Press release distribution system

• US 9,646,324 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Advertising Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Nativo, Inc.
• Inventors: Choi, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Meredith A
• Application Number:
  US11/772,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,602 Days
• Field of Search: 705 141
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A press release distribution system provides press release and other news to forum sites as posts. The forum software that runs at forum sites includes press release interface software or is adapted to receive press release interface plug-in modules for interfacing with the press release distribution system. The press release interface software or plug-in module may also monitor and/or analyze user data of forum members and/or forum activities of the users. The monitored user data and forum activities may be provided to the press release distribution system for analysis and generation of user profiles. Using the result of the analysis (e.g., user profiles), the press release distribution system can target particular users or forums to direct the press releases, news, or advertisements for most effective advertising campaign.

Claims

1. A method of electronically distributing a press release, the press release comprising a message comprising an advertiser sponsored content, from a server computer to one or more forum sites over a global computer network, each of the forum sites for discussing a particular topic and comprising a plurality of posted messages, each of the posted messages comprising a content, the method comprising:

electronically receiving the press release by the server computer from one or more advertisers over the global computer network;

electronically distributing the press release by the server computer to the one or more forum sites over the global computer network according to relatedness between the content of the press release and corresponding said particular topic or said content of each of the posted messages at each of the one or more forum sites; and

electronically posting the press release as a message contiguously together with corresponding posted messages to move together with the corresponding posted messages at each of the one or more forum sites, such that a respective position of the press release with respect to the corresponding posted messages remains unchanged when a new message is added;

wherein the electronically posting comprises delivering a specific press release based on the presence of relevant key words,

wherein the press release is not a banner advertisement or a static header,

wherein the press release is displayed separately from any banner advertisement or static header on the page, the press release is displayed contiguously together with at least some of the posted messages on the page, the press release scrolls together with the at least some of the posted messages on the page, and is placed in a fixed position relative to at least some of the contiguous posted messages on the page,

wherein a plurality of features of the press release are substantially the same as a corresponding plurality of features of the contiguous posted messages, and at least one feature of the press release differs from or is in addition to the corresponding feature of the posted messages in order to distinguish the press release from the posted messages, and

electronically limiting a time period during which the press release is posted at the related one or more of the web sites, and to limit a frequency at which the press release is displayed for one or more users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the press release to one or more particular users of the forum sites in accordance with at least one of user data or user activities.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, distributing and posting at least one of news regarding the one or more advertisers, an advertisement from the one or more advertisers, messages related to the one or more advertisers, or non-“

press”

events.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring user activities at the one or more forum sites to generate a user profile.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the one or more forum sites includes a database of user data, the method further comprising analyzing at least one of the user data or the user activities to target the press release to one or more particular users.

6. A server-side brand management system that runs on a server computer coupled to a plurality of web sites over a communications network, the server configured to:

receive a press release related to an advertiser, the press release comprising a message comprising a content sponsored by the advertiser, and

provide the press release to one or more targeted forum sites among the plurality of web sites, each of the forum sites for discussing a particular topic and comprising a plurality of posted messages, each of the posted messages comprising a content, the press release for posting as a message contiguously together with corresponding said posted messages to move together with the corresponding said posted messages at each of the one or more targeted forum sites, in accordance with relatedness between the content of the press release and the corresponding content of each of the posted messages or said particular topic at each of the one or more targeted forum sites;

automatically monitor one or more monitored forum sites of the web sites for at least one keyword related to a particular brand or product of the advertiser; and

access an advertisement directory system comprising a directory of listed forum sites of the web sites that are likely to provide an effective venue for one or more advertisements for the particular brand or product based on the presence of relevant key words relating to the brand on the sites;

wherein the server is further configured to deliver a specific press release based on the presence of relevant key words,

wherein the press release is not a banner advertisement or a static header,

wherein the server is further configured to display the press release separately from any banner advertisement or static header on the page, embed the press release contiguously together with at least some of the posted messages on the page, enable the press release to scroll together with the at least some of the posted messages on the page, and to place the press release in a fixed position relative to at least some of the contiguous posted messages on the page,

wherein a plurality of features of the press release are substantially the same as a corresponding plurality of features of the contiguous posted messages, and at least one feature of the press release differs from or is in addition to the corresponding feature of the posted messages in order to distinguish the press release from the posted messages, and

wherein the server is further configured to limit a time period during which the press release is posted at the related one or more of the web sites, and to limit a frequency at which the press release is displayed for one or more users.

7. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein said one or more monitored forum sites further include one or more suitable forum sites suitable for placing the advertisements to be viewed by consumers.

8. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein said one or more monitored forum sites further include one or more popular sites to be monitored for the particular brand or product.

9. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein the press release distribution system is adapted to provide the press release to one or more users of the targeted forum sites in accordance with at least one of user data or user activities.

10. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein the press release distribution system is adapted to receive, distribute and post at least one of news regarding the one or more advertisers, an advertisement from the one or more advertisers, messages related to the one or more advertisers, or non-“

press”

events.

11. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein

each of the one or more targeted forum sites comprises a forum software adapted to run therein, and

the press release distribution system comprises at least one press release poster installed in the forum software as a plug-in.

12. The brand management system of claim 6, wherein the press release distribution system is further adapted to monitor user activities at the respective said one or more targeted forum sites to generate a user profile.

13. The brand management system of claim 12, wherein each of the one or more targeted forum sites includes a database of user data, and the press release distribution system is further adapted to analyze at least one of the user data or the user activities to target the press release to one or more particular users.