demonstrating the desired behavior is more likely to be responsive to a re-targeted advertisement;

means for analyzing the description of online activities to determine whether a particular online identity appearing in the description of the online activities demonstrates the desired behavior;

means for generating a watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements based on analyzing the description of online activities;

means for monitoring, in real-time and from the one or more affiliate web sites, information related to user interaction with the one or more affiliate web sites;

means for receiving, from within the monitored information, a request to display advertising content to a user;

means for determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements; and

means for selecting, in response to the request, advertising content for display based upon determining that the user appears in the watch list of users to receive re-targeted advertisements.

59. A method for online re-targeted advertisement selection, comprising:

receiving a description of online activities for a collection of online identities for users accessing one or more affiliates;

identifying a user behavior describing a user interaction that indicates that an online identity demonstrating the user behavior is more likely to be responsive to a re-targeted advertisement;

analyzing the description of online activities to determine whether a particular online identity appearing in the description of the online activities demonstrates the user behavior;

generating a marketing list of online identities to receive re-targeted advertisements based on analyzing the description of online activities;

monitoring, in real-time and from the one or more affiliates, information related to user interaction with the one or more affiliates;

receiving, from within the monitored information, a request to display advertising content to a user having an online identity;

determining that the online identity appears in the marketing list of online identities to receive re-targeted advertisements; and

selecting, in response to the request, advertising content for display based upon determining that the online identities appears in the marketing list of online identites to receive re-targeted advertisements.