Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating targeting information for presentation of an offer in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes indexing member profiles within one or more social networks for affinity to keywords using a targeting system that retrieves data concerning member profiles and activities from servers within an online social network, identifying member profiles that have affinity for at least one offer keyword using the targeting system and the index, identifying additional keywords for which the identified member profiles have affinity using the targeting system and the index, determining a set of keywords that target a desired audience based upon the identified additional keywords using the targeting server, and targeting presentation of advertisements for the specific offer to members of an online social network using the online social network and the targeting keywords determined by the targeting server.

Abstract: Systems and methods for short message age classification in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, classifying messages using a classifier includes determining keyword feature information for a message using the classifier, classifying the determined feature information using the classifier, and estimating user age using the classifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention target advertisements to groups with strong ties in a social network. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for targeting advertising campaigns includes obtaining a set of advertising content, where the advertising content includes advertising keywords and brand data, identifying one or more target members within a set of members associated with an online social network, where the target members are associated with messages on the online social network having target member keywords associated with the advertising keywords, determining a set of member groups within a set of members associated with an online social network, where a member group includes at least one target member and at least one non-target member that is related to at least one of the at least one target member, and targeting a portion of the advertising content to each of the member groups.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically targeting advertising on an online social network in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes detecting affinities between a member profile and one or more keywords based upon data describing activities associated with the member profile, generating a database containing the member profiles and associating detected affinities between member profiles and keywords, identifying member profiles that are associated with an affinity to at least one offer keyword and other keywords for which the identified member profiles have an associated affinity, weighting the importance of the identified member profiles in accordance with an advertising strategy, selecting a set of targeting keywords for which the identified member profiles have an associated affinity, and providing the targeting keywords so that an online social network displays the specific offer to its members.

Abstract: Systems and methods for trend detection using frequency analysis in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, trend detection includes generating a discrete time sequence of word counts for a target word using a trend detection device, performing frequency analysis of the discrete time sequence of word counts to determine contributions of frequency components within different frequency ranges to the discrete time sequence of word counts using the trend detection device, and detecting that the target word is a trending keyword based upon at least the frequency analysis of the discrete time sequence of word counts for the target word using the trend detection device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for labeling sets of objects using a taxonomy in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, an object labeling server system includes a processor configured to obtain a set of object data including a set of keywords, score the object data based on a taxonomy including resource data, category information, relationships between the category information and resource data, and relationships between the category information, cluster the object data into groups of object data based on the scores, determine category data for at least one of the groups of object data based on the taxonomy, and generate a label for at least one of the groups of object data based on the determined category data for the group of object data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for syndicating advertising content are described. In one embodiment, a method of syndicating relevant user activities includes obtaining a first advertising bid from a first advertising site, obtaining a second advertising bid from a second advertising site, recording user activities with a first participating site, classifying the recorded user activities describing at least one category associated with the recorded user activity, determining an auction strategy based on the first advertising bid, the second advertising bid, the first advertising site, and the second advertising site, where the auction strategy selects at least one winning advertising site, generating an ad unit ad unit including metadata describing the recorded user activity and the at least one winning advertising site, and syndicating the generated ad unit to at least one participating site within an advertisement network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating targeting information for presentation of an offer in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes indexing member profiles within one or more social networks for affinity to keywords using a targeting system that retrieves data concerning member profiles and activities from servers within an online social network, identifying member profiles that have affinity for at least one offer keyword using the targeting system and the index, identifying additional keywords for which the identified member profiles have affinity using the targeting system and the index, determining a set of keywords that target a desired audience based upon the identified additional keywords using the targeting server, and targeting presentation of advertisements for the specific offer to members of an online social network using the online social network and the targeting keywords determined by the targeting server.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically targeting advertising on an online social network using affinity information collected concerning members of one or more online social networks in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes a targeting server configured to obtain data from at least one server that forms part of an online social network, where the obtained data describes member profiles of members of the online social network and activities performed on the online social network associated with the member profiles. In addition, the targeting server is configured to detect affinities between a member profile and keywords based upon data describing activities associated with the member profile and to provide the targeting keywords to a server that is part of the online social network so that the online social network displays the specific offer to online social network members targeted using the targeting keywords.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating targeting information for presentation of an offer via an online social network using affinity information collected concerning members of online social networks in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for retrieving social network messages and/or web pages in response to search queries are described. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a word list from at least a portion of the content of the web page using a web and message server system, generating an initial list of relevant terms based upon the word list using the web and message server system, identifying additional relevant terms using messages posted to at least one social network based upon the initial list of relevant terms, and creating an updated list of relevant terms by using the web and server system to combine terms in the initial list of relevant terms with the additional relevant terms identified using messages posted to at least one social network.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention target advertisements to groups with strong ties in a social network. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for targeting advertising campaigns includes obtaining a set of advertising content, where the advertising content includes advertising keywords and brand data, identifying one or more target members within a set of members associated with an online social network, where the target members are associated with messages on the online social network having target member keywords associated with the advertising keywords, determining a set of member groups within a set of members associated with an online social network, where a member group includes at least one target member and at least one non-target member that is related to at least one of the at least one target member, and targeting a portion of the advertising content to each of the member groups.

Abstract: Systems and methods for retrieving social network messages and/or web pages in response to search queries are described. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a word list from at least a portion of the content of the web page using a web and message server system, generating an initial list of relevant terms based upon the word list using the web and message server system, identifying additional relevant terms using messages posted to at least one social network based upon the initial list of relevant terms, and creating an updated list of relevant terms by using the web and server system to combine terms in the initial list of relevant terms with the additional relevant terms identified using messages posted to at least one social network.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying and categorizing social network messages that are relevant to selected categories and text terms are provided. The frequency of text terms appearing in social network messages are calculated for multiple categories. Based on the calculated text term frequency, social network messages can be identified and/or categorized that match a provided set of text terms. Selecting and/or associating text terms and categories are determined by repeatedly analyzing social network messages.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention can automatically generate advertising campaigns on an online social network using affinity information collected concerning members of one or more online social networks. In one embodiment, a method of targeting a piece of content as a paid advertisement within an online social network includes retrieving metrics with respect to engagement by members of an online social network, determining user affinities based upon the retrieved metrics, determining demographics of members of the online social network that have engaged with the pieces of content, identifying at least one cluster of members of the online social network based on the demographics, where the members are clustered based upon targeting information, and targeting at least one of the specific pieces of content as a paid advertisement targeted based on targeting information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying and categorizing social network messages that are relevant to selected categories and text terms are provided. The frequency of text terms appearing in social network messages are calculated for multiple categories. Based on the calculated text term frequency, social network messages can be identified and/or categorized that match a provided set of text terms. Selecting and/or associating text terms and categories are determined by repeatedly analyzing social network messages.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying and retrieving messages that satisfy a search query using the context of the message and term frequencies are provided. One embodiment includes identifying at least one category relevant to the search query, wherein a plurality of scored keywords are associated with each category, selecting at least one of the scored keywords that is relevant to an identified category, performing a plurality of searches of messages from a social networking messaging service to retrieve messages, where at least one search includes retrieving messages based on the original search query and one of the selected scored keywords, scoring the retrieved messages with respect to each of the at least one identified categories using at least the scored keywords relevant to each category, and returning at least the message with the highest score as the search result.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying and retrieving messages that satisfy a search query using the context of the message and term frequencies are provided. One embodiment includes identifying at least one category relevant to the search query, wherein a plurality of scored keywords are associated with each category, selecting at least one of the scored keywords that is relevant to an identified category, performing a plurality of searches of messages from a social networking messaging service to retrieve messages, where at least one search includes retrieving messages based on the original search query and one of the selected scored keywords, scoring the retrieved messages with respect to each of the at least one identified categories using at least the scored keywords relevant to each category, and returning at least the message with the highest score as the search result.

Abstract: Systems and methods for trend detection using frequency analysis in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, trend detection includes generating a discrete time sequence of word counts for a target word using a trend detection device, performing frequency analysis of the discrete time sequence of word counts to determine contributions of frequency components within different frequency ranges to the discrete time sequence of word counts using the trend detection device, and detecting that the target word is a trending keyword based upon at least the frequency analysis of the discrete time sequence of word counts for the target word using the trend detection device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for short message age classification in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, classifying messages using a classifier includes determining keyword feature information for a message using the classifier, classifying the determined feature information using the classifier, and estimating user age using the classifier.