Content item allocation

A method performed by one or more data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a data processing apparatus and during a reservation period, a request for a resource that includes a content item slot that has been reserved by one or more reservation content item providers;
• determining, by the data processing apparatus, an expected revenue that will be obtained by selecting one of the reservation content item providers to provide a content item in response to receiving the content item request data;
• and
• providing, by the data processing apparatus and to a content item exchange, a reserve price that is based on the expected revenue.

A system comprising:

• a data processing apparatus;
• and
• a data store storing instructions that, upon execution, cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, during a reservation period, a request for a resource that includes a content item slot that has been reserved by one or more reservation content item providers;
• determining an expected revenue that will be obtained by selecting one of the reservation content item providers to provide a content item in response to receiving the content item request data;
• and
• providing to a content item exchange, a reserve price that is based on the expected revenue.

A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that when executed by a data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, during a reservation period, a request for a resource that includes a content item slot that has been reserved by one or more reservation content item providers;
• determining an expected revenue that will be obtained by selecting one of the reservation content item providers to provide a content item in response to receiving the content item request data;
• and
• providing to a content item exchange, a reserve price that is based on the expected revenue.