Abstract: A system and method for inferring service opportunities are provided. In example embodiments, a member event associated with a particular member of a social networking service is detected. In response to detecting the member event, a service request for a particular service is inferred based on the member event. A provider member capable of fulfilling the inferred service request is identified among members of the social networking service. A match score for each of the identified provider members is calculated. The identified provider members are ranked according to the calculated match score. At least a portion of the ranked identified provider members are presented on a user interface.

Abstract: A member profile including a vector containing a field for each of a plurality of skills and a rating of one or more of the skills in the vector for a member of a social networking service is obtained. A first distance indicating a vector distance between the vector of the member profile and a vector of a hypothetical member profile representing the perfect job candidate is obtained. A hypothetical member profile for the member is created by combining the vector of the member profile with the indication of how each of the one or more skills is improved through taking the course from course information. A second distance between the member and the hypothetical perfect candidate for the job is obtained, and the difference between the first distance and the second distance is calculated to determine an estimate of how much the course will increase the member's job chances.

Abstract: A content item generation system which implements techniques for selecting and identifying content items to return in response to a request is described. For example, the content item generation system may separate requirements included with a request into first and second sets of requirements. The first set of requirements may be used to identify which content items or content item campaigns may be suitable to respond to the request. The second set of requirements may be used to determine whether items associated with the selected content items or content item campaigns correspond to technical requirements specified in the request.

Abstract: A method of optimizing online advertising campaign allocations is disclosed. It is determined that an auction for a set of advertising slots has been triggered. It is identified that the advertising campaigns are configured to bid on the set of advertising slots. A ranking score for each of the advertising campaigns is determined. The ranking scores are adjusted for each cost-per-click advertising campaign of the set of advertising campaigns by an adjustment factor specific to a context of the auction. The set of advertising slots is allocated to the winners of the auction. The winners of the auction are communicated for integration into a content page.

Abstract: A system and method for inferring service providers are provided. In example embodiments, member data of members of a social networking service is accessed. From the member data, it is inferred that a particular member among the members of the social networking service is a freelancer member. A service request that the freelancer member is capable of fulfilling is identified based on a service request skill associated with the service request and a freelancer skill of the freelancer member. An option for the freelancer member to fulfill the service request is presented on a user interface of a user device of the freelancer member.

Abstract: A media item cache manager system which implements techniques for efficiently using cache memory to respond to requests. The cache memory may include information on items along with a status indicator for each of the items, indicating different status information. Some examples of possible status indicators include valid, invalid, or in-progress indicators.

Abstract: A request intermediary processing system which implements techniques to allow tracking of responses to requests when there is an intermediary. In an embodiment, the intermediary includes an internal exchange. The internal exchange may manage one or more content item providers and select content items from among the one or more internal content item providers to respond to requests. The intermediary may include, when responding to a request, inserting or embedding a token or other means so that the integrity of a content item provider-specific tracking data is maintained, while including request intermediary processing system-specific tracking data.

Abstract: A system is described including a processor and a model configured to automatically identify electronic messages that are likely to result in the computing system performing one or more subsequent messaging actions. The processor is configured to responsive to determining that an electronic message satisfies initial criteria for invoking the model, determine, using the model, whether the electronic message is likely to result in the system performing a messaging action from the one or more subsequent messaging actions. Responsive to determining that the electronic message is likely to result in the system performing the messaging action, the processor is configured to modify the electronic message to include an indication of the messaging action and a future time for outputting a notification of the messaging action, and output, at the future time, the notification of the messaging action.

Abstract: A media item cache manager system which implements techniques for efficiently using cache memory to respond to requests. The cache memory may include information on items along with a status indicator for each of the items, indicating different status information. Some examples of possible status indicators include valid, invalid, or in-progress indicators.

Abstract: A request intermediary processing system which implements techniques to allow tracking of responses to requests when there is an intermediary. In an embodiment, the intermediary includes an internal exchange. The internal exchange may manage one or more content item providers and select content items from among the one or more internal content item providers to respond to requests. The intermediary may include, when responding to a request, inserting or embedding a token or other means so that the integrity of a content item provider-specific tracking data is maintained, while including request intermediary processing system-specific tracking data.

Abstract: A content item generation system which implements techniques for selecting and identifying content items to return in response to a request is described. For example, the content item generation system may separate requirements included with a request into first and second sets of requirements. The first set of requirements may be used to identify which content items or content item campaigns may be suitable to respond to the request. The second set of requirements may be used to determine whether items associated with the selected content items or content item campaigns correspond to technical requirements specified in the request.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting candidate content for insertion into a content presentation to generate tailored user interface screens are described. According to various embodiments, the system receives a set of publication data including a plurality of content pages with content elements. The system determines a set of content divisions among the content pages and one or more insertion points corresponding to one or more content divisions. The system determines a set of candidate insertion content based on the set of content elements and the insertion points. The system causes presentation of the set of publication data including the plurality of content pages. Upon presentation of a content page proximate to an insertion point, the system selects a candidate insertion content item for insertion into the insertion point and causes presentation of the candidate insertion content during presentation of the set of publication data.

Abstract: A system and method for inferring service providers are provided. In example embodiments, member data of members of a social networking service is accessed. From the member data, it is inferred that a particular member among the members of the social networking service is a freelancer member. A service request that the freelancer member is capable of fulfilling is identified based on a service request skill associated with the service request and a freelancer skill of the freelancer member. An option for the freelancer member to fulfill the service request is presented on a user interface of a user device of the freelancer member.

Abstract: A system and method for inferring service opportunities are provided. In example embodiments, a member event associated with a particular member of a social networking service is detected. In response to detecting the member event, a service request for a particular service is inferred based on the member event. A provider member capable of fulfilling the inferred service request is identified among members of the social networking service. A match score for each of the identified provider members is calculated. The identified provider members are ranked according to the calculated match score. At least a portion of the ranked identified provider members are presented on a user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples, are methods, systems, and machine readable mediums which allow for providing estimated impressions for content given arbitrary frequency caps. Time series historical visit data about each targeted user group is condensed by calculating, for each user in a targeted user group, an arrival rate. The arrival rates for each user in the targeted user group are used to construct a distribution of arrival rates in the user group. Given an arbitrary frequency cap, the system samples a large number of arrival rates N from the targeted user group. For each of the N sampled arrival rates, a time series corresponding to the arrival rate is created from that arrival rate and a frequency cap is applied to the sampled time series' to arrive at an estimated impression count. Adding up the frequency capped impressions for each sampled arrival rate and normalizing it for the number of members in the targeted population yields a prediction of the number of impressions in a given time period.

Abstract: Systems and methods include, for each sponsored content campaign, accessing, during a predetermined access time, member profile data and activity data from a database of a social networking system. Member profile data and activity data that is not accessible during the predetermined access time is not accessed. During a predetermined time including the predetermined access time, an onsite predicted interaction rate, by the member, with sponsored content items is determined based the member profile data and the activity data. For each of the sponsored content campaigns, within the predetermined time, an offsite predicted interaction rate, by the member, with sponsored content items is calculated based on data obtained from a third party. For each of the sponsored content campaigns, a predicted interaction rate, by the member, is determined based on the onsite predicted interaction rate and the offsite predicted interaction rate.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method is provided where information regarding a member of a social networking service and a job opening are obtained. Then information about a plurality of courses available for the member to take is obtained, the information including cost, time, and a vector including, for each of a plurality of skills identified in a member profile of the member, an effect of taking the corresponding course. A subset selection algorithm is then used to select an optimal combination of courses selected from the plurality of courses, based on minimizing cost and time while maximizing cumulative increase in odds of the member successfully obtaining the job opening from taking the selected courses.

Abstract: A member profile including a vector containing a field for each of a plurality of skills and a rating of one or more of the skills in the vector for a member of a social networking service is obtained. A first distance indicating a vector distance between the vector of the member profile and a vector of a hypothetical member profile representing the perfect job candidate is obtained. A hypothetical member profile for the member is created by combining the vector of the member profile with the indication of how each of the one or more skills is improved through taking the course from course information. A second distance between the member and the hypothetical perfect candidate for the job is obtained, and the difference between the first distance and the second distance is calculated to determine an estimate of how much the course will increase the member's job chances.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method is provided to calculate a distance for a first member of a social networking service and a job opening, which indicates the likelihood that the first member will obtain the job. The distance is calculated by applying one or more policies to member profiles of members who applied for similar jobs to obtain a hypothetical perfect candidate for the job. The member's profile is then automatically compared to the hypothetical perfect candidate profile to calculate the distance.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for pacing the serving of a sponsored content item. The rate of depletion of the sponsored content item, or the current rate at which it wins auctions to be served in response to compatible content requests is used to forecast the state of the item's periodic budget at the end of a current period. If the budget is not forecast to be depleted close to the end of the period, within a threshold measure of value or time, a new win rate that will accomplish the goal is determined. Based on past performance, which may be represented as a collection of estimated costs per impression (eCPI) or as ratios of the item's eCPI to a winning item's eCPI, a new bid can be determined that is estimated to yield the new win rate.