Distributing content items

Abstract

Information regarding display of selected content items in assigned slots is provided. The information is based on a selected template that includes areas for groups of slots for related content items, such as content items that are targeted to a common targeting object. Candidate content items, identified based on targeting or other distribution information, are assigned to selected slots to determine at least part of the information regarding display of the selected content items.

1 . A method comprising:
 selecting a first set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the first set and a first search query input by a user;   selecting a second set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the second set and a second search query generated by one or more processors from the first search query;   accessing first information regarding the first set of candidate content items, the first information including, for candidate content items in the first set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a first candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the first candidate content item and a quality score for the first candidate content item;   accessing second information regarding the second set of candidate content items, the second information including, for candidate content items in the second set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a second candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the second candidate content item and a quality score for the second candidate content item;   selecting, by one or more processors, valid templates based on a user interface constraint, the first information, and the second information, a valid template including multiple areas for display of content items, each area of a valid template including at least one slot;   for the valid templates, associating keywords with areas of a valid template and assigning a content item associated with a corresponding keyword to a slot of an area, where content items from the first candidate content items are assigned to a first area and content items from the second candidate content items are assigned to a second area;   scoring the valid templates based on bid information and quality score for content items assigned to a valid template being scored;   selecting a template from among the valid templates based on a score of the valid template; and   providing display information for use in generating a display based on the template selected, the display comprising a link to execute a first search based on the first search query presented with the first candidate content items assigned to the first area, and a link to execute a second search based on the second search query presented with the second candidate content items assigned to the second area.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the template comprises selecting the template from among ones of the valid templates that have assigned content items and that meet criteria of one or more business rules regarding content item display preferences. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein assigning comprises ranking candidate content items of the first set of candidate content items, ranking candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items, assigning ranked candidate content items of the first set to the first area of the template, and assigning ranked candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items to the second area of the template. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein scoring each template is based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with content items assigned to slots of each template. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content items in the first set of candidate content items and content items in the second set of candidate content items each include advertising content. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers; and   one or more storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 selecting a first set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the first set and a first search query input by a user; 
 selecting a second set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the second set and a second search query generated by the one or more computers from the first search query; 
 accessing first information regarding the first set of candidate content items, the first information including, for candidate content items in the first set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a first candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the first candidate content item and a quality score for the first candidate content item; 
 accessing second information regarding the second set of candidate content items, the second information including, for candidate content items in the second set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a second candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the second candidate content item and a quality score for the second candidate content item; 
 selecting valid templates based on a user interface constraint, the first information, and the second information, a valid template including multiple areas for display of content items, each area of a valid template including at least one slot; 
 for the valid templates, associating keywords with areas of a valid template and assigning a content item associated with a corresponding keyword to a slot of an area, where content items from the first candidate content items are assigned to a first area and content items from the second candidate content items are assigned to a second area; 
 scoring the valid templates based on bid information and quality score for content items assigned to a valid template being scored; 
 selecting a template from among the valid templates based on a score of the valid template; and 
 providing display information for use in generating a display based on template selected, the display comprising a link to execute a first search based on the first search query presented with the first candidate content items assigned to the first area, and a link to execute a second search based on the second search query presented with the second candidate content items assigned to the second area. 
   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein selecting the template comprises selecting the template from among ones of the valid templates that have assigned content items and that meet criteria of one or more business rules regarding content item display preferences. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein assigning comprises ranking candidate content items of the first set of candidate content items, ranking candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items, assigning ranked candidate content items of the first set to the first area of the template, and assigning ranked candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items to the second area of the template. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein scoring each template is based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with content items assigned to slots of each template. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the content items in the first set of candidate content items and content items in the second set of candidate content items each include advertising content. 
     
     
         17 . One or more non-transitory computer storage devices storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 selecting a first set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the first set and a first search query input by a user;   selecting a second set of candidate content items based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with candidate content items in the second set and a second search query generated by the one or more processors from the first search query;   accessing first information regarding the first set of candidate content items, the first information including, for candidate content items in the first set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a first candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the first candidate content item and a quality score for the first candidate content item;   accessing second information regarding the second set of candidate content items, the second information including, for candidate content items in the second set, bid information regarding a price a provider of a second candidate content item is willing to pay for distribution of the second candidate content item and a quality score for the second candidate content item;   selecting, by the one or more processors, valid templates based on a user interface constraint, the first information, and the second information, a valid template including multiple areas for display of content items, each area of a valid template including at least one slot;   for the valid templates, associating keywords with areas of a valid template and assigning a content item associated with a corresponding keyword to a slot of an area, where content items from the first candidate content items are assigned to a first area and content items from the second candidate content items are assigned to a second area;   scoring the valid templates based on bid information and quality score for content items assigned to a valid template being scored;   selecting a template from among the valid templates based on a score of the valid template; and   providing display information for use in generating a display based on the template selected, the display comprising a link to execute a first search based on the first search query presented with the first candidate content items assigned to the first area, and a link to execute a second search based on the second search query presented with the second candidate content items assigned to the second area.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage devices of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the template comprises selecting the template from among ones of the valid templates that have assigned content items and that meet criteria of one or more business rules regarding content item display preferences. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage devices of  claim 17 , wherein assigning comprises ranking candidate content items of the first set of candidate content items, ranking candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items, assigning ranked candidate content items of the first set to the first area of the template, and assigning ranked candidate content items of the second set of candidate content items to the second area of the template. 
     
     
         21 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage devices of  claim 17 , wherein scoring each template is based, at least in part, on distribution information associated with content items assigned to the slots of each template. 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The one or more non-transitory computer storage devices of  claim 17 , wherein the content items in the first set of candidate content items and content items in the second set of candidate content items each include advertising content.