Provision of targeted content

• US 20090063491A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatiq Technologies Ltd. (Smartpipe Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Clickstream Technologies
• Inventors: Barclay, Brewster Fahys, Evison, Rufus Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods of providing services using a web marketing platform are described. The web marketing platform acts as a proxy associated with a host company and can intercept traffic passing to and from the host company. In an embodiment, an interface is provided which enables clients to easily request services. One example service is the provision of targeted content to users within web pages from sites hosted by the host company and in such an example, the actual content can be analyzed in real time to provide improved targeting based on the content, user behavior or any other criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for content from a user;

accessing the content from a server; and

analyzing an aspect of the content or the request to create targeting data.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying targeted content based on the targeting data.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

inserting the targeted content into the content to create modified content; and

sending the modified content to the user.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing an aspect of the content or the request to create targeting data is performed in real time.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said aspect of the content or the request comprises one of:

a referrer address, an address of the content, the content, a search term, the user and data associated with the user.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the targeted content comprises a tag for additional content.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein the targeted content comprises one of:

a targeted advertisement and a tag for a targeted advertisement.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining revenue from one of;

the owner of the content, the publisher of the content and the host company for the content.

9. A method according to claim 2, wherein the targeted content comprises a tag comprising data relating to the user'"'"'s behavior.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein identifying targeted content based on the targeting data comprises:

providing the targeting data to a plurality of content providers;

receiving bids from at least one of the plurality of content providers; and

selecting one of the plurality of content providers based on the bids received.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

inserting a tag associated with the selected one of the plurality of content providers into the content to create modified content; and

sending the modified content to the user.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the targeting data comprises at least one of:

information defining the content and information defining the user.

13. One or more device-readable media with device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

in response to receipt of a request for content from a user, accessing the content from a server;

analyzing the content to create targeting data; and

identifying targeted content based on the targeting data.

14. A method comprising:

providing an interface listing a plurality of services;

receiving a request for one of the plurality of services;

establishing an account for said one of the plurality of services; and

configuring a platform to dynamically insert any tags required for said one of the plurality of services.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said platform comprises a web marketing platform.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the web marketing platform is arranged such that at least a portion of data traffic between a network entity and a plurality of users passes through the web marketing platform.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the web marketing platform is associated with the network entity as a result of an agreement between the network entity and at least one of an operator and a provider of the web marketing platform.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the network entity comprises one of a user and a web site.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the network entity and the web marketing platform are geographically separated.

20. A method according to claims 16, wherein the network entity comprises a host company.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said interface is provided to at least one customer of said host company.

22. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

obtaining revenue from said network entity.

23. A method according to claim 14, wherein one of the plurality of services comprises provision of targeted content.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein said one of the plurality of services is operated by a service provider and wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining revenue from said service provider.