Facilitating client-side management of online advertising information, such as advertising account information

Abstract

A client-side editing application allows advertisers and/or customer service representatives to easily and efficiently view, navigate, and edit ad accounts, even those with large numbers of campaigns, ad_groups, keywords and ad creatives. Information viewable in a user interface screen may be limited in scope by a node selection of a hierarchical tree representation of ad account information and limited in type by a tab selection. Ad information, represented in table rows, may be cut, copied and/or moved among different ad groups and ad campaigns.

Description

§ 3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing parties or entities that can interact with an advertising system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an environment in which, or with which, embodiments consistent with the present invention may operate.

FIG. 3 is a bubble diagram of exemplary operations that may be performed in a manner consistent with the present invention, as well as information that may be used and/or generated by such operations.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flow diagrams of exemplary back-end and front-end methods, respectively, for facilitating ad information entry and management (e.g., editing) in a manner consistent with the present invention.

FIGS. 6-10 are exemplary screens of different “tabs” of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary screen of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention which shows a full ad account scope and a text ad tab selected.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary screen of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention which shows full ad account scope and a keywords tab selected.

FIG. 13 is an exemplary screen of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention which shows full ad account scope and a campaigns tab selected.

FIG. 14 is an exemplary screen of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention which shows an error notification and the ability to make an exception request.

FIG. 15 is an exemplary screen of an exemplary user interface consistent with the present invention which shows full ad account scope with search results for keywords matching the search term “camera”.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of apparatus that may be used to perform at least some operations, and store at least some information, in a manner consistent with the present invention.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer perform a method of: a) providing a user interface screen for managing online advertisement information, the user interface screen including i) a first section for displaying a hierarchical representation of ad account information, andii) a second section for displaying a user selected class of ad account information, the class of ad account information including at least two of (A) keywords, (B) serving constraints, (C) text ads, (D) audio ads, (E) video ads, (F) negative keywords, (G) ad groups, and (H) ad campaigns;b) permitting user selection of a scope of ad account information via user interaction with the first section; andc) permitting user selection of the class of ad account information via user interaction with the second section.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the hierarchical representation of ad account information includes ad campaigns and ad_groups.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second section displays keywords ad account information in a table form, the table including columns or rows corresponding to keywords used to target ads of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the table further includes columns or rows corresponding to at least one of (A) a type of keyword, (B) an offer associated with the keyword, (C) a destination URL associated with the keyword and (D) a status of the keyword,

5. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the user interface screen further includes a section for accepting user input for adding keyword information or editing existing keyword information.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein the method further includes d) permitting user selection of one or more rows of the table; ande) permitting user movement or copying of information corresponding to the selected one or more rows of the table to an ad group or an ad campaign of the ad account hierarchy.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second section displays text ad creative ad account information in a table form, the table including columns or rows corresponding to ad creatives of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the table further includes columns or rows corresponding to at least one of (A) a headline, (B) a description, (C) a display URL, and (D) a destination URL, of ad creatives of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the user interface screen further includes a section for accepting user input for adding ad creative information or editing existing ad creative information.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the method further includes d) permitting user selection of one or more rows of the table; ande) permitting user movement or copying of information corresponding to the selected one or more rows of the table to an ad group or an ad campaign of the ad account hierarchy.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second section displays negative keywords ad account information in a table form, the table including columns or rows corresponding to negative keywords associated with ads of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the user interface screen further includes a section for accepting user input for adding negative keyword information or editing existing negative keyword information.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method further includes d) permitting user selection of one or more rows of the table; ande) permitting user movement or copying of information corresponding to the selected one or more rows of the table to an ad group or an ad campaign of the ad account hierarchy.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second section displays ad groups ad account information in a table form, the table including columns or rows corresponding to ad groups of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the user interface screen further includes a section for accepting user input for adding ad group information or editing existing ad group information.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the method further includes d) permitting user selection of one or more rows of the table; ande) permitting user movement or copying of information corresponding to the selected one or more rows of the table to an ad group or an ad campaign of the ad account hierarchy.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second section displays ad groups ad campaign information in a table form, the table including columns or rows corresponding to ad campaigns of the ad account within the scope of the ad account information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the user interface screen further includes a section for accepting user input for adding ad campaign information or editing existing ad campaign information.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the method further includes d) permitting user selection of one or more rows of the table; ande) permitting user movement or copying of information corresponding to the selected one or more rows of the table to an ad group or an ad campaign of the ad account hierarchy.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising: a) providing a user interface screen for managing online advertisement information, the user interface screen including i) a first section for displaying a hierarchical representation of ad account information, andii) a second section for displaying a user selected class of ad account information, the class of ad account information including at least two of (A) keywords, (B) serving constraints, (C) text ads, (D) audio ads, (E) video ads, (F) negative keywords, (G) ad groups, and (H) ad campaigns;b) permitting user selection of a scope of ad account information via user interaction with the first section; andc) permitting user selection of the class of ad account information via user interaction with the second section.

21. Apparatus comprising: a) means for providing a user interface screen for managing online advertisement information, the user interface screen including i) a first section for displaying a hierarchical representation of ad account information, andii) a second section for displaying a user selected class of ad account information, the class of ad account information including at least two of (A) keywords, (B) serving constraints, (C) text ads, (D) audio ads, (E) video ads, (F) negative keywords, (G) ad groups, and (H) ad campaigns;b) means for permitting user selection of a scope of ad account information via user interaction with the first section; andc) means for permitting user selection of the class of ad account information via user interaction with the second section.