Click tracking using link styles

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• generating one or more webpages each including a link to a respective destination document hosted on a respective destination server;
• specifying a style for the link in each of the webpages according to a style sheet language, the style including a behavior trigger and a display property,
• wherein the display property includes a retrieval address for a resource at the one or more computers,
• wherein the behavior trigger is programmed to be activated by a user selection of the link on the webpage,
• wherein the activation causes a request for the resource from to be made to the retrieval address at the one or more computers, and,
• wherein the resource is different from the destination document and the destination server is different from the one or more computers;
• providing, in response to a search query from a client, the webpages, each with the specified style, to the client;
• receiving a plurality of requests for a resource from the client, wherein each request for the resource is caused an activation of a behavior trigger, and wherein the behavior trigger is specified in a style in one of the webpages for a link to a destination document;
• and
• counting how many times the client has selected the destination document in response to receiving the plurality of requests;
• and
• transmitting a respective reply to the client in response to each of the received requests for the resource, the respective reply having no cacheable content with regard to how many times the client has selected the destination document.

A system comprising:

• one or more computers;
• memory coupled to the one or more computers and storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
• generating one or more webpages each including a link to a respective destination document hosted on a respective destination server;
• specifying a style for the link in each of the webpages according to a style sheet language, the style including a behavior trigger and a display property,
• wherein the display property includes a retrieval address for a resource at the system,
• wherein the behavior trigger is programmed to be activated by a client's selection of the link on the webpage,
• wherein the activation causes a request for the resource to be made to the retrieval address at the system, and
• wherein the resource is different from the destination document and the destination server is different from the system;
• providing, in response to a search query received from a client, the webpages, each with the specified style, to the client;
• receiving a plurality of requests for a resource from the client, wherein each request for the resource is caused by an activation of a behavior trigger, and wherein the behavior trigger is specified in a style in one of the webpages for a link to a destination document;
• counting how many times the client has selected the destination document in response to receiving the plurality of requests;
• and
• transmitting a respective reply to the client in response to each of the received requests for the resource, the respective reply having no cacheable content with regard to how many times the client has selected the destination document.

A system comprising:

• one or more computers;
• memory coupled to the one or more computers and storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
• generating one or more webpages each including a link to a respective destination document hosted on a respective destination server;
• specifying a style for the link in each of the webpages according to a style sheet language, the style including a behavior trigger and a display property,
• wherein the display property includes a retrieval address for a resource at the system,
• wherein the behavior trigger is programmed to be activated by a client's selection of the link on the webpage,
• wherein the activation causes a request for the resource to be made to the retrieval address at the system, and
• wherein the resource is different from the destination document and the destination server is different from the system;
• providing, in response to a search query received from a client, the webpages, each with the specified style, to the client;
• receiving a plurality of requests for a resource from the client, wherein each request for the resource is caused by an activation of a behavior trigger, and wherein the behavior trigger is specified in a style in one of the webpages for a link to a destination document;
• and
• counting how many times the client has selected the destination document in response to receiving the plurality of requests;
• and
• transmitting a respective reply to the client in response to each of the received requests for the resource, the respective reply having no cacheable content with regard to how many times the client has selected the destination document.