Generating customized content

#This disclosure relates generally to generating customized content.

#The Internet provides access to a wide variety of resources. For example, video, audio, and Web pages are accessible over the Internet. These resources present opportunities for other content (e.g., advertising or non-advertising content, such as audio, video, or the like) to be provided with the resources. For example, a Web page can include slots in which content can be presented. Similarly, such slots can be part of television programming.

#Slots can be allocated to content providers (e.g., advertisers). In some systems, a network can be used to allocate content to the slots based, e.g., on various factors relating to the content and the context in which it is to be presented. For example, the content can be allocated based, in part, on keywords input to a system, such as a search engine. An auction can be performed for the right to present advertising in a slot. In the auction, content sponsors provide bids specifying amounts that the content sponsors are willing to pay for presentation of their content. Typically, the winning bidder is given the right to present content.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system for distributing content to users over a network.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portion of the system of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is an example of a social graph.

#Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

#Described herein are techniques for generating customized content, such as customized advertisements. The processes may include receiving a search query from a computing device associated with a user. For example, the user may enter keywords into a search engine in order to perform an online search for electronic content associated with those keywords. The processes may also identify user-specific content. For example, the user-specific content may be information about the user that is relevant to the original keywords. For example, if the user is searching for life insurance, then the user-specific content may be the user's age. More specifically, a person's age may be a relevant factor in determining what types of life insurance best fits their needs. In another example, if the user is searching for information about sports, then the user-specific content may be the person's alma mater. More specifically, a person's alma mater may be a relevant factor in determining which teams that the person is interested in following. The user-specific content may also be based on the user's social connections.

#The processes also include obtaining content that relates to the search query. The content may be, e.g., advertising that includes a field that is configurable. The field of the electronic content may be configured based on the user-specific content. For example, the content may be an ad for life insurance that includes a text field, along with a message. The processes may incorporate the user's age into the text field, thereby providing a customized ad for life insurance that includes a customized message, e.g., “Happy 25th Birthday, John Smith. Please check out our newest life insurance product for people in their 20's”. Such a customized ad may be output, e.g., along with search results or along with content (e.g., a Web page) provided as a result of searching.