Social entity previews in query formulation

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer storage media, and user interfaces are provided for providing social entity previews during query formulation. A search interaction is received from a user. The search interaction may comprise an interaction with a device or application or a learned intent based on a previous interaction. An entity intent of the search interaction is identified. The entity intent corresponds to a social entity. Social updates are retrieved from a plurality of social networks associated with the social entity. The social updates may be aggregated and ranked for the social entity. A social entity preview is provided for the social entity. The social entity preview may comprise metadata corresponding to the social entity and associated with the social updates or social networks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method of providing social entity previews during query formulation, the method comprising:
 receiving a search interaction from a user, the search interaction comprising an interaction with a device or application or a learned intent based on a previous interaction;   identifying an entity intent of the search interaction, the entity intent corresponding to a social entity;   retrieving social updates from a plurality of social networks associated with the social entity;   aggregating and ranking the social updates for the social entity;   providing a social entity preview for the social entity, the social entity preview comprising metadata corresponding to the social entity and associated with the social updates or social networks.   
     
     
         2 . The media of  claim 1 , wherein the search interaction includes a search prefix comprising one or more characters associated with a search query. 
     
     
         3 . The media of  claim 1 , wherein the search interaction is a learned entity intent based on a previous search interaction. 
     
     
         4 . The media of  claim 1 , wherein the social updates are ranked according to recency. 
     
     
         5 . The media of  claim 1 , wherein the social updates are ranked according to a popularity. 
     
     
         6 . The media of  claim 5 , wherein the popularity is determined based on a number of views, shares, and/or likes. 
     
     
         7 . The media of  claim 6 , wherein the social updates include updates that mention or tag the social entity. 
     
     
         8 . Computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) for intent expression for providing social entity previews during query formulation, the GUI comprising:
 an interaction display area for receiving, from a user, a search interaction corresponding to a search;   an entity intent display area that displays an entity intent of the search interaction, the entity intent corresponding to a social entity; and   a social preview display area that displays, without executing the search, a social entity preview for the social entity, the social entity preview comprising metadata corresponding to the social entity and associated with social updates from a plurality of social networks associated with the social entity, the social updates aggregated for the social entity.   
     
     
         9 . The GUI of  claim 8 , further comprising a social network display area that provides an identification of the originating social network corresponding to the metadata. 
     
     
         10 . The GUI of  claim 8 , wherein the social updates are ranked according to a recency and a popularity. 
     
     
         11 . The GUI of  claim 10 , wherein the social updates are further ranked against static intents. 
     
     
         12 . The GUI of  claim 8 , further comprising a default display area that displays static intents for the social entity when there are no recent or popular social updates available for the social entity. 
     
     
         13 . The GUI of  claim 8 , further comprising a commentary display area for displaying social updates that mention the social entity and include a relevance score that exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The GUI of  claim 8 , further comprising an autosuggest display area that displays, without executing the search, one or more intent suggestions to the user, the intent suggestions corresponding to one or more social entities. 
     
     
         15 . The GUI of  claim 8 , further comprising an action display area that displays an action available for the user to take on a particular entity, the action enabling task completion. 
     
     
         16 . The GUI of  claim 12 , further comprising a refinement display area that displays, without executing the search, a refined social preview comprising metadata corresponding to a refined social entity and associated with refined social updates from a plurality of social networks associated with the refined social entity, the refined social updates aggregated for the refined social entity. 
     
     
         17 . A system for providing social entity previews during query formulation comprising:
 one or more processors coupled to a computer storage medium, the computer storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer software components executable by the processor, the computer software components comprising:   an interaction component that receives a search interaction from a user, the search interaction comprising an interaction with a device or application or a learned intent based on a previous interaction;   an intent component that identifies an entity intent of the search interaction, the entity intent corresponding to a social entity;   a social update component that retrieves social updates from a plurality of social networks associated with the social entity;   an aggregation component that aggregates the social updates for the social entity; and   a social entity preview component that provides a social entity preview for the social entity comprising metadata corresponding to the social entity and associated with the social updates or social networks.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising a ranking component that ranks the aggregated social updates according to recency and/or popularity, the popularity determined based on a number of views, shares, and/or likes. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the social updates include commentary that mentions the social entity. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising a refined social entity preview component that displays, without executing the search, a refined social entity preview comprising metadata corresponding to a refined social entity and associated with refined social updates from a plurality of social networks associated with the refined social entity, the refined social updates aggregated for the refined social entity.