System and method for contextual advertising and merchandizing based on user configurable preferences

A method comprising:

• presenting to a user, by a computer processor, user preference information comprising user segment information that communicates how the user has been automatically classified for targeted advertising,
• responsive to detecting user selection of the user preference information, enabling user configuration of the user preference information;
• and
• modifying the presentation of advertising to the user based on the user preference information configured by the user.

A method comprising:

• using a data processor to obtain user preference information related to advertising;
• using the data processor to generate from the user preference information one or more selectable user segments for a user, the one or more selectable user segments defining how the user is automatically classified, based on user behavior or demographics, for the purpose of targeted advertising;
• using the data processor to receive information from the user selecting one or more of the user segments;
• using the data processor to automatically select an advertisement for delivery to the user, the selection being based on the one or more selected user segments.

A computer-readable hardware storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes

• the computer to execute the following operations:
• obtaining user preference information related to advertising;
• presenting one or more user segments to a user with whom the segments are associated, the one or more segments defining how the user has been previously automatically classified, based on user behavior or demographics, for the purpose of targeted advertising;
• enabling user configuration of the one or more segments;
• and
• automatically modifying the presentation of advertising to the user based upon one or more user configured segments.

A computer-readable hardware storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, causes the computer to execute the following operations:

• obtaining user preference information related to advertising, the user preference information relating to a user;
• generating one or more user segments for the user, the one or more user segments defining how the user is automatically classified, based on user behavior or demographics, for the purpose of targeted advertising, the one or more segments being user configurable to produce one or more user configured segments;
• receiving one or more user configured segments;
• and
• automatically selecting an advertisement for delivery to the user, the selection being based on the one or more user configured segments.

A system comprising:

• a computer processor and memory coupled to the computer processor, the computer processor and memory configured to obtain from an advertising (ad) preferences service user preference information related to advertising;
• present one or more user segments to a particular user with whom the segments are associated, the one or more segments defining how the user has been previously automatically classified by the preference information, based on user behavior or demographics, for the purpose of targeted advertising;
• enable user configuration of the one or more segments;
• and
• automatically modify the presentation of advertising to the user based upon the one or more user configured segments.

A system comprising:

• a computer processor and computer storage configured to obtain from an advertising (ad) preferences service user preference information related to advertising, the user preference information relating to a user;
• generate from the user preference information one or more user segments for the user, the one or more segments defining how the user is automatically classified into the one or more segments, based on user behavior or demographics, for the purpose of targeted advertising, the one or more segments being user selectable to produce one or more segments selected by the user;
• receive one or more of the segments selected by the user;
• and
• automatically select an advertisement for delivery to the user, the selection being based on the one or more segments selected by the user.