Selecting content using a location feature index

A system for providing content via a computer network, comprising:

• a data processing system comprising one or more processors configured to:
• receive, via the computer network, a request for content for display on a computing device;
• receive, via a sensor of the computing device, location information of the computing device;
• determine, based on the location information, a geographic location of the computing device;
• map the determined geographic location to a geographic area comprising the geographic location, the geographic area larger than the geographic location;
• determine non-geographic characteristics of the geographic area, wherein the non-geographic characteristics describe general semantic characteristics of the geographic area rather than indicate a location of a geographic area or actual goods or services associated with the geographic area, wherein the non-geographic characteristics are determined using one or more feature metrics of the geographic area, wherein the one or more feature metrics comprise at least one quantitative value relating to one or more non-geographic characteristic, and wherein the feature metrics include a quality of life metric, an education metric, a population metric, a topographical metric, or a climate metric;
• receive, from a database, a location feature index corresponding to the geographic area, the location feature index including keywords that identify the non-geographic characteristics of the geographic area;
• identify a particular keyword from the location feature index indicating a non-geographic characteristic of the geographic area;
• select, based on the particular keyword, a candidate content item for display on the computing device;
• and
• provide the selected candidate content item responsive to the received request.

A computer readable storage device having instructions that are executable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request for content for display on a computing device;
• receiving, via a sensor of the computing device, location information of the computing device;
• determining, based on the location information, a geographic location of the computing device;
• mapping the determined geographic location to a geographic area comprising the geographic location, the geographic area larger than the geographic location;
• determining non-geographic characteristics of the geographic area, wherein the non-geographic characteristics describe general semantic characteristics of the geographic area rather than indicate a location of a geographic area or actual goods or services associated with the geographic area, wherein the non-geographic characteristics are determined using one or more feature metrics of the geographic area, wherein the one or more feature metrics comprise at least one quantitative value relating to one or more non-geographic characteristic, and wherein the feature metrics include a quality of life metric, an education metric, a population metric, a topographical metric, or a climate metric;
• retrieving, from a database, a location feature index corresponding to the geographic area, the location feature index including keywords that identify the non-geographic characteristics of the geographic area;
• identifying a particular keyword from the location feature index indicating a non-geographic characteristic of the geographic area;
• selecting, based on the particular keyword, a candidate content item for display on the computing device;
• and
• providing the selected candidate content item responsive to the received request.