Search Results Through Interest Circles

A computer-readable medium bearing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computing system comprising at least a processor executing instructions retrieved from the medium, carry out a method for responding to a search query from a user, the method comprising:

• obtaining network navigation data of a first plurality of computer users, and for each of the first plurality of computer users:
• identifying a set of interest circles corresponding to the computer user based on the computer user's network navigation data;
• and
• storing the set of interest circles in an interest circles store in association with the computer user;
• receiving a search query from a requesting computer user, the search query being directed to a query topic;
• obtaining a set of search results responsive to the search query;
• identifying a second plurality of computer users, each of the second plurality of computer users being identified as having an established interest circle corresponding to the query topic;
• ordering the set of search results according to the interest circles of the identified second plurality of computer users;
• and
• returning higher ordered search results to the requesting computer user.

A computer system for responding to a search query with search results, the system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the memory as part of or in conjunction with additional components to respond to a search query, the additional components comprising:

• a network communication component configured to receive queries over a network and respond to the queries with search results;
• a search results retrieval component that identifies a plurality of search results responsive to a query topic of the search query;
• and
• a search results ranking component that is configured to:
• identify a plurality of computer users, wherein each of the plurality of computer users is identified as having an established interest circle corresponding to the query topic of the search query;
• and
• order the set of search results according to the interest circles of the identified plurality of computer users;
• and
• a search results page generator that generates one or more search results pages according to the higher ordered search results and returns the one or more search results pages to the requesting computer user.