Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for automatically sorting a plurality of business listings (i.e., business members) returned from a search query based on an overall-relevance value previously assigned to each business member. Business members with corresponding higher-overall-relevance values are ranked as more relevant than business members with lower-overall-relevance values. The overall-relevance value is generated based on weighted scores corresponding to different parameters associated with the business member. These weighted scores are cumulatively combined to generate the overall-relevance value assigned to the business member and is stored in a database.

Abstract: A business directory and/or social-network site with business-to-business, real-time e-commerce capability as well as business-to-consumers, real-time e-commerce capability. Other aspects include systems/methods for targeting users of the business directory and/or social-network site with advertising, which relates contextually to the interests and behavior of a user. Such advertisements are presented to the user on the user's private bulletin board.