Management of cannibalistic ads to improve internet advertising efficiency

A server computer implemented on a cannibalistic advertising system (CAS), comprising:

• a processor;
• a communication interface in communication with the processor;
• a data storage for storing at least one cannibalism rule, wherein the at least one cannibalism rule generates a cannibalism score, wherein a cannibalism score for an ad indicates whether the ad is cannibalistic such that it generates a reduced value due to its ad position in a search engine results page (SERP) and to a listing position of a corresponding unpaid listing in the same SERP, and wherein the at least one cannibalism rule is based on an ad position of an ad and a listing position of a corresponding unpaid listing, wherein an ad is provided by an advertiser and is supplied to a search engine and specifies a link to a landing page, wherein a landing page is a web page within a domain, wherein in response to receiving a keyword from a web browser a search engine returns SERP, and wherein a SERP includes (1) at least one ad, and (2) at least one unpaid listing, wherein an unpaid listing includes a link to a landing page, and wherein an ad has an ad position within a web page in relation to other ads wherein the first ad position is the most valuable position and larger ad position values are less valuable and an unpaid listing has an unpaid listing position within a web page in relation to other unpaid listings wherein the first unpaid listing position is the most valuable position and larger unpaid listing position values are less valuable;
• a memory in communication with the processor for storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the server:
• to gather a plurality of keywords;
• to periodically determine whether to purchase a designated ad from the plurality of received ads wherein periodically determining comprises:
• performing a keyword search to obtain a SERP for the keyword that corresponds to the designated ad;
• determining an ad position for the designated ad in the SERP and an unpaid listing position for each unpaid listing in the SERP that corresponds to the designated ad;
• and
• generating a cannibalism score for the designated ad by applying the at least one cannibalism rule to the designated ad;
• and
• to execute an ad buy for the gathered plurality of ads, wherein if the generated cannibalism score for an ad indicates that the ad is cannibalistic then the ad is not purchased.