Context-based selection of calls-to-action associated with search results

• US 9,110,992 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael Dudley, Patterson, Ryan, Tseng, Erick
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEEMA, AZAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/152,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

In one embodiment, access a search query provided by a user of a social-networking system; identify a set of search results in response to the search query; associate one or more call-to-action elements with one or more search results in the set of search results based on one or more factors associated with the social-networking system; and present the set of search results, including the one or more call-to-action elements, to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing devices, accessing a search query provided by a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least one node in the graph corresponds to the user;

by one or more computing devices, identifying a set of search results responsive to the search query, wherein each search result corresponds to at least one node in the graph;

by one or more computing devices, for each of one or more of the search results;

identifying a plurality of call-to-action elements applicable to the search result, each call-to-action element being a user-interface element that prompts an action from the user to initiate a particular function or process related to the search result via the social-networking system; and

ranking the call-to-action elements based a suitability of the call-to-action element to the search result and further based on at least one relationship in the graph between a node corresponding to the user and a node corresponding to the search result; and

by one or more computing devices, sending the set of search results to the user for presentation with the call-to-action elements as ranked, wherein the call-to-action elements are presented to the user in proximity to their corresponding search results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the set of search results comprises:

associating at least one top-ranked call-to-action element with the search result.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is likely to be performed by the user with respect to the search result.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is convenient for the user to perform with respect to the search result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that the social-networking system encourages the user to perform with respect to the search result.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one relationship in the graph is based at least in part on the user'"'"'s past behavior with respect to the search result.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking the call-to-action elements is further based at least in part on one or more factors comprising nature and context of the search query, social and demographical information of the user, a behavior profile of the user, a time when and a location where the user provides the search query, and one or more objectives of the social-networking system.

8. A system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and

the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

access a search query provided by a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least one node in the graph corresponds to the user;

identify a set of search results responsive to the search query, wherein each search result corresponds to at least one node in the graph;

for each of one or more of the search results;

identify a plurality of call-to-action elements applicable to the search result, each call-to-action element being a user-interface element that prompts an action from the user to initiate a particular function or process related to the search result via the social-networking system; and

rank the call-to-action elements based a suitability of the call-to-action element to the search result and further based on at least one relationship in the graph between a node corresponding to the user and a node corresponding to the search result; and

send the set of search results to the user for presentation with the call-to-action elements as ranked, wherein the call-to-action elements are presented to the user in proximity to their corresponding search results.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to send the set of search results wherein at least one top-ranked call-to-action element is associated with the search result.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is likely to be performed by the user with respect to the search result.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is convenient for the user to perform with respect to the search result.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that the social-networking system encourages the user to perform with respect to the search result.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one relationship in the graph is based at least in part on the user'"'"'s past behavior with respect to the search result.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the ranking the call-to-action elements is further based at least in part on one or more factors comprising nature and context of the search query, social and demographical information of the user, a behavior profile of the user, a time when and a location where the user provides the search query, and one or more objectives of the social-networking system.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by one or more computer systems to:

access a search query provided by a user of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and

at least one node in the graph corresponds to the user;

identify a set of search results responsive to the search query, wherein each search result corresponds to at least one node in the graph;

for each of one or more of the search results;

identify a plurality of call-to-action elements applicable to the search result, each call-to-action element being a user-interface element that prompts an action from the user to initiate a particular function or process related to the search result via the social-networking system; and

rank the call-to-action elements based a suitability of the call-to-action element to the search result and further based on at least one relationship in the graph between a node corresponding to the user and a node corresponding to the search result; and

send the set of search results to the user for presentation with the call-to-action elements as ranked, wherein the call-to-action elements are presented to the user in proximity to their corresponding search results.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the one or more computing systems to send the set of search results wherein at least one top-ranked call-to-action element is associated with the search result.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is likely to be performed by the user with respect to the search result.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that is convenient for the user to perform with respect to the search result.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein one of the call-to-action elements corresponds to an action that the social-networking system encourages the user to perform with respect to the search result.