Abstract: A search technology generates recommendations with minimal user data and participation, and provides better interpretation of user data, such as popularity, thus obtaining breadth and quality in recommendations. It is sensitive to the semantic content of natural language terms taken from user profiles at social networking and online dating applications and blogs. The profiles and blogs can include interests, eccentricities, age, gender, and location information associated with the user. The interest information can include music, movies, sports and personality traits. Based on the user's profile information, the system determines which ad from a stock of ads is best suited to a given profile and delivers that ad. The system can enable advertisers to create and manage online advertising campaigns using a campaign manager in which they attach descriptions to ads in their inventory, thereby generating a profile for each ad which is then compared to the profiles in the target online environment.