Advertising and incentives over a social network

Abstract

A method whereby advertisers wish to deliver at least one of offerings and advertising messages relative to at least one of a product and a service to a target audience of users selected by a system operator during an advertising campaign. The method includes defining the users within the context of a social network, selecting the users from among the users of the social network, storing the information relevant to the defined users and utilizing the information stored/defined within the social network to deliver the messages to the users in an optimal manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method whereby marketers and advertisers wish to deliver at least one of offerings and marketing and advertising messages relative to at least one of a product and a service to a target audience of users selected by a system operator during a marketing arid advertising campaign, said method comprising:
 defining the users within the context of a social network;   selecting the users from among the users of said social network; storing the information relevant to said defined users; and   utilizing the information stored/defined within said social network to deliver said messages to the users in an optimal manner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system operator optionally charges said marketers and markers and advertisers for his services. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising ranking of the users, wherein the selection of users from within the target audience is limited to said selected group of the users of highest ranking opinion leaders within the social network, within the relevant context of the offering/advertising message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said ranking may be according to trust by which the social network members deem the user to be of higher influence than others as defined in said network at the time of said selection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said ranking may be according to popularity by which the social network members deem the user to be of higher influence than others as defined in said network at the time of said selection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said ranking may be according to reputation by which the social network members deem the user to be of higher influence than others as defined in said network at the time of said selection. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the offering of incentives by the advertisers to said opinion leaders to perform an action relevant to the marketers' and advertisers' offering/message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said action is to review the marketers' and advertisers' offering/message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said action is to comment on the marketers' and advertisers offering/message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said action is to consume the advertisers' offering. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said action is to endorse the marketers' and advertisers' offering/message. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising calculating the optimal distribution of a given package of said incentives among said opinion-makers of all ranks to produce the maximum predicted effect where the systems operator knows said opinion-makers ranking in a certain context of marketing and advertising, and knows said opinion-makers' response to various forms of incentives and knows said user's response to said opinion-maker's action on the marketers' and advertisers' messages and incentives. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the giving of said incentives to the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the user performing at least one of the following: fulfilling specified requirements from among at least the following: using the product; writing a review; sending a message to a specified number of people before said giving step; promoting the products/services; adding links to coupons; generating word of mouth; and creating a market buzz. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein more than one group of said opinion leaders are defined, wherein the parameters of said incentive offerings are dependent upon said groups. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the more valuable of said opinion leaders are offered more valuable of said incentives relative to those lower-ranked among said opinion leaders. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said opinion leaders are given a limited time frame in which to comment on said advertisers' message. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein after a given limited time-frame said incentive changes/decreases. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising dividing said incentives among said opinion leaders and the system operator offering the more effective/valuable of aid incentives to those higher-ranked among said opinion leaders. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising offering said incentives unused by those among said higher-ranked opinion leaders to those lower-ranked among said opinion leaders.