Ranking communities based on content

• US 9,984,167 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Horling, Bryan Christopher, Kolak, Okan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackes, Kris E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Thuy T
• Application Number:
  US15/339,533
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 707723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Systems and methods for ranking communities based on content are described. A method includes receiving a search query from a first user of a social network. The method further includes analyzing content within groups of the social network to identify one or more of the groups that have content related to the search query. Each group may include one or more posts received from one or more members of the group. The groups may be identified responsive to a content match between the search query and content of a statistical amount of members of the respected group. The method may further include ranking the identified groups for presentation of the identified groups in a ranked order on a client device in response to the search query, the ranked order of each group being based on a corresponding statistical amount of members that have posted content matching the search query.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a search query, the search query received from a user device of a first user of a social network;

analyzing, by the processor, content within groups of the social network, wherein each group is associated with at least one of one or more owners or one or more administrators;

identifying, based on analyzed content within the groups, one or more of the groups that have content related to the search query, wherein each group includes one or more posts received from one or more members of a respective group, and wherein identifying the one or more groups comprises;

examining at least one of the one or more posts or metadata associated with the at least one of the one or more posts, and

identifying a respective group with a majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query in the respective group;

and ranking, by the processor, the identified groups for presentation of the identified groups in a ranked order on the user device of the first user in response to the search query, the ranked order of each group being based on a corresponding majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query, and wherein ranking of the identified group is based at least on a weighted combination of two or more of;

a match between languages used within the groups by members of the groups and a preference language of the first user,

the languages used to express the content,

an amount of spam within the groups, numbers of members joining and leaving the groups within a time period,

or ratios of numbers of posts made within the groups by members of the groups and numbers of the members.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on topics discussed in threads within the groups, the threads including the content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on a number of shares of posts within the groups, the posts including the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on interactions of members with the groups.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on a number of social network friends of the first user within the groups.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on a location of the first user and locations of the groups.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on numbers of members joining the groups within a time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on numbers of members leaving the groups within a time period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on dates of creation of the groups.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is based on dates of interactions of members of the groups with the groups.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein ranking of the identified groups is further based on a weighted combination of two or more of:

the content occurring within the groups;

a number of shares of posts within the groups;

interactions of members with the groups;

a number of social network friends of the first user within the groups;

a match between a location of the first user and locations of the groups;

numbers of members joining the groups within a time period;

numbers of members leaving the groups within the time period;

dates of creation of the groups;

or dates of interactions of members of the groups with the groups.

12. A system comprising:

a memory to store user accounts associated with a first user of a social network and members of groups; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, the processor to;

receive a search query, the search query received from a user device of a first user of a social network;

analyze content within groups of the social network, wherein each group is associated with at least one of one or more owners or one or more administrators;

identify, based on analyzed content within the groups, one or more of the groups that have content related to the search query, wherein each group includes one or more posts received from one or more members of a respective group, and wherein identifying the one or more groups comprises;

examining at least one of the one or more posts or metadata associated with the at least one of the one or more posts, and

identifying a respective group with a majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query in the respective group;

and rank the identified groups for presentation of the identified groups in a ranked order on the user device of the first user in response to the search query, the ranked order of each group being based on a corresponding majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query, and wherein ranking of the identified group is based at least on a weighted combination of two or more of;

a match between languages used within the groups by members of the groups and a preference language of the first user,

the languages used to express the content, an amount of spam within the groups,

numbers of members joining and leaving the groups within a time period, or ratios of numbers of posts made within the groups by members of the groups and numbers of the members.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a search query, the search query received from a user device of a first user of a social network;

analyze content within groups of the social network, wherein each group is associated with at least one of one or more owners or one or more administrators;

identify, based on analyzed content within the groups, one or more of the groups that have content related to the search query, wherein each group includes one or more posts received from one or more members of a respective group, and wherein identifying the one or more groups comprises;

examining at least one of the one or more posts or metadata associated with the at least one of the one or more posts, and

identifying a respective group with a majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query in the respective group;

and rank the identified groups for presentation of the identified groups in a ranked order on the user device of the first user in response to the search query, the ranked order of each group being based on a corresponding majority or total amount of members that have posted content matching the search query, and wherein ranking of the identified group is based at least on a weighted combination of two or more of;

a match between languages used within the groups by members of the groups and a preference language of the first user,

the languages used to express the content,

an amount of spam within the groups, numbers of members joining and leaving the groups within a time period,

or ratios of numbers of posts made within the groups by members of the groups and numbers of the members.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein each group has one or more owners and one or more administrators.