Identifying similar items based on interaction history

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to identify two or more similar items within a plurality of digital content items available to a group of users, by performing the steps of:

• providing, via a web server, a web-based interface to a group of users for interacting with a plurality of digital content items, wherein the web-based interface is provided to each user of the group of users through a networked device and enables each user to individually interact with each of the plurality of digital content items;
• determining, at web server, a first count that indicates a number of times users within the group of users have interacted with any other item in the plurality of digital content items, after interacting with a first item included in the plurality of digital content items, the group of users interacting with the first item via web content browsers interacting with the web server through a network;
• determining, at the web server, a second count that indicates a number of times users within the group of users have interacted with a second item included in the plurality of digital content items, after interacting with the first item, the group of users interacting with the second item via web content browsers interacting with the web server through a network;
• computing, by operation of one or more computer processors, a likelihood of a particular user within the group of users interacting with the second item after interacting with the first item, based on the first count and the second count;
• computing a similarity score indicative of a similarity between the first item and the second item, based on the computed likelihood and a popularity score associated with the second item;
• and
• transmitting a recommendation for the second item, via a web content browser, to a user that has interacted with the first digital content item, via the web content browser, based on the similarity score.

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory containing a program that, when executed by the processor, performs an operation for identifying two or more similar items within a plurality of items available to a group of users, the operation comprising:
• providing, via a web server, a web-based interface to a group of users for interacting with a plurality of digital content items, wherein the web-based interface is provided to each user of the group of users through a networked device and enables each user to individually interact with each of the plurality of digital content items;
• determining, at the web server, a first count that indicates a number of times users within the group of users have interacted with any other item in the plurality of digital content items, after interacting with a first item included in the plurality of digital content items, the group of users interacting with the first item via web content browsers interacting with the web server through a network,
• determining, at the web server, a second count that indicates a number of times users within the group of users have interacted with a second item included in the plurality of digital content items, after interacting with the first item, the group of users interacting with the second item via web content browsers interacting with the web server through a network,
• computing, by operation of one or more computer processors, a likelihood of a particular user within the group of users interacting with the second item after interacting with the first item, based on the first count and the second count,
• computing a similarity score indicative of a similarity between the first item and the second item, based on the computed likelihood and a popularity score associated with the second item, and
• transmitting a recommendation for the second item, via a web content browser, to a user that has interacted with the first digital content item, via the web content browser, based on the similarity score.