CA2303541A1 - System for measuring the effectiveness of internet based advertising or marketing campaigns - Google Patents
System for measuring the effectiveness of internet based advertising or marketing campaigns Download PDFInfo
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- CA2303541A1 CA2303541A1 CA 2303541 CA2303541A CA2303541A1 CA 2303541 A1 CA2303541 A1 CA 2303541A1 CA 2303541 CA2303541 CA 2303541 CA 2303541 A CA2303541 A CA 2303541A CA 2303541 A1 CA2303541 A1 CA 2303541A1
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Abstract
A system for measuring the effectiveness of an Internet-based advertising campaign wherein e-mail messages are sent to recipients inviting them to visit a destination web site where further information is provided about the product/service being offered. The system incorporates an HTTP hypertext link in each e-mail which points to an intermediate web site and which includes information pertaining to the identity of the destination web site.
When the link is actuated or clicked through, the recipient's browser sends a web site request message including the identification information to a server hosting the intermediate web site.
The server consequently records the actuation of the link, thereby compiling statistics on the hit rate, and then redirects the recipient's browser to the destination web site.
Embodiments of the invention also track pass-alongs (i.e., where the original recipient passes a copy of the e-mail to a friend), and in the event the destination web site is an e-commerce site where the advertised product/service may be purchased, details of the purchase.
When the link is actuated or clicked through, the recipient's browser sends a web site request message including the identification information to a server hosting the intermediate web site.
The server consequently records the actuation of the link, thereby compiling statistics on the hit rate, and then redirects the recipient's browser to the destination web site.
Embodiments of the invention also track pass-alongs (i.e., where the original recipient passes a copy of the e-mail to a friend), and in the event the destination web site is an e-commerce site where the advertised product/service may be purchased, details of the purchase.
Claims (19)
1. A method for measuring the effectiveness of a computer network-based advertising campaign wherein at least one e-mail message is sent to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site, the method comprising:
incorporating an actuatable link in each e-mail so as to enable each recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identity of the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including said identification information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting said intermediate web site, and consequently (i) recording the actuation of the link, and (ii) redirecting the recipient who actuated said link to the destination web site.
incorporating an actuatable link in each e-mail so as to enable each recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identity of the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including said identification information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting said intermediate web site, and consequently (i) recording the actuation of the link, and (ii) redirecting the recipient who actuated said link to the destination web site.
2. A method of conducting a computer network-based advertising campaign and measuring the effectiveness thereof, said method comprising:
sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site;
storing in a relational database the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site each recipient has been invited to visit;
incorporating an actuatable link in each said e-mail so as to enable each recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including said identifying information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting the intermediate web site, and consequently (i) recording the actuation of the link, and (ii) redirecting the recipient who actuated the link to the destination web site.
sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site;
storing in a relational database the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site each recipient has been invited to visit;
incorporating an actuatable link in each said e-mail so as to enable each recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including said identifying information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting the intermediate web site, and consequently (i) recording the actuation of the link, and (ii) redirecting the recipient who actuated the link to the destination web site.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:
the network is the Internet;
the web sites are addressed using a universal resource locator (URL) and are configured to communicate in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol (http);
the actuatable link is a hypertext link having a URL for the intermediate web site and said identifying information is included in this URL; and wherein each recipient operates a device for reading the e-mail and for enabling the recipient to browse the destination web site by actuating the link.
the network is the Internet;
the web sites are addressed using a universal resource locator (URL) and are configured to communicate in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol (http);
the actuatable link is a hypertext link having a URL for the intermediate web site and said identifying information is included in this URL; and wherein each recipient operates a device for reading the e-mail and for enabling the recipient to browse the destination web site by actuating the link.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the identifying information is in the form of a code constituting a recipient identifier and a destination web site identifier, said identifiers being respectively relationally linked in the database to an e-mail address for the corresponding recipient and a URL address for the corresponding destination web site.
5. The method according to claim 4, including storing a portion of the destination web site identifiers and their corresponding destination URLs in a cache, and upon receipt of the web site request message, searching the cache in order find the destination URL.
6. The method according to claim 4, including storing in the database the identity of a mailing campaign associated with each e-mail and a mailing identifier, and including the mailing identifier in the identifying information of each e-mail.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein recording the actuation of a given said link includes storing the recipient, destination URL, and mailing identities received along with the web site request message in a log.
8. A method for conducting a computer network-based advertising campaign and measuring the effectiveness thereof, said method comprising:
sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site;
storing in a relational database the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site each recipient has been invited to visit;
incorporating an actuatable link in each said e-mail so as to enable each said recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including the identifying information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting the intermediate web site;
the server consequently (a) recording the actuation of the link, (b) redirecting the recipient who actuated the link to the destination web site, and (c) determining whether a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has been issued, and if so, recording a pass along event.
sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site;
storing in a relational database the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site each recipient has been invited to visit;
incorporating an actuatable link in each said e-mail so as to enable each said recipient to reach the destination web site, said link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
receiving a web site request message including the identifying information from at least one of the recipients as a result of the link being actuated, said web site request message being received by a server hosting the intermediate web site;
the server consequently (a) recording the actuation of the link, (b) redirecting the recipient who actuated the link to the destination web site, and (c) determining whether a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has been issued, and if so, recording a pass along event.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, if the server determines that a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has not been issued, the server sends a unique cookie relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient to the actuating recipient and memorizes said unique cookie in the database.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determination as to whether or not a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has been issued includes searching the database.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the server also receives a stale cookie in the event the actuating recipient has previously received information from the intermediate web site.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said cookies include the identities of a recipient and a destination web site.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said determination includes comparing the stale cookie data against the identifying information accompanying the web site request message.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein a pass along event is registered in the event the identity of the recipient in the stale cookie differs from the identity of the recipient in the identifying information accompanying the web site request message.
15. Apparatus for conducting a computer network-based advertising campaign and measuring the effectiveness thereof, said apparatus comprising:
a computer system connected to said network for sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site, said computer system having a relational database for storing the identity of said recipients and the identity of the destination web, wherein each said e-mail incorporates an actuatable link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
a plurality of network connectable devices, each associated with one of said recipients for reading said e-mail and for enabling the recipients to browse said destination web site by actuating said link, each said device being configured such that when said link is actuated the device sends to said computer system (i) a web site request message including said identifying information;
wherein said computer system, in response to receiving said web site request message from a given device, (a) records the actuation of said link, (b) sends a redirection message to the given device so as to cause it to browse the destination web site, and (c) determines whether a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has been issued, and if so, recording a pass along event, and if not, sends a unique cookie relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient to the given device and memorizes said unique cookie in the database.
a computer system connected to said network for sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site, said computer system having a relational database for storing the identity of said recipients and the identity of the destination web, wherein each said e-mail incorporates an actuatable link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
a plurality of network connectable devices, each associated with one of said recipients for reading said e-mail and for enabling the recipients to browse said destination web site by actuating said link, each said device being configured such that when said link is actuated the device sends to said computer system (i) a web site request message including said identifying information;
wherein said computer system, in response to receiving said web site request message from a given device, (a) records the actuation of said link, (b) sends a redirection message to the given device so as to cause it to browse the destination web site, and (c) determines whether a cookie uniquely relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient has been issued, and if so, recording a pass along event, and if not, sends a unique cookie relative to the e-mail message and intended recipient to the given device and memorizes said unique cookie in the database.
16. Apparatus for conducting a computer network-based advertising campaign and measuring the effectiveness thereof, said apparatus comprising:
a computer system connected to the network for sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site, said computer system having a relational database for storing the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site, wherein each said e-mail incorporates an actuatable link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
a plurality of network connectable devices, each associated with one of the recipients for reading said e-mail and for enabling the recipients to browse the destination web site by actuating the link, each device being configured such that when the link is actuated the device sends to the computer system (i) a web site request message including the identifying information and (ii) a stale cookie in the event the device has previously received information from the intermediate web site;
wherein the computer system, in response to receiving the web site request message from a given device, (a) records the actuation of the link, (b) compares the data in the stale cookie, if received, against the identifying information passed back with the web site request message, (c) sends a redirection message to the given device so as to cause it to browse the destination web site, and (d) in the event the comparison in part (b) does not find a match or a stale cookie is not received, sends a fresh cookie to the given device and records the distribution of the fresh cookie in said database, said fresh cookie comprising information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site.
a computer system connected to the network for sending at least one e-mail message to a plurality of recipients inviting each recipient to visit a destination web site, said computer system having a relational database for storing the identity of the recipients and the identity of the destination web site, wherein each said e-mail incorporates an actuatable link pointing to an intermediate web site and including information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site;
a plurality of network connectable devices, each associated with one of the recipients for reading said e-mail and for enabling the recipients to browse the destination web site by actuating the link, each device being configured such that when the link is actuated the device sends to the computer system (i) a web site request message including the identifying information and (ii) a stale cookie in the event the device has previously received information from the intermediate web site;
wherein the computer system, in response to receiving the web site request message from a given device, (a) records the actuation of the link, (b) compares the data in the stale cookie, if received, against the identifying information passed back with the web site request message, (c) sends a redirection message to the given device so as to cause it to browse the destination web site, and (d) in the event the comparison in part (b) does not find a match or a stale cookie is not received, sends a fresh cookie to the given device and records the distribution of the fresh cookie in said database, said fresh cookie comprising information pertaining to the identities of the recipient and the destination web site.
17. A method for measuring the effectiveness of an Internet-based advertising campaign, comprising:
storing in a destination URL table a list of destination URLs and corresponding destination URL identifiers;
storing an e-mail recipient table in a database a list of e-mail recipient identifier and corresponding e-mail addresses;
creating a URL hits log table configured to comprise records of the e-mail recipient identifier and the destination URL identifier;
sending an e-mail advertisement to an e-mail recipient, said e-mail advertisement comprising at least one URL incorporating a code;
said code comprising an e-mail recipient identifier and a destination URL
identifier;
receiving a reply to said encoded URL from said e-mail recipient's browser;
storing said e-mail recipient identifier and said destination URL identifier in said URL
hits log table;
determining the destination URL using said destination URL identifier; and sending a redirect command to said browser redirecting said browser to the destination URL.
storing in a destination URL table a list of destination URLs and corresponding destination URL identifiers;
storing an e-mail recipient table in a database a list of e-mail recipient identifier and corresponding e-mail addresses;
creating a URL hits log table configured to comprise records of the e-mail recipient identifier and the destination URL identifier;
sending an e-mail advertisement to an e-mail recipient, said e-mail advertisement comprising at least one URL incorporating a code;
said code comprising an e-mail recipient identifier and a destination URL
identifier;
receiving a reply to said encoded URL from said e-mail recipient's browser;
storing said e-mail recipient identifier and said destination URL identifier in said URL
hits log table;
determining the destination URL using said destination URL identifier; and sending a redirect command to said browser redirecting said browser to the destination URL.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising a cache table of destination URLs and destination URL identifiers, wherein said step of determining the destination URL is performed by a dedicated cache process, said cache process accessing said cache table to determine the destination URL in preference to accessing said destination URL table.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
storing in a campaign table a list of campaign identifiers;
storing in a message table a list of mailing identifiers associated with specific campaign identifiers;
associating mailing identifiers with destination URL identifiers in said destination URL
table;
further configuring said URL hits log table to associate records of mailing identifiers and campaign identifiers with said records of an e-mail recipient identifier and a destination URL identifier;
said code further including a campaign identifier and a mailing identifier;
said step of storing said e-mail recipient identifier and said destination URL
identifier in said URL hits log table further including storing said campaign identifier and said mailing identifier in said URL hits log table.
storing in a campaign table a list of campaign identifiers;
storing in a message table a list of mailing identifiers associated with specific campaign identifiers;
associating mailing identifiers with destination URL identifiers in said destination URL
table;
further configuring said URL hits log table to associate records of mailing identifiers and campaign identifiers with said records of an e-mail recipient identifier and a destination URL identifier;
said code further including a campaign identifier and a mailing identifier;
said step of storing said e-mail recipient identifier and said destination URL
identifier in said URL hits log table further including storing said campaign identifier and said mailing identifier in said URL hits log table.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2001/000044 WO2001069462A2 (en) | 2000-03-16 | 2001-01-19 | System for measuring the effectiveness of internet based advertising or marketing campaigns |
| AU28213/01A AU2821301A (en) | 2000-03-16 | 2001-01-19 | System for measuring the effectiveness of internet based advertising or marketing campaigns |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US18988500P | 2000-03-16 | 2000-03-16 | |
| US60/189,885 | 2000-03-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2303541A1 true CA2303541A1 (en) | 2001-09-16 |
Family
ID=22699169
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2303541 Abandoned CA2303541A1 (en) | 2000-03-16 | 2000-03-30 | System for measuring the effectiveness of internet based advertising or marketing campaigns |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2303541A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2436183A (en) * | 2006-03-17 | 2007-09-19 | Empower Interactive Group Ltd | Monitoring selection of an embedded link in a message |
| EP2435979A2 (en) * | 2009-05-29 | 2012-04-04 | Google, Inc. | Matching content providers and interested content users |
-
2000
- 2000-03-30 CA CA 2303541 patent/CA2303541A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2436183A (en) * | 2006-03-17 | 2007-09-19 | Empower Interactive Group Ltd | Monitoring selection of an embedded link in a message |
| GB2436184A (en) * | 2006-03-17 | 2007-09-19 | Empower Interactive Group Ltd | Monitoring the distribution of messages |
| GB2436184B (en) * | 2006-03-17 | 2011-01-26 | Empower Interactive Group Ltd | Message forwarding system and method |
| GB2436183B (en) * | 2006-03-17 | 2011-01-26 | Empower Interactive Group Ltd | Message monitoring system and method |
| EP2435979A2 (en) * | 2009-05-29 | 2012-04-04 | Google, Inc. | Matching content providers and interested content users |
| EP2435979A4 (en) * | 2009-05-29 | 2014-10-22 | Google Inc | Matching content providers and interested content users |
| US10977723B2 (en) | 2009-05-29 | 2021-04-13 | Google Llc | Matching content providers and interested content users |
| US11810184B2 (en) | 2009-05-29 | 2023-11-07 | Google Llc | Matching content providers and interested content users |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |