Method and system for identifying keywords for use in placing keyword-targeted advertisements

A method in a computer system for identifying phrases related to an item from documents related to the item, the method comprising:

• generating a score for words of the documents, the score indicating relatedness of the word to the item;
• selecting words with top scores;
• locating each selected word within the documents as an anchor word of a phrase;
• and
• extending each phrase by words proximate to the phrase based on relatedness of the extended phrase to the item.

A computer system for identifying search terms for advertising an item, the comprising:

• a document store containing documents relating to the item;
• a component that identifies phrases of words within the documents of the document store that are related to the item;
• and
• a component that derives from the identified phrases search terms for advertising the item.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to identify phrases related to an item from information sources related to the item, by a method comprising:

• generating a score for words of the information sources, a generated score indicating relatedness of the word to the item;
• locating within the information sources words with top scores as an anchor word of a phrase;
• and
• extending each phrase starting with the anchor word of the phrase by words proximate to the phrase based on relatedness of the extended phrase to the item.