Sponsored search results re-ranking based on linking associations

A computer-implemented system of re-ranking sponsored search results in response to a search query, the system comprising:

• a search engine having a memory, a processor, and a communication interface through which the search engine retrieves one or more organic search results and a plurality of sponsored search results (“search results”), along with respective rankings of the one or more organic search results and the plurality of sponsored search results, associated with a search query;
• an operator determiner coupled with the search engine to determine a degree of association between each sponsored search result and the other search results through analyzing web links between the plurality of sponsored search results, the one or more organic search results, and other web documents to or from which the search results are at least indirectly linked;
• and
• a re-ranking engine coupled with the operator determiner and the search engine to re-rank the plurality of sponsored search results based on the degree of association between each respective sponsored search result and the other search results;
• and to store in the memory the plurality of re-ranked search results in relation to the search query.

A computer-implemented method of re-ranking sponsored search results by a search engine in response to a search query, the method comprising:

• retrieving, by a search engine, one or more organic search results and a plurality of sponsored search results (“search results”), along with respective rankings of the one or more organic search results and the plurality of sponsored search results, associated with a search query;
• determining, by the search engine, a degree of association between domain names of each sponsored search result and domain names of the other search results through analyzing web links between domain names of the plurality of sponsored search results, of the one or more organic search results, and of other web documents to or from which the search results are at least indirectly linked;
• re-ranking, by the search engine, the plurality of sponsored search results based on the degree of association between domain names of each respective sponsored search result and domain names of the other search results;
• and
• storing in memory, by the search engine, the plurality of re-ranked sponsored search results in relation to the search query.