Rebroadcasting of advertisements in a social network

• US 9,342,844 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Reis, Davi De Castro, Figueiredo, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): SIGMOND, BENNETT M
• Application Number:
  US13/939,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.49, 705/14.53, 705/14.66, 705/14.67, 705/319
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that receives at a server a first request to rebroadcast a first sponsored content item that was displayed on the social network to the first user to a second user. A second request to display at least one sponsored content item to the second user when the second user accesses an electronic document associated with the social network is received at the server. The first sponsored content item is retrieved for rebroadcast from one or more sponsored content items indicated for rebroadcast to the second user. The first sponsored content item is output to the second user of the social network in response to the second request to display and without requiring the second user to select the first sponsored content item for display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

providing, by a computer system, a particular sponsored content item for receipt by a first computing device at which a first user has logged into a first account with a social network, so as to cause the first computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a first web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on a second web page that is different than the first web page, wherein the first user input was received by the first computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the first web page concurrent with the display of the particular sponsored content item;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received second user input of a first text message, the first text message having been received through user interaction with a dialog box that was activated for presentation by the first computing device as a result of the first computing device having received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the first web page;

identifying, by the computer system, a second user that has an acquaintance relationship with the first user in the social network;

receiving, by the computer system, a request from a second computing device to display a sponsored content item as part of the second web page, wherein the second computing device is a computing device at which the second user has logged into a second account with the social network;

designating, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item as one of a plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, as a result of the computer system (i) having received the indication of the first user input to rebroadcast the sponsored content item, and (ii) having identified that the second user has the acquaintance relationship with the first user;

determining, by the computer system, a score for the particular sponsored content item based on (i) a bid or estimate of revenue that presentation of the particular sponsored content item will generate, and (ii) a level of interaction on the social network between the first user and the second user;

selecting, by the computer system and in response to receiving the request from the second computing device to display the sponsored content item as part of the second web page, the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page, and in response to selecting the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items;

(i) the particular sponsored content item for receipt by the second computing device, so as to cause the second computing device to display the particular sponsored content item as the sponsored content item on the second web page that is different than the first web page, and

(ii) the first text message for display by the second computing device to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item on the second web page.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first computing device received additional user input that specified the second user, in distinction to other users of the social network, as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, that the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display to the second user without the first user having specified the second user as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item:

(iii) information for receipt by the second computing device so as to cause the second computing device to display, concurrently with the display of the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first user rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item for receipt by a third computing device at which a third user has logged into a third account with the social network so as to cause the third computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page, wherein the third user input was received by the third computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received fourth user input of a second text message, the second text message having been received through user interaction with another dialog box that was activated for presentation by the third computing device as a result of the third computing device having received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page;

identifying, by the computer system, that the third user has an acquaintance relationship with the second user in the social network; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the third computing device received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item through user interaction with the user interface element that was displayed by the third web page, the second text message for display by the second computing device on the second web page to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item, wherein the second text message is displayed concurrently on the second web page with the display of the first text message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the dialog box is provided as a separate page, a pop-up box, a drop down dialog box, or an expandable portion of the first web page.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the first web page is a personal page of a third user of the social network that includes content generated by the third user of the social network, including a list of friends of the third user of the social network; and

the second web page is a personal page of a fourth user of the social network that includes content generated by the fourth user of the social network, including a list of friends of the fourth user of the social network.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, that the particular sponsored content item is to be rebroadcast to the second user without the first user having specified the second user as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be rebroadcast, and

wherein the second web page is a personal page of the second user that includes content generated by the second user and that displays recent activity of the second user on the social network.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the second web page displays a picture of the second user and a list of acquaintances of the second user on the social network.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause performance of operations that comprise:

providing, by a computer system, a particular sponsored content item for receipt by a first computing device at which a first user has logged into a first account with a social network, so as to cause the first computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a first web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on a second web page that is different than the first web page, wherein the first user input was received by the first computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the first web page concurrent with the display of the particular sponsored content item;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received second user input of a first text message, the first text message having been received through user interaction with a dialog box that was activated for presentation by the first computing device as a result of the first computing device having received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the first web page;

identifying, by the computer system, a second user that has an acquaintance relationship with the first user in the social network;

receiving, by the computer system, a request from a second computing device to display a sponsored content item as part of the second web page, wherein the second computing device is a computing device at which the second user has logged into a second account with the social network;

designating, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item as one of a plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, as a result of the computer system (i) having received the indication of the first user input to rebroadcast the sponsored content item, and (ii) having identified that the second user has the acquaintance relationship with the first user;

determining, by the computer system, a score for the particular sponsored content item based on (i) a bid or estimate of revenue that presentation of the particular sponsored content item will generate, and (ii) a level of interaction on the social network between the first user and the second user;

selecting, by the computer system and in response to receiving the request from the second computing device to display the sponsored content item as part of the second web page, the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page, and in response to selecting the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items;

(i) the particular sponsored content item for receipt by the second computing device, so as to cause the second computing device to display the particular sponsored content item as the sponsored content item on the second web page that is different than the first web page, and

(ii) the first text message for display by the second computing device to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item on the second web page.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first computing device received additional user input that specified the second user, in distinction to other users of the social network, as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, that the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display to the second user without the first user having specified the second user as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item:

(iii) information for receipt by the second computing device so as to cause the second computing device to display, concurrently with the display of the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first user rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item for receipt by a third computing device at which a third user has logged into a third account with the social network so as to cause the third computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page, wherein the third user input was received by the third computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received fourth user input of a second text message, the second text message having been received through user interaction with another dialog box that was activated for presentation by the third computing device as a result of the third computing device having received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page;

identifying, by the computer system, that the third user has an acquaintance relationship with the second user in the social network; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the third computing device received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item through user interaction with the user interface element that was displayed by the third web page, the second text message for display by the second computing device on the second web page to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item, wherein the second text message is displayed concurrently on the second web page with the display of the first text message.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the dialog box is provided as a separate page, a pop-up box, a drop down dialog box, or an expandable portion of the first web page.

13. A computerized system, comprising:

at least one programmable processor; and

non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause performance of operations that comprise;

providing, by a computer system, a particular sponsored content item for receipt by a first computing device at which a first user has logged into a first account with a social network, so as to cause the first computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a first web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on a second web page that is different than the first web page, wherein the first user input was received by the first computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the first web page concurrent with the display of the particular sponsored content item;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the first computing device received second user input of a first text message, the first text message having been received through user interaction with a dialog box that was activated for presentation by the first computing device as a result of the first computing device having received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the first web page;

identifying, by the computer system, a second user that has an acquaintance relationship with the first user in the social network;

receiving, by the computer system, a request from a second computing device to display a sponsored content item as part of the second web page, wherein the second computing device is a computing device at which the second user has logged into a second account with the social network;

designating, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item as one of a plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, as a result of the computer system (i) having received the indication of the first user input to rebroadcast the sponsored content item, and (ii) having identified that the second user has the acquaintance relationship with the first user;

determining, by the computer system, a score for the particular sponsored content item based on (i) a bid or estimate of revenue that presentation of the particular sponsored content item will generate, and (ii) a level of interaction on the social network between the first user and the second user;

selecting, by the computer system and in response to receiving the request from the second computing device to display the sponsored content item as part of the second web page, the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items that are eligible for display by the second computing device as the sponsored content item on the second web page, based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page, and in response to selecting the particular sponsored content item from among the plurality of sponsored content items based on the score of the particular sponsored content item with respect to scores of other of the plurality of sponsored content items;

(i) the particular sponsored content item for receipt by the second computing device, so as to cause the second computing device to display the particular sponsored content item as the sponsored content item on the second web page that is different than the first web page, and

(ii) the first text message for display by the second computing device to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item on the second web page.

14. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first computing device received additional user input that specified the second user, in distinction to other users of the social network, as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

15. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item, that the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display to the second user without the first user having specified the second user as a user of the social network to which the particular sponsored content item is to be eligible for display.

16. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the first computing device received the first user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item:

(iii) information for receipt by the second computing device so as to cause the second computing device to display, concurrently with the display of the particular sponsored content item, an indication that the first user rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item.

17. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, by the computer system, the particular sponsored content item for receipt by a third computing device at which a third user has logged into a third account with the social network so as to cause the third computing device to display the particular sponsored content item on a third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular sponsored content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page, wherein the third user input was received by the third computing device through user interaction with a user interface element that was displayed by the third web page;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication that the third computing device received fourth user input of a second text message, the second text message having been received through user interaction with another dialog box that was activated for presentation by the third computing device as a result of the third computing device having received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item to cause the particular content item to be eligible for display on the second web page that is different than the third web page;

identifying, by the computer system, that the third user has an acquaintance relationship with the second user in the social network; and

providing, by the computer system and in response to receiving the indication that the third computing device received the third user input to rebroadcast the particular sponsored content item through user interaction with the user interface element that was displayed by the third web page, the second text message for display by the second computing device on the second web page to accompany the display of the particular sponsored content item, wherein the second text message is displayed concurrently on the second web page with the display of the first text message.