BACKGROUND

This specification relates to content management.

The Internet provides access to a wide variety of resources. For example, video and/or audio files, as well as web pages for particular subjects or particular news articles, are accessible over the Internet. Access to these resources presents opportunities for other content (e.g., advertisements) to be provided with the resources. For example, a web page can include slots in which content can be presented. These slots can be defined in the web page or defined for presentation with a web page, for example, along with search results.

Slots can be allocated to content sponsors, such as through a reservation system, an auction system, or a combination of these. For example, content sponsors can provide bids specifying amounts that the sponsors are respectively willing to pay for presentation of their content. In turn, a reservation can be made or an auction can be performed, and the slots can be allocated to sponsors according, among other things, to their bids, reservation information, and/or the relevance of the sponsored content to content presented on a page hosting the slot or a request that is received for the sponsored content.

SUMMARY

In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in methods that include a method for serving content. The method comprises: receiving a request for content from a user, the content to be displayed in a slot associated with an online resource; determining an expected activity score for the user based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with a context of presenting the online resource to the user; comparing the expected activity score for the user to a threshold; selecting one or more content items to serve to the user based at least in part on the comparison; and serving the selected content items to the user responsive to the request.

In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in methods that include a method for serving content. The method comprises: presenting a user interface to a content sponsor for designating one or more first criteria for enabling presentation of content associated with a campaign to users, including presenting a control, that when selected, enables presentation of content from the campaign to users having expected activity scores that are above a predefined level; storing the campaign; and serving content to users responsive to requests for content from the campaign when the users have expected activity scores above the predefined level.

In general, another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in computer program products that include a computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage device. The computer program product can include instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive a request for content from a user, the content to be displayed in a slot associated with an online resource; determine an expected activity score for the user based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with a context of presenting the online resource to the user; compare the expected activity score for the user to a threshold; select one or more content items to serve to the user based at least in part on the comparison; and serve the selected content items to the user responsive to the request.

In general, another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in systems. A system includes a content management system, an activity information datastore, and a campaign parameters datastore. The content management system is configured to: provide a user interface to a content sponsor for designating one or more criteria for enabling presentation of content associated with a campaign to users, including providing a control, that when selected, enables presentation of content from the campaign to users having expected activity scores that are above a predefined level; store the criteria in the campaign parameters datastore; receive a request for content from a user, the content to be displayed in a slot associated with an online resource; determine an expected activity score for the user based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with a context of presenting the online resource to the user and on information related to the user in the activity information datastore; compare the expected activity score for the user to a threshold; select one or more content items to serve to the user based at least in part on the comparison; and serve the selected content items to the user responsive to the request.

These and other implementations can each optionally include one or more of the following features. The expected activity score can be a prediction of an expected interaction rate of the user given the context. The expected activity score can be determined based on a number of interactions by the user versus a number of opportunities for interaction in a time period. The time period can be a recent time period, from a present point in time back a pre-defined amount of time in the past. The expected activity score can be weighted based on dates of activities associated with the user, with more recent activities weighted higher than less recent activities. The expected activity score can be determined based on user interactions of other users that are similar to the user. The threshold can correspond to a recent expected activity score determined for the user, where the recent expected activity score is determined based on user interactions by the user in a recent time period and where the recent time period is shorter than the time period. The threshold can correspond to an average expected activity score determined for multiple users. The average expected activity score can be determined based on presentations of content made in the context. The threshold can be a predetermined expected activity level. The threshold can be a predetermined click through rate. Action-soliciting content can be served to the user responsive to the request when the expected activity score is at or above the threshold. Informative content can be served to the user responsive to the request when the expected activity score is below the threshold. The criteria can be selected from time of day, time of week, time of month, time of year, or location of the user. The criteria can relate to subject matter associated with the online resource.

Particular implementations may realize none, one or more of the following advantages. A content sponsor can configure a content campaign to provide content to users who have an expected activity score above a predefined level. Informational content, including content that does not solicit a direct response, can be served to users who have an expected activity score below a predefined level. Sponsored content that solicits a direct response from the user, such as advertisement content, can be served to users who have an expected activity score above a predefined level.

The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

