Search engine for selecting targeted messages

A search engine for selecting a targeted message, the search engine comprising:

• a receiving module for receiving one or more query terms from a client;
• a web directory access module for accessing a web directory holding references to documents, each document associated with one or more categories, and for identifying a set of documents referenced in the web directory that match the one or more query terms;
• a category selection module for probabilistically selecting a category responsive to the one or more categories associated with the documents identified by the web directory access module;
• and
• a message database access module for accessing a database of messages, the messages each associated with at least one category, and for selecting a message associated with the category selected by the category selection module.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for selecting a targeted message, the computer-readable code comprising:
• a receiving module for receiving one or more query terms from a client;
• a web directory access module for accessing a web directory holding references to documents, each document associated with one or more categories, and for identifying a set of documents referenced in the web directory that match the one or more query terms;
• a category selection module for probabilistically selecting a category responsive to the one or more categories associated with the documents identified by the web directory access module;
• and
• a message database access module for accessing a database of messages, the messages each associated with at least one category, and for selecting a message associated with the category selected by the category selection module.