Generating personalized websites and newsletters

• US 9,449,302 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Marantz, Joshua, Shore, Mussie, Terleski, Jonathan, Borggaard, Geoffrey, Shalabi, Sami, Wren, Christopher Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Angie
• Application Number:
  US13/289,992
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for generating a membership profile for a personalized website is disclosed. An online services provider uses the interest engine to generate a questionnaire and polls. A new user provides responses that include answers to the questionnaire and polls. A profile engine generates a membership profile based on the answers. A newsletter engine generates personalized newsletter information including a number of users that provided each answer. In response to an online services provider selecting the recipients for the newsletter, the newsletter engine either generates the newsletter and transmits it to the recipients or the newsletter engine transmits the contact information to the online services provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for collecting data for personalizing a newsletter, executing on one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

determining a subject matter of a first online service;

retrieving, with the one or more computing devices, from a second online service having a similar subject matter to the subject matter, questions for a plurality of users of the first online service, each question having corresponding answers;

determining a measure of performance of the retrieved questions based on advertisement monetization associated with the retrieved questions and an impact of the retrieved questions in engaging users on the second online service;

determining, from the retrieved questions, a question based on the measure of performance;

receiving, from a user of the first online service, a response including a selection of a first selected answer from the answers to the determined question;

responsive to receiving the first selected answer, dynamically updating a membership profile of the user on the first online service to include the first selected answer, the membership profile representing the user to the plurality of users and being specific to the subject matter of the first online service;

generating a data collection that includes the retrieved questions, the answers and a number of users that selected each answer;

transmitting the data collection to an online services provider of the first online service; and

receiving a selection of recipients to receive the newsletter based at least in part on the answers included in the data collection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the newsletter; and

transmitting the newsletter to the selection of recipients.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information for contacting the selection of recipients to the online services provider.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the newsletter includes a list of recent activity.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the newsletter includes a list of users for whom a membership profile was recently generated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the list of users includes at least one of a user name, an icon associated with each user, a link to the user'"'"'s member profile and a time of how long ago the membership profile was generated.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a recipient list responsive to at least one of receiving a new user answer and a request to refresh a browser that displays the questions, answers and the number of users that selected each answer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining the number of users that are associated with interests based on discussions and comments associated with the first online service; and

transmitting the number of users associated with the interests to the online services provider.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of suggesting items for the newsletter based on user activity associated with the first online service.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein suggesting items for the newsletter comprises generating links of forum discussions that are associated with the first online service.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein suggesting items for the newsletter comprises generating links for at least one of a most viewed or a most commented on discussion.

12. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine a subject matter of a first online service;

retrieve, from a second online service having a similar subject matter to the subject matter, questions for a plurality of users of the first online service, each question having corresponding answers;

determine a measure of performance of the retrieved questions based on advertisement monetization associated with the retrieved questions and an impact of the retrieved questions in engaging users on the second online service;

determine, from the retrieved questions, a question based on the measure of performance;

receive from a user of the first online service, a response including a selection of a first selected answer from the answers to the determined question;

responsive to receiving the first selected answer, dynamically update a membership profile of the user on the first online service to include the first selected answer, the membership profile representing the user to the plurality of users and being specific to the subject matter of the first online service;

generate a data collection that includes the retrieved questions, the answers and a number of users that selected each answer;

transmit the data collection to an online services provider of the first online service; and

receive a selection of recipients to receive a newsletter based at least in part on the answers included in the data collection.

13. The computer-program product of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the newsletter; and

transmitting the newsletter to the selection of recipients.

14. The computer-program product of claim 12, further comprising transmitting information for contacting the selection of recipients to the online service provider.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

determine a subject matter of a first online service;

retrieve, from a second online service having a similar subject matter to the subject matter, questions for a plurality of users of the first online service, each question having corresponding answers;

determine a measure of performance of the retrieved questions based on advertisement monetization associated with the retrieved questions and an impact of the retrieved questions in engaging users on the second online service;

determine, from the retrieved questions, a question based on the measure of performance;

receive from a user of the first online service, a response including a selection of a first selected answer from the answers to the determined question;

responsive to receiving the first selected answer, dynamically update a membership profile of the user on the first online service to include the first selected answer, the membership profile representing the user to the plurality of users and being specific to the subject matter of the first online service;

generate a data collection that includes the retrieved questions, the answers and a number of users that selected each answer;

transmit the data collection to an online services provider of the first online service; and

receive a selection of recipients to receive the newsletter based at least in part on the answers included in the data collection.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

generate the newsletter; and

transmit the newsletter to the selection of recipients.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

transmit information for contacting the selection of recipients to the online services provider.