Method and apparatus for determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search

A method of determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search, said method comprising the steps of:

• creating a plurality of search volume tiers by partitioning a plurality of search terms into a plurality of search volume tiers based upon the volume of searches on each search term of said plurality of search terms;
• creating a plurality of price per click tiers by partitioning search terms within each search volume tier based upon a price per click for each search term;
• creating a plurality of liquidity tiers by partitioning search terms in each price per click tier by liquidity;
• and
• evaluating a search term to determine a new price per click value increase.

A method of determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search, said method comprising the steps of:

• creating a plurality of search volume tiers by partitioning a plurality of search terms into a plurality of search volume tiers based upon the volume of searches on each search term of said plurality of search terms;
• creating a plurality of price per click tiers by partitioning search terms within each search volume tier based upon a price per click for each search term;
• creating a plurality of liquidity tiers by partitioning search terms in each price per click tier by liquidity;
• determining which search terms of said plurality of search terms should be evaluated for a minimum price per click value;
• evaluating said search terms for a minimum price per click value;
• and
• establishing a minimum price per click value for at least one search term.

A method of determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search, said method comprising the steps of:

• identifying advertisers bidding on a search term;
• creating a list of other search terms that said advertisers are also bidding on;
• determining a minimum bid for a search term based upon bids related to the other search terms;
• and
• applying a minimum bid to said search term.

A method of determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search, said method comprising the steps of:

• creating a plurality of search volume tiers by partitioning a plurality of search terms into a plurality of search volume tiers based upon the volume of searches on each search term of said plurality of search terms;
• creating a plurality of price per click tiers by partitioning search terms within each search volume tier based upon a price per click for each search term;
• creating a plurality of liquidity tiers by partitioning search terms in each price per click tier by liquidity;
• evaluating said search terms in predetermined tiers based upon real time data;
• determining a search term which has a low price per click;
• identifying advertisers bidding on a search term;
• creating a list of other search terms that said advertisers are also bidding on;
• determining a minimum bid based upon the bids related to the other search terms;
• and
• setting a minimum price per click value for said search term based upon real time data.

A system for determining a minimum price per click for a term in an auction based internet search, said system comprising:

• a server receiving a bid for a search term in an auction based internet search, said server determining that said search term has a low price per click;
• a database coupled to said server and storing information related to a plurality of search terms;
• and
• a minimum price per click established by said server based upon information related to said plurality of search terms and stored in said database.