Member engagement multi-objective optimization in a social network

Abstract

This disclosure relates to systems and methods that include obtaining from a member activity database, with a processor, data indicative of past interactions by members of a social network with content items associated with the social network, the content items including sponsored content items and organic content items. A positioning condition for content items is determined for individual members, based on the data as obtained, including sponsored content items and organic content items, on a user interface displayed to the individual members that is estimated to meet a optimization criterion, the optimization criterion including engagement with the content items by members individually and by members overall. The user interface is provided to one of the members based, at least in part, on the positioning condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining from a member activity database, with a processor, data indicative of past interactions by members of a social network with content items associated with the social network, the content items including sponsored content items and organic content items;   determining, with the processor, for individual members, based on the data as obtained, a positioning condition for content items, including sponsored content items and organic content items, on a user interface displayed to the individual members that is estimated to meet a optimization criterion, the optimization criterion including engagement with the content items by members individually and by members overall; and   providing, via a network interface, with the processor, the user interface to one of the members based, at least in part, on the positioning condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes hierarchical positions, individual content items being placed in individual positions, and wherein the positioning condition establishes a requirement for a distribution of sponsored content items in the positions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the distribution of sponsored content items is based on a density of sponsored content items in a predetermined window of consecutive positions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the distribution of sponsored content items is based on a number of intervening organic content items between sponsored content items in consecutive positions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the number of intervening organic content items is based, at least in part, on a number of positions that the processor is configured to cause to be displayed on the user interface at one time and an amount of time to cause the user interface to be displayed. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optimization criterion further includes a revenue constraint of the social network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the optimization criterion is selected to provide for a maximized revenue while maintaining member engagement individually and overall within a percentage of a baseline. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the user interface includes causing the content items to be displayed on a user device associated with one member of the individual members, and wherein member engagement individually is based, at least in part, on interaction by the one member with the content items. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the user interface includes causing the content items to be displayed on user devices individually associated with the individual members, and wherein member engagement overall is based, at least in part, on interaction by multiple members with the content items. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the interaction with the content items includes at least one of accessing a link included in the content item, commenting on the content item, sharing the content item, and providing an indication of approval of the content item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the organic content items are provided to the social network by the members and sponsored content items provided to the social network by sponsors of the sponsored content items, and wherein the operating condition is based, at least in part, on a percentage mix of organic content items and sponsored content items. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optimization criterion is based, at least in part, on engagement with the content items over a first time period and a second time period longer than the first time period. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 an electronic data storage, including:
 a content item source including sponsored content items and organic content items of a social network; and 
 a member activity database including data indicative of past interactions by members of the social network with the content items; 
   a network interface; and   a processor, configured to:
 obtain, from the member activity database, the data indicative of past interactions; 
 determine, for individual members, based on the data as obtained, a positioning condition for content items, including the sponsored content items and organic content items, on a user interface displayed to the individual members that is estimated to meet a optimization criterion, the optimization criterion including engagement with the content items by members individually and by members overall; and 
 provide, via a network interface, the user interface to one of the members based, at least in part, on the positioning condition. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface includes hierarchical positions, individual content items being placed in individual positions, and wherein the positioning condition establishes a requirement for a distribution of sponsored content items in the positions. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the distribution of sponsored content items is based on a density of sponsored content items in a predetermined window of consecutive positions. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the distribution of sponsored content items is based on a number of intervening organic content items between sponsored content items in consecutive positions. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to display a number of positions on the user interface at one time, and wherein the number of intervening organic content items is based, at least in part, on the number of positions and an amount of time to cause the user interface to be displayed. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the optimization criterion further includes a revenue constraint of the social network. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the optimization criterion is selected to provide for a maximized revenue while maintaining member engagement individually and overall within a percentage of a baseline. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to provide the user interface by causing the content items to be displayed on a user device associated with one member of the individual members, and wherein member engagement individually is based, at least in part, on interaction by the one member with the content items. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to provide the user interface by causing the content items to be displayed on user devices individually associated with the individual members, and wherein member engagement overall is based, at least in part, on interaction by multiple members with the content items. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the interaction with the content items includes at least one of accessing a link included in the content item, commenting on the content item, sharing the content item, and providing an indication of approval of the content item. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the organic content items are provided to the social network by the members and sponsored content items provided to the social network by sponsors of the sponsored content items, and wherein the operating condition is based, at least in part, on a percentage mix of organic content items and sponsored content items. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the optimization criterion is based, at least in part, on engagement with the content items over a first time period and a second time period longer than the first time period.