METHOD AND APPRATUS FOR EVALUATING VISITORS TO A WEB SERVER

• US 20080208947A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WebTrends Incorporated (WebTrends Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Montgomery, David S., Boyd, W. Glen, Shapira, Elijahu
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 708/650
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Different web pages on a web server are associated with different qualification profiles, each of which is assigned a value by the web-site proprietor. Traffic data hits at the web-site are analyzed to determine which web pages the visitor viewed on the web server. Each qualifying visitor is thereafter associated with a qualification profile and a corresponding value. In another aspect of the invention, visitors arriving as a result of an advertisement on a remote web-site are tracked. The web-site proprietor is consequently able to determine a return on advertising investment based on the value of visitors brought to the site by the tracked advertisement.

Claims

1. A method of assigning value to an element contributing to the success of a website, comprising:

identifying a plurality of elements in a series;

identifying a success value associated with the series; and

assigning a fraction of the success value to each element in the series.

2. The method of claim 1, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning each of the elements in the series a position-based value;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the position-based value is equal for all elements in the series.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the position-based value is greater for elements occurring nearer the beginning of the series.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the position-based value is greater for elements occurring nearer the end of the series.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fraction of the success value is 1/1.

7. The method of claim 1, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning the success value to each element in the series;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report, including statistics for valuation of the series of elements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report, including a representation of a web page including the elements in the series and visual indicators quantifying the fraction of the success value assigned to each element on the web page.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the series takes place during a single user session.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the elements are selected from the group consisting of web pages, links, search terms, and advertisements.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the plurality of elements to a subset of elements prior to assigning a fraction of the success value.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second plurality of elements in a second series;

identifying a second success value associated with the second series;

assigning a second fraction of the second success value to each element in the second series; and

adding the value of the fraction of the success value and the second fraction of the second success value for each element in the series and the second series.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reducing the second plurality of elements to a second subset of elements prior to assigning a second fraction of the second success value to each element in the second series.

15. A computer program product for assigning value to an element contributing to the success of a website, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

identifying a plurality of elements in a series;

identifying a success value associated with the series; and

assigning a fraction of the success value to each element in the series.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning each of the elements in the series a position-based value;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning the success value to each element in the series;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer program code is further configured for generating a report including statistics for valuation of the series of elements.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer program code is further configured for generating a report including a representation of a web page including the elements in the series and visual indicators quantifying the fraction of the success value assigned to each element on the web page.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer program code further configured for:

identifying a second plurality of elements in a second series;

identifying a second success value associated with the second series;

assigning a second fraction of the second success value to each element in the second series; and

adding the value of the fraction of the success value and the second fraction of the second success value for each element in the series and the second series.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, the computer program code further configured for:

reducing the second plurality of elements to a second subset of elements prior to assigning a second fraction of the second success value to each element in the second series.

22. A system for assigning value to an element contributing to the success of a website, comprising:

a data collection server for identifying a plurality of elements in a series; and

an analysis module for identifying a success value associated with the series and assigning a fraction of the success value to each element in the series.

23. The system of claim 22, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning each of the elements in the series a position-based value;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

24. The system of claim 22, assigning a fraction of the success value further comprising:

assigning the success value to each element in the series;

calculating the sum of the series of elements; and

dividing the success value by the sum of the series of elements.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the analysis module is further configured for generating a report including statistics for valuation of the series of elements.