Method and system for conducting an on-line survey

1. A computer-implemented method for conducting an on-line survey, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a block of data, the requested block of data comprising computer-readable instructions for displaying an on-line advertisement within a first displayed page, the request originating from a user computer;

providing an on-line advertisement to the user computer;

replacing links on the first displayed page with links to a page relating to the on-line survey in accordance with a computer-readable instruction contained within the on-line advertisement;

retrieving the page relating to the on-line survey in response to a selection of one of the replaced links on the first displayed page, wherein the retrieving step comprises retrieving an invitation to take a survey relating to the on-line advertisement, and

providing a link to a second page, wherein the link to the second page corresponds to a link replaced by the selected link of the retrieving step, thereby enabling a user to access an originally intended page and bypass the survey.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the on-line advertisement is provided within an HTML IFRAME construct, and further comprising the steps of:

maintaining at a supplier server of the first displayed page, a link replacement module containing computer-readable instructions for facilitating performing the step of replacing links on the first displayed page.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a link to the first displayed page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein replacing links on the first displayed page takes place in accordance with one or more link replacement criteria.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein one of the link replacement criteria specifies a time delay for replacing the links on the page.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein one of the link replacement criteria specifies a text filter for performing the replacing links step.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a brand with the on-line survey wherein the brand relates to the first displayed page.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the retrieving step, waiting for an inactive period, and thereafter displaying a second page, wherein the second page corresponds to a link replaced by the selected link of the retrieving step, thereby enabling a user to access an originally intended page and bypass the survey through inaction.

9. A system for conducting an on-line survey, the system comprising:

a client computer for interacting with a user;

a web server in communication with the client computer;

a survey logic server in communication with the client computer; and

computer-readable instructions for performing, by the client, web server, and survey logic server, in concert, the steps of:

providing an on-line advertisement to the user computer;

replacing links on the first displayed page with links to a page relating to the on-line survey in accordance with a computer-readable instruction contained within the on-line advertisement;

retrieving the page relating to the on-line survey in response to a selection of one of the replaced links on the first displayed page, wherein the retrieving step comprises retrieving an invitation to take a survey relating to the on-line advertisement; and

providing a link to a second page. wherein the link to the second page corresponds to a link replaced by the selected link of the retrieving step, thereby enabling a user to access an originally intended page and bypass the survey.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the on-line advertisement is provided within an HTML IFRAME construct, and wherein computer-readable instruction perform the further the steps of: maintaining at a supplier server of the first displayed page, a link replacement module containing computer-readable instructions for facilitating performing the step of replacing links on the first displayed page.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising computer-readable instructions for providing a link to the first displayed page.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein replacing links on the first displayed page takes place in accordance with one or more link replacement criteria applied by the web server.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein one of the link replacement criteria specifies a time delay for replacing the links on the page.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein one of the link replacement criteria specifies a text filter for performing the replacing links step.

15. The system of claim 9 further comprising computer-readable instructions for associating a brand with the on-line survey wherein the brand relates to the first displayed page.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising computer-readable instructions for waiting, after the retrieving the page step, for an inactive period, and thereafter displaying a second page, wherein the second page corresponds to a link replaced by the selected link of the retrieving step, thereby enabling a user to access an originally intended page and bypass the survey through inaction.