Sponsored story creation using inferential targeting
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a request for a sponsored story, the sponsored story for display to a viewing user and comprising information about an interaction performed in connection with another user of a plurality of users who is connected to the viewing user in a social networking system;
receiving targeting criteria for the requested sponsored story, the targeting criteria identifying a set of user profile information items required for the viewing user to be eligible to be presented with the sponsored story, the user profile information items for each user being included in a profile for the user maintained by the social networking system;
applying the targeting criteria to a viewing user profile for a viewing user, where the applying comprises, for one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria;
determining that the viewing user profile does not include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria,identifying a connection user profile of a connection user of the plurality of users who has established a connection to the viewing user in the social networking system, anddetermining that the user profile information items of the connection user profile include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria;
determining that the viewing user is eligible to be presented with the sponsored story based at least in part on the connection user profile including the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; and
providing the sponsored story for display to the viewing user.
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Abstract
A method includes monitoring an activity stream to identify actions that match stored sponsored story specifications, for providing one or more sponsored stories to a viewing user. The sponsored story specifications include a visual specification for the sponsored story, and matched sponsored stories are ranked for a viewing user. Users can set privacy preferences related to sponsored stories. The ranking and privacy settings contribute to which sponsored stories are provided for display to the viewing user.
176 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a request for a sponsored story, the sponsored story for display to a viewing user and comprising information about an interaction performed in connection with another user of a plurality of users who is connected to the viewing user in a social networking system; receiving targeting criteria for the requested sponsored story, the targeting criteria identifying a set of user profile information items required for the viewing user to be eligible to be presented with the sponsored story, the user profile information items for each user being included in a profile for the user maintained by the social networking system; applying the targeting criteria to a viewing user profile for a viewing user, where the applying comprises, for one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determining that the viewing user profile does not include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria, identifying a connection user profile of a connection user of the plurality of users who has established a connection to the viewing user in the social networking system, and determining that the user profile information items of the connection user profile include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determining that the viewing user is eligible to be presented with the sponsored story based at least in part on the connection user profile including the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; and providing the sponsored story for display to the viewing user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code for performing the steps:
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receiving a request for a sponsored story, the sponsored story for display to a viewing user and comprising information about an interaction performed in connection with another user of a plurality of users who is connected to the viewing user in a social networking system; receiving targeting criteria for the requested sponsored story, the targeting criteria identifying a set of user profile information items required for the viewing user to be eligible to be presented with the sponsored story, the user profile information items for each user being included in a profile for the user maintained by the social networking system; applying the targeting criteria to a viewing user profile for a viewing user, where the applying comprises, for one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determining that the viewing user profile does not include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria, identifying a connection user profile of a connection user of the plurality of users who has established a connection to the viewing user in the social networking system, and determining that the user profile information items of the connection user profile include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determining that the viewing user is eligible to be presented with the sponsored story based at least in part on the connection user profile including the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; and providing the sponsored story for display to the viewing user. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17)
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13. A computer system comprising:
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a processor; and a memory storing instructions to; receive a request for a sponsored story, the sponsored story for display to a viewing user and comprising information about an interaction performed in connection with another user of a plurality of users who is connected to the viewing user in a social networking system; receive targeting criteria for the requested sponsored story, the targeting criteria identifying a set of user profile information items required for the viewing user to be eligible to be presented with the sponsored story, the user profile information items for each user being included in a profile for the user maintained by the social networking system; apply the targeting criteria to a viewing user profile for a viewing user, where the applying comprises, for one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determine that the viewing user profile does not include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria, identify a connection user profile of a connection user of the plurality of users who has established a connection to the viewing user in the social networking system, and determine that the user profile information items of the connection user profile include the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; determine that the viewing user is eligible to be presented with the sponsored story based at least in part on the connection user profile including the one or more of the user profile information items of the targeting criteria; and provide the sponsored story for display to the viewing user. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 18)
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Specification