Dynamic content item creation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing a customized content item. A method includes: receiving a content request; identifying one or more user device attributes and/or a context of the request; identifying a content item having distribution parameters matching the context and/or user device attributes and including one or more variables that are resolved based on the context or the one or more user device attributes; selecting, as modifying data, a subset of feed data to which the one or more variables for the content item will be resolved, including: identifying the feed data, evaluating the feed data to locate the subset; and selecting the modifying data; and modifying the content item, at least in part, by including, in place of the one or more variables, the selected modifying data; and providing the modified content item in response to the request.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method performed by one or more data processing apparatus, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for content;   identifying information associated with a specific user device that is associated with the request and one or more user device attributes and/or a context of the request;   identifying a content item having distribution parameters matching the context and/or user device attributes, the identified content item including one or more variables that are resolved based on the context or the one or more user device attributes;   in response to receiving the request:
 selecting, as modifying data, a proper subset of feed data to which the one or more variables for the content item will be resolved, the selection being based on a matching of the context or one or more user device attributes to the proper subset of feed data including: 
 identifying the feed data; 
 evaluating one or more rules or elements of the feed data to locate the proper subset; and 
 selecting modifying data based on the evaluating; and 
 modifying the content item to be provided in response to the request, the content item being modified, at least in part, by including, in place of the one or more variables, the selected modifying data; and 
   providing the modified content item in response to the request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feed data is stored in a data structure and wherein evaluating includes evaluating a rule associated with an entry in the data structure to determine when the entry includes data to be included in the modifying data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feed data is stored in a data structure that includes plural entries, and wherein each entry includes one or more criteria for evaluation as against the context or one or more user device attributes, and wherein evaluating includes selecting an entry based on a matching of the criteria to the context or one or more user device attributes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feed data is stored in a data structure and wherein an entry in the data structure includes a criterion that is specified by an external condition, and wherein evaluating includes retrieving information for the external condition and comparing the information to the context, and upon determining a match, selecting information from the entry as the modifying data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein selecting information from the entry includes identifying an external source of information and retrieving data from the external source and using the retrieved data as the modifying data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying feed data occurs automatically based on a comparison of the entries in the feed data to the context or one or more user device attributes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method further comprises receiving from a content sponsor associated with the content item the feed data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising receiving updates to the feed data from the content sponsor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the updates are pushed into the feed data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising pulling updated data into the feed data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the updated data is one or more criteria for use in selecting the proper subset. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a request includes receiving a query including one or more query terms and receiving from the content sponsor matching criteria for use in selecting the proper subset, wherein selecting includes comparing the matching criteria to portions of the feed data to locate the proper subset. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the matching criteria are selected from the group comprising one or more additional columns in the data feed, a separate feed, or a matching function. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the proper subset includes a countdown element, and wherein modifying the content item includes determining a base start time and a current count down time based at least in part on the base start time and presenting a representation of the current count down time in the content item as part of the modifying data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the representation is a rolling counter that counts from the current count down time while the content item is displayed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the context includes a definition that specifies users that have been to a specific part of a content sponsor website, a match type of a keyword associated with the request, a network associated with the request, a device type associated with a requesting device or some combination of these. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memory elements including instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a request for content; 
 identify information associated with a specific user device that is associated with the request and one or more user device attributes and/or a context of the request; 
 identify a content item having distribution parameters matching the context and/or user device attributes, the identified content item including one or more variables that are resolved based on the context or the one or more user device attributes; 
 in response to receiving the request:
 select, as modifying data, a proper subset of feed data to which the one or more variables for the content item will be resolved, the selection being based on a matching of the context or one or more user device attributes to the proper subset of feed data including: 
 identify the feed data; 
 evaluate one or more rules or elements of the feed data to locate the proper subset; and 
 select modifying data based on the evaluating; and 
 modify the content item to be provided in response to the request, the content item being modified, at least in part, by including, in place of the one or more variables, the selected modifying data; and 
 
 provide the modified content item in response to the request. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the feed data is stored in a data structure that includes plural entries, and wherein each entry includes one or more criteria for evaluation as against the context or one or more user device attributes, and wherein evaluating includes selecting an entry based on a matching of the criteria to the context or one or more user device attributes. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage device and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a request for content;   identify information associated with a specific user device that is associated with the request and one or more user device attributes and/or a context of the request;   identify a content item having distribution parameters matching the context and/or user device attributes, the identified content item including one or more variables that are resolved based on the context or the one or more user device attributes;   in response to receiving the request:
 select, as modifying data, a proper subset of feed data to which the one or more variables for the content item will be resolved, the selection being based on a matching of the context or one or more user device attributes to the proper subset of feed data including: 
 identify the feed data; 
 evaluate one or more rules or elements of the feed data to locate the proper subset; and 
 select modifying data based on the evaluating; and 
 modify the content item to be provided in response to the request, the content item being modified, at least in part, by including, in place of the one or more variables, the selected modifying data; and 
   provide the modified content item in response to the request.   
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 19  wherein the feed data is stored in a data structure that includes plural entries, and wherein each entry includes one or more criteria for evaluation as against the context or one or more user device attributes, and wherein evaluating includes selecting an entry based on a matching of the criteria to the context or one or more user device attributes.