Call Tracking for Online Content Items

Abstract

This specification relates to tracking phone calls related to online content items. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of determining a probability that a call to a phone number resulted from a first interaction of a set of interactions. In general, another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of determining a rank score for an online content item, including for each call of a plurality of phone calls to the phone number, attributing the call to an online content interaction of a set of online content interactions; determining, using the rank score, whether to provide the online content item to a client device; and providing the online content item to the client device upon determining to do so using the rank score.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method performed by one or more processors, the method comprising:
 determining a probability that a call to a phone number resulted from a first interaction of a set of interactions, wherein each interaction of the set of interactions is associated with a particular client device and a particular time; and   associating a value with the first interaction based on the determined probability.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the probability includes:
 comparing a time when the call was made to the particular time associated with the first interaction; and   considering a value measure associated with the first interaction.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the set of interactions comprises a set of ad impressions of an ad, with each ad impression referring to a delivery of the ad to a particular client device at a particular time. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the ad includes the phone number. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the value measure associated with the first interaction is based on the placement position of the ad within content for the first ad impression. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the probability includes:
 determining a first location associated with the call;   determining a second location associated with the client device associated with the first interaction; and   comparing the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call to the interaction having the highest probability.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call in a fractional amount to each interaction of the set of interactions based on the probability that the call resulted from the interaction.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call to an interaction having a determined probability that exceeds a threshold and, if no interaction has a determined probability that exceeds the threshold, attributing the call in a fractional amount to each interaction of the set of interactions based on the probability that the call resulted from the interaction.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising determining a probability that a call to a phone number was associated with a first keyword. 
     
     
         31 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors configured to interact with a computer storage medium in order to perform operations comprising:
 determining a probability that a call to a phone number resulted from a first interaction of a set of interactions, wherein each interaction of the set of interactions is associated with a particular client device and a particular time; and 
 associating a value with the first interaction based on the determined probability. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein determining the probability includes:
 comparing a time when the call was made to the particular time associated with the first interaction; and   considering a value measure associated with the first interaction.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the set of interactions comprises a set of ad impressions of an ad, with each ad impression referring to a delivery of the ad to a particular client device at a particular time. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the ad includes the phone number. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the value measure associated with the first interaction is based on the placement position of the ad within content for the first ad impression. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein determining the probability includes:
 determining a first location associated with the call;   determining a second location associated with the client device associated with the first interaction; and   comparing the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call to the interaction having the highest probability.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call in a fractional amount to each interaction of the set of interactions based on the probability that the call resulted from the interaction.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising:
 for each interaction of the set of interactions, determining a probability that the call resulted from the interaction; and   attributing the call to an interaction having a determined probability that exceeds a threshold and, if no interaction has a determined probability that exceeds the threshold, attributing the call in a fractional amount to each interaction of the set of interactions based on the probability that the call resulted from the interaction.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising determining a probability that a call to a phone number was associated with a first keyword. 
     
     
         41 . A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 determining a probability that a call to a phone number resulted from a first interaction of a set of interactions, wherein each interaction of the set of interactions is associated with a particular client device and a particular time; and   associating a value with the first interaction based on the determined probability.