Detection of exit behavior of an internet user

Abstract

User action in the form of movement of a tracking device on a webpage, represented by cursor gestures on the webpage, is used to detect if a user intends to leave the webpage. Upon detection of an intent to leave the webpage, an advertisement may be displayed to a user. The advertisement may be targeted to the user and/or based on the content the user was viewing on the webpage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of detecting exit behavior of a user of a user device that accesses the internet, the method comprising:
 detecting a user accessing a webpage;   detecting exit behavior on the webpage,   
       wherein the step of detecting exit behavior comprises identifying a cursor gesture associated with exiting the webpage. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying a cursor gesture associated with exiting the webpage comprises one or more of: (i) identifying cursor acceleration at or below a predetermined value; (ii) breaking a plane of the webpage; and (iii) identifying cursor movement to a location of the webpage associated with leaving the webpage. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a step of displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage, the advertisement unit containing one or more advertisements that comprise a solicitation for a conversion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 collecting data associated with the user or the user device, wherein the step of detecting exit behavior on the webpage is at least partially based upon the data associated with the user or the user device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data associated with the user or the user device comprises one or more of: (i) a web browser being utilized by the user device; (ii) an operating system of the user or user device; (iii) whether Javascript has been enabled or disabled on the user device; (iv) a network connection speed of the user device; (v) an enabled cookie; (vi) screen resolution settings of the user device; and (vii) the presence of mouse gestures. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method of providing advertisements to a user of a user device that accesses the internet, the method comprising:
 detecting a user accessing a webpage;   collecting data associated with the user;   detecting exit behavior on the webpage; and   displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage, the advertisement unit containing one or more advertisements based at least partially on the data associated with the user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the data associated with the user comprises one or more of: (i) user search criteria; (ii) user identification information; (iii) user preferences; (iv) user location; (v) browser information; (vi) user device characteristics; and (vii) user referral history. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein collecting data associated with the user comprises obtaining one or more of: (i) the user search criteria on the webpage; (ii) login information associated with the user; (iii) a browsing history associated with the user; and (iv) an identifier associated with the user device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the exit behavior is based on tracked movement controlled by the user on the webpage and comprises an action indicating that the user intends to leave the webpage. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tracked movement controlled by the user on the webpage comprises cursor gestures on the webpage. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action indicating that the user intends to leave the webpage comprises one or more of: (i) an acceleration of the cursor gestures at or below a predetermined value; (ii) breaking a plane of the webpage with the cursor gestures; and (iii) cursor gestures to a portion of the webpage associated with leaving the webpage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 prior to displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage, allowing a time delay of a predetermined period of time to elapse; and   performing a subsequent detection of exit behavior on the webpage after the time delay has elapsed;   wherein the advertisement unit is not displayed on the webpage if exit behavior is not subsequently detected.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage comprises:
 populating a window with the one or more advertisements;   displaying the window over at least a portion of the webpage; and   shading the webpage so that the window is brighter in contrast than the webpage.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 in conjunction with detecting exit behavior on the webpage, determining a level of engagement of the user on the webpage; and   if the level of engagement of the user meets or exceeds baseline criteria associated with a baseline level of engagement, classifying the user as engaged;   wherein the advertisement unit might not displayed on the webpage.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more advertisements in the advertisement unit comprises one or more of: (i) a link to an advertisement webpage to view information associated with the one or more advertisements; (ii) a text description associated with the one or more advertisements; (iii) a clickable video associated with the one or more advertisements; and (iv) a solicitation for a conversion. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product encoded on a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for:
 detecting a user accessing a webpage;   collecting data associated with the user;   detecting exit behavior on the webpage; and   displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage, the advertisement unit containing one or more advertisements based at least partially on the data associated with the user.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the data associated with the user comprises one or more of: (i) user search criteria; (ii) user identification information; (iii) user preferences; (iv) user location; (v) browser information; (vi) user device characteristics; (vii) previous visit history; and (viii) referral history. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein collecting data associated with the user comprises obtaining one or more of: (i) the user search criteria on the webpage; (ii) login information associated with the user; (iii) a browsing history associated with the user; and (iv) an identifier associated with the user device. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the exit behavior is based on tracked movement controlled by the user on the webpage and comprises an action indicating that the user intends to leave the webpage. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the tracked movement controlled by the user on the webpage comprises cursor gestures on the webpage. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , wherein the action indicating that the user intends to leave the webpage comprises one or more of: (i) an acceleration of the cursor gestures at or below a predetermined value; (ii) breaking a plane of the webpage with the cursor gestures; and (iii) cursor gestures to a portion of the webpage associated with leaving the webpage. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for:
 prior to displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage, allowing a time delay of a predetermined period of time to elapse; and   performing a subsequent detection of exit behavior on the webpage after the time delay has elapsed;   wherein the advertisement unit is not displayed on the webpage if exit behavior is not subsequently detected.   
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein instructions for displaying an advertisement unit on the webpage comprise instructions for:
 populating a window with the one or more advertisements;   displaying the window over at least a portion of the webpage; and   shading the webpage so that the window is brighter in contrast than the webpage.   
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for:
 in conjunction with detecting exit behavior on the webpage, determining a level of engagement of the user on the webpage; and   if the level of engagement of the user meets or exceeds baseline criteria associated with a baseline level of engagement, classifying the user as engaged;   wherein the advertisement unit might not displayed on the webpage.   
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more advertisements in the advertisement unit comprises one or more of: (i) a link to an advertisement webpage to view information associated with the one or more advertisements; (ii) a text description associated with the one or more advertisements; and (iii) a clickable video associated with the one or more advertisements. 
     
     
         26 . A system comprising the computer program product of  claim 16 .