Abstract: An online system communicates a lead generation message to a client device associated with a user. The lead generation message includes a selectable option authorizing a third-party entity to open a channel of communication with the user. If the online system receives from the client device an interaction with the selectable option, the online system sends a notification to the third-party entity indicating that the user associated with the client device interacted with the lead generation content item. The third-party entity may then send a request to the online system to send a message to the user via a messaging system controlled by the online system. The online system thus enables the third-party entity to communicate with the user via the messaging system. The online system then uses information about the communication to train a model to optimize the selection of lead generation messages to users.

Abstract: An online system provides content items including URLs of third party websites to client devices. The client devices prefetch data from the third party website via the URL. The online system controls the prefetch rate for the client devices based on information received from the client devices. The online system may reduce the prefetch rate if an aggregate number of prefetches from the third party website during a time interval exceeds a prefetch quota. The online system may reduce the prefetch rate if the client devices indicate poor performance of the third party. The online system may determine whether to prefetch data from a URL included in a content item based on a likelihood of the user ignoring the content item if here is a delay in loading of the content item in the client device.

Abstract: An online system receives host content items and supplementary content items to be presented in conjunction with one another. In embodiments, the online system receive an allocation of display instances of supplementary content items with host content items during a time interval. For a host content providers, the online system receives a count of display instances of supplementary content items in conjunction with host content items. The online system determines a content quality score based on user interactions with content from the host content provider and a count of display instances for host content items presented in conjunction with supplementary content items for a preceding time interval. The online system determines a content quality threshold based and, for host providers with content quality scored below the threshold, presents host content items in conjunction with supplementary content items to a user.

Abstract: Controlling dynamic reporting of content distribution performance information from a client is disclosed. The content distribution performance information associated with the delivery of content is generated. The content distribution performance information is reported to a content distribution monitor at a first reporting level. In response to a triggering event, the first reporting level is changed to a second reporting level. Additional content distribution performance information is reported according to the second reporting level.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer system provides a document for display in a non-browser application of a client device of a user associated with a social-networking system, wherein the application is associated with the social-networking system, a layout of the document corresponds to a first document template, and the document includes content items corresponding to elements, wherein each element is a container for a content item, and information corresponding to characteristics of users of the social-networking system. The computer system determines a characteristic associated with a user, wherein the characteristic is associated with a preferred layout based on a type of content item associated with each element. The computer system selects an alternate document template based on the characteristic, including a set of elements. The computer system provides the document with content items corresponding to the set of elements and configured in accordance with the alternate document template for display.

Abstract: An online system receives advertisement (“ad”) requests for presentation to its users. An ad request may include one or more values associated with a characteristic of online system users. When an opportunity to present the ad request to a user is identified, the online system obtains the characteristic of the user and determines a value for the user from the ad request based on the obtained characteristic for the user and values associated with the characteristic included in the ad request. The online system generates a score for the ad request based on the determined value for the user, a bid amount in the ad request, and a likelihood of the user interacting with an advertisement in the ad request. Based on the score for the ad request, the online system determines whether to present the advertisement from the ad request to the user.

Abstract: An online system receives host content items and supplementary content items to be presented in conjunction with one another. In embodiments, the online system receive an allocation of display instances of supplementary content items with host content items during a time interval. For a host content providers, the online system receives a count of display instances of supplementary content items in conjunction with host content items. The online system determines a content quality score based on user interactions with content from the host content provider and a count of display instances for host content items presented in conjunction with supplementary content items for a preceding time interval. The online system determines a content quality threshold based and, for host providers with content quality scored below the threshold, presents host content items in conjunction with supplementary content items to a user.

Abstract: An online system provides an advertisement (“ad”) request including ad content and a prompt to perform an action presented in association with the ad content. For example, the ad content is video data and the prompt for performing an action is presented after the video data is presented or after a portion of the video data is presented. An advertiser may include a custom prompt in the ad request that includes text information and instructions associated with the text information that perform an action when executed. Multiple prompts may be included in the ad request, and the online system selects a prompt based on information maintained by the online system and associated with a user to be presented with the ad content. The selected prompt is communicated to a client device for presentation in association with the ad content.

Abstract: An online system receives a request to install an application on a client device associated with a user of the online system and initiates retrieval of the application by the client device for installation. While the client device retrieves the application, the online system presents the user with a user interface for receiving information about the user for use by the application. Information provided via the user interface is stored by the online system, which generates a link for launching the application and communicating the stored information to the application. When the application has been installed on the client device, the online system sends the link to the client device for presentation to the user. When the user interacts with the link to launch the application, stored information identified by the link is communicated to the application.

Abstract: An online system allows online system users to search for and view content (e.g., videos) maintained in the online system. The online system may maintain user accounts associated with each user, which allow the online system to identify the users across different sessions within the online system. Upon receiving a request to present a video to a viewing user of the online system, the online system may present a content item in conjunction with the video, such that the content item overlays at least a portion of the video. The content item may be presented in conjunction with an interactive element corresponding to an option to receive a reminder associated with the content item. If the online system receives a request from the viewing user to receive the reminder associated with the content item, the online system may send the reminder to the viewing user at a later time.

Abstract: An online system acts as a centralized, trusted intermediary in managing subscription products that a user of the online system has subscribed to. For example, a user may subscribe to receive a product from a variety of different third party systems. The user of the online system provides payment information and authorization information to the online system which stores them in association with a user profile belonging to the user of the online system. When a payment is required for a subscription product, the online system retrieves the payment information and verifies that the online system is authorized to provide a payment. Once verified, the online system provides a payment on behalf of the user to the third party system in exchange for provision of the subscription product to the user.

Abstract: An online system accounts for measures of quality of content items when selecting content items for presentation to users. For a content item including a link to a landing page outside a domain of the online system, the measure of quality accounts for a likelihood of a user presented with the content item returning to the online system after less than a threshold amount of time accessing the landing page. The measure of quality of the content item is based on the likelihood of the user returning to the online system after less than the threshold amount of time relative to likelihoods of other users returning to the online system after less than the threshold amount of time. The measure of quality of the content item is affected by a difference between the likelihood determined for the user and the likelihoods determined for other users.

Abstract: Improving a content player engagement is described. An engagement of a first content player with respect to a content item being downloaded by the first client is measured. Performance information associated with the first content player is obtained. A quantitative relationship between the engagement and the performance information is determined. How a second client obtains the same content is adjusted based at least in part on the determined quantitative relationship.

Abstract: Improving a content player engagement is described. An engagement of a first content player with respect to a content item being downloaded by the first client is measured. Performance information associated with the first content player is obtained. A quantitative relationship between the engagement and the performance information is determined. How a second client obtains the same content is adjusted based at least in part on the determined quantitative relationship.

Abstract: Improving a content player engagement is described. An engagement of a first content player with respect to a content item being downloaded by the first client is measured. Performance information associated with the first content player is obtained. A quantitative relationship between the engagement and the performance information is determined. How a second client obtains the same content is adjusted based at least in part on the determined quantitative relationship.

Abstract: Controlling dynamic reporting of content distribution performance information from a client is disclosed. The content distribution performance information associated with the delivery of content is generated. The content distribution performance information is reported to a content distribution monitor at a first reporting level. In response to a triggering event, the first reporting level is changed to a second reporting level. Additional content distribution performance information is reported according to the second reporting level.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer system provides a document for display in a non-browser application of a client device of a user associated with a social-networking system, wherein the application is associated with the social-networking system, a layout of the document corresponds to a first document template, and the document includes content items corresponding to elements, wherein each element is a container for a content item, and information corresponding to characteristics of users of the social-networking system. The computer system determines a characteristic associated with a user, wherein the characteristic is associated with a preferred layout based on a type of content item associated with each element. The computer system selects an alternate document template based on the characteristic, including a set of elements. The computer system provides the document with content items corresponding to the set of elements and configured in accordance with the alternate document template for display.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer system provides a graphical user interface for composing documents for display in a non-browser application associated with a social-networking system, wherein the graphical user interface includes a document template, wherein the document template is associated with a composing user, includes elements, each of each of which includes a container for a type of content item to be displayed on a document includes elements, visual configuration information and visual metrics for a layout of the elements. The computer system receives user input including a selection of a content item. The computer system creates the document from the document template by automatically associating each content item with an element, wherein the association is based on the document template and the type of content item associated with each element. The computer system provides the document for distribution to a user of the social-networking system via the application.

Abstract: An online system receives a request to install an application on a client device associated with a user of the online system and initiates retrieval of the application by the client device for installation. While the client device retrieves the application, the online system presents the user with a user interface for receiving information about the user for use by the application. Information provided via the user interface is stored by the online system, which generates a link for launching the application and communicating the stored information to the application. When the application has been installed on the client device, the online system sends the link to the client device for presentation to the user. When the user interacts with the link to launch the application, stored information identified by the link is communicated to the application.

Abstract: An online system receives advertisement (“ad”) requests for presentation to its users. An ad request may include one or more values associated with a characteristic of online system users. When an opportunity to present the ad request to a user is identified, the online system obtains the characteristic of the user and determines a value for the user from the ad request based on the obtained characteristic for the user and values associated with the characteristic included in the ad request. The online system generates a score for the ad request based on the determined value for the user, a bid amount in the ad request, and a likelihood of the user interacting with an advertisement in the ad request. Based on the score for the ad request, the online system determines whether to present the advertisement from the ad request to the user.