System and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine

A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising:

• receiving a search request from a searcher;
• in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request;
• selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher;
• arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display in a random order weighted according to the bid amount associated with each respective identified search listing;
• and
• communicating the search result list to the searcher.

A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising:

• receiving a search request from a searcher;
• in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request;
• selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher;
• arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display in a random order weighted according to the bid rank associated with each respective identified search listing;
• and
• communicating the search result list to the searcher.

A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising:

• receiving a search request from a searcher;
• in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request;
• selecting according to bid amount a variable number of identified search listings for display to the searcher, the number of selected identified search listings being a function of the bid amounts for the identified search listings;
• arranging the identified search listings for display as the search result list;
• and
• communicating the search result list to the searcher.

A method for operating a search system, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of search listing records, each search listing record including
• data defining a search term,
• data defining a bid amount chargeable to an advertiser upon receipt of a click through selecting the search listing among displayed search results;
• receiving from the advertiser a new desired rank for a search listing;
• determining a new bid amount for the search listing required to achieve the new desired rank for the search listing;
• and
• updating the stored search listing with the new bid amount.