Abstract: Techniques for integrating two server systems are provided. A first server system receives, from a first computing device, provider data generated by a third-party tracking service. The first server system stores association data that associates the provider data with one or more content items. After storing the association data, the first server system receives, from a second computing device, a message that includes a first identifier and that indicates an event and a content item. In response to receiving the message, the first server system determines whether to report the event to the third-party tracking service. If so, the first server system determines a second identifier based on the first identifier, retrieves, based on the association data and the content item, the provider data that is associated with the content item, and transmits, over a network to the third-party tracking service, the second identifier and the provider data.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for securely obtaining trusted information in an online environment. A first entity stores trusted information from a third entity. A second entity retrieves the trusted information from the first entity. In response to a request from a computing device of the third entity, the first entity identifies a set of attributes selected by the second entity. The first entity identifies, from a profile of the third entity, a set of values that correspond to the set of attributes. The first entity may immediately transmit the set of values to the second entity or may first cause the set of values to be presented to the third entity, for example, in an electronic form. The form may allow some of the values to be editable by the third entity and may prevent other of the values to be edited.

Abstract: Techniques for integrating two server systems are provided. A first server system receives, from a first computing device, provider data generated by a third-party tracking service. The first server system stores association data that associates the provider data with one or more content items. After storing the association data, the first server system receives, from a second computing device, a message that includes a first identifier and that indicates an event and a content item. In response to receiving the message, the first server system determines whether to report the event to the third-party tracking service. If so, the first server system determines a second identifier based on the first identifier, retrieves, based on the association data and the content item, the provider data that is associated with the content item, and transmits, over a network to the third-party tracking service, the second identifier and the provider data.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for securely obtaining trusted information in an online environment. A first entity stores trusted information from a third entity. A second entity retrieves the trusted information from the first entity. In response to a request from a computing device of the third entity, the first entity identifies a set of attributes selected by the second entity. The first entity identifies, from a profile of the third entity, a set of values that correspond to the set of attributes. The first entity may immediately transmit the set of values to the second entity or may first cause the set of values to be presented to the third entity, for example, in an electronic form. The form may allow some of the values to be editable by the third entity and may prevent other of the values to be edited.

Abstract: Techniques for leveraging performance data to dynamically selecting content item-format pairs are provided. In response to receiving a request, a content campaign is selected and feature values associated with the request are identified. Based on the feature values, performance values are identified, where each performance value is associated with a different content item-format pair of multiple content item-format pairs. Based on the performance values, a particular content item-format pair is selected. The selected pair may not be associated with the highest performance value. The particular content item of the selected pair is transmitted over a computer network and presented on a computing device according to the format of the selected pair.

Abstract: Techniques for handling the dynamic reassignment of entities among multiple data centers are provided. In one technique, for each task of a plurality of tasks that are associated with a first data center of a plurality of data centers, an entity identifier that is associated with the task is identified. A call to an entity routing service is initiated, where the call includes the entity A response to the call is received from the entity routing service, where the response indicates a particular data center. An entity processor that is different than the entity routing service processes the task only if the particular data center is the first data center. If the particular data center is different than the first data center, then a data structure that stores the task is updated to indicate the particular data center and the task is eventually processed in the particular data center.

Abstract: Techniques for rotating leadership among processes in multiple data centers are provided. A first process of a program in a first data center determines whether the first process is a leader process among multiple processes of the program. Each process of the multiple processes executes in a different data center of the multiple data centers. In response to determining that the first process is the leader process, the first process performs a particular task. After performing the particular task, the first process causes leadership data to be updated to indicate that the first process is no longer the leader process. After the leadership data is updated, a second process (of the multiple processes) in a second data center determines whether the second process is the leader process. The second process performs the particular task only if the second process determines that the second process is the leader process.

Abstract: Techniques for handling the dynamic reassignment of entities among multiple data centers are provided. In one technique, for each task of a plurality of tasks that are associated with a first data center of a plurality of data centers, an entity identifier that is associated with the task is identified. A call to an entity routing service is initiated, where the call includes the entity A response to the call is received from the entity routing service, where the response indicates a particular data center. An entity processor that is different than the entity routing service processes the task only if the particular data center is the first data center. If the particular data center is different than the first data center, then a data structure that stores the task is updated to indicate the particular data center and the task is eventually processed in the particular data center.

Abstract: Techniques for rotating leadership among processes in multiple data centers are provided. A first process of a program in a first data center determines whether the first process is a leader process among multiple processes of the program. Each process of the multiple processes executes in a different data center of the multiple data centers. In response to determining that the first process is the leader process, the first process performs a particular task. After performing the particular task, the first process causes leadership data to be updated to indicate that the first process is no longer the leader process. After the leadership data is updated, a second process (of the multiple processes) in a second data center determines whether the second process is the leader process. The second process performs the particular task only if the second process determines that the second process is the leader process.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating an advertising recommendation. In one example, a method includes determining a statistical performance level threshold for a plurality of advertising entities advertising, identifying one of the advertising entities that fails to meet the statistical performance level threshold, determining a variance associated with the one advertising entity as compared with others of the plurality of advertising entities that do satisfy the performance threshold constraint, generating a recommendation to the one advertising entity that addresses the variance, and transmitting the recommendation to the one advertising entity.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are provided for reducing, stemming, or eliminating over-delivery of sponsored content, such as advertisements. Upon receipt at a tracking server of a notification of an event related to serving or presentation of a content item, or user interaction with an item, it is quickly determined whether the event is of a particular type (e.g., a revenue event). If so, it is quickly forwarded to a different server or processing module for rapid processing in order to determine whether any budget associated with a sponsored content item corresponding to the event has been depleted. All revenue events may be prioritized equally, or some revenue events may be prioritized over others.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatically selecting one of multiple formats in which to serve a content item. The system collects data regarding content items served and user activity and/or revenue regarding those served items. These data are used to calculate performance values or scores of each format for specified factors such as destination (e.g., a web domain, a URL, a content channel), visibility (e.g., above the fold), a period of time, a vertical or type of content, and so on. When a new content request is received, the format selected for serving in response to the request is chosen based on the competing formats' calculated performances, and a suitable content item is selected. The selected format may be the format likely to generate the most revenue, may be selected by statistical sampling, or may be selected by using the performance values/scores in some other way.

Abstract: Techniques to dynamically adjust a target audience for a content posting are described. Consistent with some embodiments, subsequent to a member of a social networking service specifying a desired objective to be achieved with a content campaign (e.g., increasing follower acquisition rate, or increasing a click-to-convert rate), a member-targeting optimization module dynamically adjusts the targeted audience of members who are presented with the content posting, with a view to increasing the likelihood that the desired objective will be achieved.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate recommendations for sponsored content campaigns are described. Consistent with some embodiments, subsequent to a member of a social networking service specifying a desired objective to be achieved with a content campaign (e.g., increasing follower acquisition rate, or increasing a click-to-convert rate), a campaign optimization module provides, for a member-specified content posting, a recommended target audience that is most likely to react to the content posting in a manner that will enable the member to achieve the desired objective. Alternatively, a member may specify a desired objective and a target audience, and the campaign optimization module provides a recommendation as to the particular content posting that the member should promote or sponsor in order to achieve the desired objective.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate recommendations for sponsored content campaigns are described. Consistent with some embodiments, subsequent to a member of a social networking service specifying a desired objective to be achieved with a content campaign (e.g., increasing follower acquisition rate, or increasing a click-to-convert rate), a campaign optimization module provides, for a member-specified content posting, a recommended target audience that is most likely to react to the content posting in a manner that will enable the member to achieve the desired objective. Alternatively, a member may specify a desired objective and a target audience, and the campaign optimization module provides a recommendation as to the particular content posting that the member should promote or sponsor in order to achieve the desired objective.

Abstract: Techniques for viral promotion of content are described. According to various embodiments, a user request to promote a content item to a member base of an online social network service is received. For example, the request to promote the content item may be received from an advertiser or marketer in conjunction with a request to receive a predetermined number of social activity signals (e.g., likes, shares, follows, comments, etc.) in association with the content item (e.g., as part of an advertising or marketing campaign). Viral promotion seed user definition information specifying one or more definitions of a viral promotion seed user is then accessed. Thereafter, a particular member of the online social network service is classified as the viral promotion seed user, based on the viral promotion seed user definition information. The content item is then selectively promoted to the viral promotion seed user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatically selecting one of multiple formats in which to serve a content item. The system collects data regarding content items served and user activity and/or revenue regarding those served items. These data are used to calculate performance values or scores of each format for specified factors such as destination (e.g., a web domain, a URL, a content channel), visibility (e.g., above the fold), a period of time, a vertical or type of content, and so on. When a new content request is received, the format selected for serving in response to the request is chosen based on the competing formats' calculated performances, and a suitable content item is selected. The selected format may be the format likely to generate the most revenue, may be selected by statistical sampling, or may be selected by using the performance values/scores in some other way.