Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement; the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are provided for facilitating a following of a content sponsor in a social network. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of identifying a creative for presentation to users in response to requests for content, and receiving selection criteria from a sponsor associated with the creative, the selection criteria for use in determining when to present the creative. The creative is augmented to include a control that enables a user to follow the content sponsor automatically upon interaction with the control, and the augmented creative is presented in response to received requests for content in accordance with the selection criteria. The sponsor is charged when the creative is presented and a user initiates an action to follow the sponsor in a social network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, are described for providing content. A method includes transmitting an audio content item that is presented to a user of a personal digital assistant through a speaker; receiving digital information that includes spoken information that was submitted through the personal digital assistant by the user and converted into the digital information, the received digital information including data specifying one or more other users with which the audio content item is to be shared; annotating the audio content item with an annotation including at least some of the digital information and data specifying that the user is the source of the annotation; and transmitting the audio content item and the annotation to the one or more other users with which the audio content is to be shared as specified by the digital information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, are described for providing content. A method includes: transmitting an audio content item that is presented to a user of a personal digital assistant through a speaker; receiving digital information that includes spoken information that was submitted through the personal digital assistant by the user and converted into the digital information, the received digital information including data specifying one or more other users with which the audio content item is to be shared; annotating the audio content item with an annotation including at least some of the digital information and data specifying that the user is the source of the annotation; and transmitting the audio content item and the annotation to the one or more other users with which the audio content is to be shared as specified by the digital information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are provided for facilitating a following of a content sponsor in a social network. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of identifying a creative for presentation to users in response to requests for content, and receiving selection criteria from a sponsor associated with the creative, the selection criteria for use in determining when to present the creative. The creative is augmented to include a control that enables a user to follow the content sponsor automatically upon interaction with the control, and the augmented creative is presented in response to received requests for content in accordance with the selection criteria. The sponsor is charged when the creative is presented and a user initiates an action to follow the sponsor in a social network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, are described for providing content. A method includes transmitting an audio content item that is presented to a user of a personal digital assistant through a speaker; receiving digital information that includes spoken information that was submitted through the personal digital assistant by the user and converted into the digital information, the received digital information including data specifying one or more other users with which the audio content item is to be shared; annotating the audio content item with an annotation including at least some of the digital information and data specifying that the user is the source of the annotation; and transmitting the audio content item and the annotation to the one or more other users with which the audio content is to be shared as specified by the digital information.

Abstract: In general, a method for providing content to a user includes providing a content item to a user responsive to a received request. The content item is displayed to the user in a slot associated with a third party content site. The content item includes a first annotation providing information for or about re-publishing the content item. A request is received from the user to follow a content provider associated with the content item. The user is designated as being interested in updated content from the content provider. Designating the user includes presenting information about the user to one or more of the content provider or a social application that includes a content provider presence so as to allow for updates associated with the content provider to be followed by the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage medium, for adjusted mutable aspect content selection. In one aspect, speech input that includes a first request for content that does not include a particular mutable aspect that does change over time is received. A user action performed during a previous time period is identified in stored user actions previously performed by the user. An immutable aspect that does not change over time and the particular mutable aspect that does change over time are identified within the user action. The particular mutable aspect is adjusted based on an amount of time that has elapsed between when the user action was performed and receipt of the first request for content. Auditory feedback is provided based on the immutable aspect, the adjusted particular mutable aspect, and information included in the first request for content.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for creating content. The method comprises receiving an indication to promote a published content item, and parsing content in the published content item to identify candidate text/video/images for inclusion in a creative. The method further comprises assigning ranks to the candidate text/video/images based on one or more criteria. The method further comprises identifying a plurality of creative formats. The method further comprises, for each of the identified creative formats, identifying a corresponding set of text/video/images from the candidate text/video/images for inclusion in a candidate creative formatted in accordance with a given creative format and based at least in part on the ranked candidate text/video/images.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for providing content. A method includes receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing to a group, the group being designated by the user; and targeting additional content to the group based on the received user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are provided for facilitating a following of a content sponsor in a social network. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of identifying a creative for presentation to users in response to requests for content, and receiving selection criteria from a sponsor associated with the creative, the selection criteria for use in determining when to present the creative. The creative is augmented to include a control that enables a user to follow the content sponsor automatically upon interaction with the control, and the augmented creative is presented in response to received requests for content in accordance with the selection criteria. The sponsor is charged when the creative is presented and a user initiates an action to follow the sponsor in a social network.

Abstract: In general, a method for providing content to a user includes providing a content item to a user responsive to a received request. The content item is displayed to the user in a slot associated with a third party content site. The content item includes a first annotation providing information for or about re-publishing the content item. A request is received from the user to follow a content provider associated with the content item. The user is designated as being interested in updated content from the content provider. Designating the user includes presenting information about the user to one or more of the content provider or a social application that includes a content provider presence so as to allow for updates associated with the content provider to be followed by the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, are described for providing content. A method includes: receiving a request for an advertisement to be displayed in a slot associated with a third-party content site; identifying a relevant advertisement to be provided in the slot; determining information to be included in an annotation associated with the advertisement, the annotation including customized information related to a user or a group associated with the user that is to be presented along with the advertisement; providing the advertisement responsive to the request including providing the annotation along with a control for re-publishing the advertisement along with the relevant advertisement; receiving user input selecting the control and designating the advertisement for re-publishing; and targeting additional content to the user or a group associated with the user based on the received user input.

Abstract: In general, a method for providing content to a user includes providing a content item to a user responsive to a received request. The content item is displayed to the user in a slot associated with a third party content site. The content item includes a first annotation providing information for or about re-publishing the content item. A request is received from the user to follow a content provider associated with the content item. The user is designated as being interested in updated content from the content provider. Designating the user includes presenting information about the user to one or more of the content provider or a social application that includes a content provider presence so as to allow for updates associated with the content provider to be followed by the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for long-term targeting. In one aspect, a method includes: assigning a user a unique identifier and recognizing the user when the user interacts with a content system; logging user actions and preferences as the user interacts with one or more web based resources over a long time period where the long time period exceeds a life of one session and an expiration of one or more cookies residing on a user device; identifying logged user actions and preferences that are associated with a same time period in a previous year, including identifying immutable and mutable aspects of the logged user actions and preferences that are time-related; adjusting the mutable aspects based on the current date; and providing, to the user, content based on the immutable aspect, the adjusted mutable aspects, and information included in a content request.