Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method allow an analyst and/or automated system to dynamically adjust the allocation of marketing results among a plurality of categories of marketing items such as channels and/or campaigns. According to various embodiments, a continuous control element, such as a slider, is provided, allowing the analyst to specify an allocation at any point along a continuum. A displayed report is updated substantially instantaneously in response to the analyst's manipulation of the control element, so as to provide dynamic, real-time feedback. According to other embodiments, adjustments to allocations can be made automatically. The displayed report can indicate, for example, revenue, order allocation, average order value (AOV), profit, return on investment, or any other quantitative result(s), and can update these results substantially instantaneously in response to changes in allocations. Graphical and/or textual representations of the quantitative results can be presented and updated.

Abstract: A closed-loop marketing system and method provides the ability to measure the return on investment of marketing programs across channels, both online and offline, including impression, page view and response levels. The present invention provides mechanisms for measuring a marketing department's contribution to the sales pipeline by taking into account the effect of multiple campaigns. A multi-campaign attribution methodology takes into measures the effect of a first touch (a campaign that first brought in an account), a last touch (a campaign that was presented immediately prior to the closing of a deal or creation of a sales-ready opportunity), and any significant re-touch events (campaigns that represent lead-nurturing and/or remarketing efforts).

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided to help estimate the number of unique subscribers to an RSS, Atom, or other online syndicated content feed. Methods, systems, and other embodiments separate feed polling events into groups based at least partially on regularity in their times of occurrence. Grouping of polling events may also be based on client values, such as a client's IP address or user agent identification. Each located group corresponds to one likely subscriber in an estimation of the total number of subscribers to the feed. The use of occurrence times and client header values may be combined with unique URLs, cookies, and other tools to further refine readership estimates.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for generating successive approximations of the result of a query. The query is applied to successively larger samples of the data to produce successively more accurate approximations, optionally until the exact result of the query has been computed.

Abstract: Elements on a website are associated with the business success of the website, such as determined by sales or orders. Contribution of the elements to the business success is accomplished by assignment a fraction of the success value to each element using allocation, participation, and/or allocated participation methods. Reports are generated quantifying website element usage, for example by superimposing color shadings or other visual indicia on a representation of a page of the website.

Abstract: Overlay reports showing user interaction with web plug-in content are generated. Dimensions of elements within plug-in resources are determined by moving the elements to various locations with an output region and noting changes in overall dimensions of the output region. Once dimensions have been determined, overlay reports are generated including color-coded regions depicting relative levels of interaction.

Abstract: A link-tracking server receives a request for a Web page or an image and stores link-tracking information in one or more link-tracking files to create a record of link-tracking information. The link tracking files may later be accessed by a link-tracking subscriber, such as by logging onto the link-tracking server. A content provider embeds link-tracking code in each Web page where link-tracking information is desired to be captured. Such Web pages embedded with such link-tracking code are then stored in a content provider server, which then serves such tracking-enabled Web pages to users on the network. When a user requests a tracking-enabled page, the link-tracking code sends one or more requests to a link-tracking server to record link-tracking information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a controller for controlling a system, capable of presentation of a plurality of candidate propositions resulting in a response performance, in order to optimise an objective function of the system. The controller has a means for storing, according to candidate proposition, a representation of the response performance in actual use of respective propositions; means for assessing which candidate proposition is likely to result in the lowest expected regret after the next presentation on the basis of an understanding of the probability distribution of the response performance of all of the plurality of candidate propositions; where regret is a term used for the shortfall in response performance between always presenting a true best candidate proposition and using the candidate proposition actually presented.

Abstract: An Internet-based analysis tool follows, in real-time, the flow of traffic through a website. For every website page requested by a website visitor, the state of the visitor's browser is recorded and data relating to the path visitors take through the website is collected and studied. The state of the visitor's browser path is maintained in a traffic analysis cookie that is passed between a website file server and the visitor browser with every page requested for viewing. The cookie is maintained in a size that can be passed from server to browser and back again without negatively impacting server performance and without negatively impacting browser performance. The data in the cookie can follow the visitor browser through independent file servers, regardless of how the pages of a website might be distributed in storage.

Abstract: A link-tracking server receives a request for a Web page or an image and stores link-tracking information in one or more link-tracking files to create a record of link-tracking information. The link tracking files may later be accessed by a link-tracking subscriber, such as by logging onto the link-tracking server. A content provider embeds link-tracking code in each Web page where link-tracking information is desired to be captured. Such Web pages embedded with such link-tracking code are then stored in a content provider server, which then serves such tracking-enabled Web pages to users on the network. When a user requests a tracking-enabled page, the link-tracking code sends one or more requests to a link-tracking server to record link-tracking information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for delivering content is provided, including specifying a rule having a trigger and defining a content presentation action, and receiving a search query from a user. The method further includes generating a result set in response to the search query, identifying at least one characteristic of the result set, and comparing the at least one characteristic to the trigger. If the at least one characteristic satisfies the trigger, the content is presented as specified by the content presentation action that is defined by the rule. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Website administrators can specify page groups and/or single pages as checkpoint nodes for site analysis reporting purposes, and can configure the system of the invention to provide information as to a particular visitation path through the checkpoints. Any group of pages can be designed as a single checkpoint node for website traffic analysis and reporting purposes. Page groups can be used in place of or in addition to individual web pages in any context where site traffic analysis is being presented or performed.

Abstract: Objects on a web page are associated with stored records indicating historical object usage. Associations between objects and records take into account discrepancies in object identifiers resulting from authorial edits and/or differences in browser assignment of object identifiers. An object having an object identifier that differs from that of a stored record by not more than a predetermined tolerance value, and that has other indicia that match the stored record, is considered to match the stored record. Reports are generated quantifying web page object usage, for example by superimposing color shadings or other visual indicia on a representation of a web page.

Abstract: An Internet-based analysis tool follows, in real-time, the flow of traffic through a website. For every website page requested by a website visitor, the state of the visitor's browser is recorded and data relating to the path visitors take through the website is collected and studied. The state of the visitor's browser path is maintained in a traffic analysis cookie that is passed between a website file server and the visitor browser with every page requested for viewing. The cookie is maintained in a size that can be passed from server to browser and back again without negatively impacting server performance and without negatively impacting browser performance. The data in the cookie can follow the visitor browser through independent file servers, regardless of how the pages of a website might be distributed in storage.

Abstract: Objects on a web page are associated with stored records indicating historical object usage. Associations between objects and records take into account discrepancies in object identifiers resulting from authorial edits and/or differences in browser assignment of object identifiers. An object having an object identifier that differs from that of a stored record by not more than a predetermined tolerance value, and that has other indicia that match the stored record, is considered to match the stored record. Reports are generated quantifying web page object usage, for example by superimposing color shadings or other visual indicia on a representation of a web page.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided to allow partners of analytics providers and others who use web-beacons to submit web-beacon plug-ins for scrutiny, and for the plug-in to either be refused or else to be certified for use in a core JavaScript file or similar component. Analytics providers and others may also write web-beacon plug-ins. Certified plug-ins are executed in response to page loads, visitor clicks, and other visitor and programmatic actions at a website that has been tagged by the analytics provider's web-beacon, without requiring re-tagging of the website with a separate web-beacon for the partner. This allows the partner to obtain analytics data by piggybacking on the analytics provider, without re-tagging, and without compromising the availability and accuracy of the analytics data already being gathered. To be certified, web-beacon plug-ins must satisfy specific criteria as to their size, behavior, namespace, and the like.

Abstract: A document publishing system. Documents can be automatically linked. Links are automatically created within a document to other documents, or to locations within the same document.

Abstract: Website administrators can specify page groups and/or single pages as checkpoint nodes for site analysis reporting purposes, and can configure the system of the invention to provide information as to a particular visitation path through the checkpoints. Any group of pages can be designed as a single check-point node for website traffic analysis and reporting purposes. Page groups can be used in place of or in addition to individual web pages in any context where site traffic analysis is being presented or performed.

Abstract: In the context of a site analysis report showing paths between nodes, nodes are automatically positioned within the report in an intelligent manner, according to specified criteria so as to provide useful information about the represented pages. For example, the Y-axis can indicate relative depth of a page in the site, while the X-axis represents conversion rate. Alternatively, node position can represent any other quantitatively representable data, either specified as a default or selected by the user. In one embodiment, the automatic positioning can be overridden by a user, if desired.

Abstract: In the context of a site analysis report showing paths between nodes, color is used to indicate a direction of traffic that follows a particular node-to-node path. Different colors are assigned to different nodes in a site analysis report. Paths are color-coded according to their destination nodes, so as to provide a distinctive visual identification of a traffic flow direction. Node connection direction can be reinforced by static or moving arrows.