Modification of advertising campaigns based on virality

A system for updating an advertising campaign parameter, the system comprising:

• a processor operable to execute instructions stored in a memory;
• and
• the memory, which includes a library of digital media content and specific instructions regarding how to improve effectiveness of an advertising campaign for a piece of digital media content,
• wherein the specific instructions are configured to:
• cause a website to be presented to a viewer that allows the viewer to select, view, and share digital media content from the library;
• determine whether a record exists for the viewer in a lookup database;
• responsive to a determination that the record does not exist in the lookup database,
• generate a unique identifier for the viewer;
• dynamically link the unique identifier and the viewer in a new record that is stored in the lookup database;
• and
• append the unique identifier and a first generation value to a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) embedded within a first link that is shareable by the viewer;
• responsive to a determination that the record does exist in the lookup database,
• identify a recognized identifier associated with the viewer,
• wherein the recognized identifier is part of the record;
• and
• append the recognized identifier and a second generation value to a second URL embedded within a second link that is shareable by the viewer;
• allow the viewer to share the piece of digital media content by distributing the first link or the second link;
• identify a subsequent viewer who accessed the piece of digital media content via the first link or the second link;
• and
• associate the subsequent viewer with a generation based on
• whichever of the first link and the second link was used to access the piece of digital media content,
• wherein the first and second generation values specify how many times the piece of digital media content has been shared before being accessed by the subsequent viewer via the first and second links, respectively.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• identifying a viewer who has accessed a website that includes digital media content that is readily shareable;
• determining whether the viewer corresponds to an entry within a lookup database;
• responsive to a determination that the entry corresponding to the viewer exists,
• identifying a recognized identifier that is associated with the viewer;
• and
• appending the recognized identifier and a first generation value to a first Uniform Resource Locator (URL) embedded within a first shareable link;
• responsive to a determination that the entry corresponding to the viewer does not exist,
• generating a unique identifier for the viewer;
• dynamically linking the unique identifier and the viewer in a new record that is stored in the lookup database;
• and
• appending the unique identifier and a second generation value to a second URL embedded within a second shareable link;
• allowing the viewer to share a piece of digital media content by distributing the first shareable link or the second shareable link;
• and
• determining value of the viewer to an advertising campaign based on
• a total count of subsequent viewers who accessed the piece of digital media content via the first shareable link or the second shareable link,
• a total profit generated by the subsequent viewers, and
• a social lift metric that indicates whether the piece of digital media content is increasing or decreasing in popularity.