Methods and apparatus to monitor consumer behavior associated with location-based web services

Abstract

Example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor consumer behavior associated with location-based web services are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves receiving a query from a mobile device including a query criterion and a first location identifier. A second location identifier is retrieved from a database that associates the second location identifier with an advertisement identifier indicative of an advertisement at a fixed location. The advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier is credited as having been exposed to a user of the mobile device in response to the first location identifier matching the second location identifier or the first location identifier indicating a first location within a distance of a second location indicated by the second location identifier.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a query from a mobile device including a query criterion and a first location identifier;   retrieving a second location identifier from a database that associates the second location identifier with an advertisement identifier indicative of an advertisement at a fixed location; and   crediting the advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier as having been exposed to a user of the mobile device in response to the first location identifier matching the second location identifier or the first location identifier indicating a first location within a distance of a second location indicated by the second location identifier.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the query criterion includes at least one of barcode information, a product search term, or a retail establishment search term. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising storing the query criterion and the first location identifier in a second database. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable meter, or a portable digital communicator. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the advertisement identifier is indicative of at least one of a billboard advertisement, a poster advertisement, an audio advertisement presented via a stationary audio advertiser, or a video advertisement presented via a stationary video advertiser. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a retail establishment identifier indicative of a retail establishment visited by the user and crediting the advertisement as having influenced the user to visit the retail establishment in response to the advertisement being associated with the retail establishment. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the advertisement is associated with the retail establishment when the advertisement advertises at least one of the retail establishment or a product offered by the retail establishment. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising associating user behavior information to at least one of an advertisement type of the advertisement, a size of the advertisement, or repetition of exposure to the advertisement. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the user behavior information includes at least one of purchase information, path of travel information, or query information. 
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the advertisement type includes at least one of a billboard type, a poster type, an audio type, or a video type. 
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising crediting a search result associated with the query as having influenced a user action in response to the search result being related to the user action. 
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the user action is at least one of making a purchase or visiting a retail establishment. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a receiver to receive a query from a mobile device including a query criterion and a first location identifier;   a database to associate a second location identifier with an advertisement identifier indicative of an advertisement at a fixed location; and   an analyzer to credit the advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier as having been exposed to a user of the mobile device in response to the first location identifier matching the second location identifier or the first location identifier being indicative of a first location within a distance of a second location indicated by the second location identifier.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the receiver is further to receive a retail establishment identifier indicative of a retail establishment visited by the user and crediting the advertisement as having influenced the user to visit the retail establishment in response to the advertisement being associated with the retail establishment. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the analyzer is further to associate user behavior information to at least one of an advertisement type of the advertisement, a size of the advertisement, or repetition of exposure to the advertisement. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the analyzer is further to credit a search result associated with the query as having influenced a user action in response to the search result being related to the user action. 
     
     
         17 . A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:
 receive a query from a mobile device including a query criterion and a first location identifier;   retrieve a second location identifier from a database that associates the second location identifier with an advertisement identifier indicative of an advertisement at a fixed location; and   credit the advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier as having been exposed to a user of the mobile device in response to the first location identifier matching the second location identifier or the first location identifier being indicative of a first location within a distance of a second location indicated by the second location identifier.   
     
     
         18 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 17  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to receive a retail establishment identifier indicative of a retail establishment visited by the user and crediting the advertisement as having influenced the user to visit the retail establishment in response to the advertisement being associated with the retail establishment. 
     
     
         19 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 17  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to associate user behavior information to at least one of an advertisement type of the advertisement, a size of the advertisement, or repetition of exposure to the advertisement. 
     
     
         20 . A machine accessible medium as defined in  claim 17  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to credit a search result associated with the query as having influenced a user action in response to the search result being related to the user action. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a first database to store a query criterion in association with a first location identifier;   a second database to store a second location identifier with an advertisement identifier indicative of an advertisement at a fixed location; and   an analyzer to determine whether the query criterion is associated with the advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier.   
     
     
         22 . A system as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the first location identifier is indicative of a location at which a user submitted the query criterion. 
     
     
         23 . A system as defined in  claim 21  further comprising a receiver to receive the query criterion and the first location information from a mobile device. 
     
     
         24 . A system as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the analyzer is further to credit the advertisement indicated by the advertisement identifier as having been exposed to a user in response to the first location identifier matching the second location identifier or the first location being indicative of a first location within a distance of a second location indicated by the second location identifier. 
     
     
         25 . A system as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the query criterion includes at least one of barcode information, a product search term, or a retail establishment search term.