Abstract: Within the field of advertising, multi-touch attribution (MTA) is the process of assigning credit at a unique identifier level to marketing activities for their contribution towards driving a desired marketing result. This invention discloses a data-driven attribution solution and optimization process for improving marketing return on investment by enabling greater speed and agility in responding to continually changing media performance. Specifically, this invention details a survival analysis based approach to attribution using parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) modeling which accommodates both the right-censored discrete time events and is well suited for media data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving word-of-mouth online advertising are provided. Construct a social network including multiple users based on the users' social network data and optionally further based on the users' demographical and/or other personal information. Categorize the users in the social network with respect to a type of product in terms of their propensity to adopt the type of product and to influence others in the social network in adopting the type of product. Determine appropriate content object(s) for each category of users, and send the content object(s) to each category of users via different channels at the appropriate time during the product's lifecycle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving word-of-mouth online advertising are provided. Construct a social network including multiple users based on the users' social network data and optionally further based on the users' demographical and/or other personal information. Categorize the users in the social network with respect to a type of product in terms of their propensity to adopt the type of product and to influence others in the social network in adopting the type of product. Determine appropriate content object(s) for each category of users, and send the content object(s) to each category of users via different channels at the appropriate time during the product's lifecycle.