Transparent search engines
A search apparatus includes a search engine administrator configured to receive at least one bid from a plurality of sponsors, each bid corresponding to a fee to be paid by a corresponding one of the sponsors for placement of an associated listing; and a search engine configured to receive a query from a user, identify a plurality of documents relevant to the query based, at least in part, on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors, and generate a search results page with a listing for each of the identified documents, wherein display placement of each listing relative to other listings is based, at least in part, on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors.
1 . A search apparatus comprising:
a search engine administrator configured to receive at least one bid from a plurality of sponsors, each bid corresponding to a fee to be paid by a corresponding one of the sponsors for placement of an associated listing; and
a search engine configured to:
a) receive a query from a user;
b) identify a plurality of documents relevant to the query based, at least in part, on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors; and
c) generate a search results page with a listing for each of the identified documents; wherein display placement of each listing relative to other listings is based, at least in part, on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors.
2 . The search apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of identified documents comprises web pages.
3 . The search apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one bid from the plurality of sponsors is for a cost per action (CPA).
4 . The search apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the CPA bid is for a fee per completed transaction between the user of the search apparatus and one of the plurality of sponsors from which the CPA bid is received.
5 . The search apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the CPA bid is for a percentage of a completed transaction between the user of the search apparatus and one of the plurality of sponsors from which the CPA bid is received.
6 . The search apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the CPA bid is for a combination of a sponsor's bid and previous performance of the listing.
7 . The search apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the combination of the sponsor's bid and the previous performance of the listing is a conversion rate corresponding to the number of users of the search apparatus that purchase from one of the sponsors.
8 . The search apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein display placement of each document and sponsored listing in the search results page, relative to the other listings, is based at least in part on performance of at least one of the plurality of sponsors.
9 . A search apparatus comprising:
a search engine administrator configured to receive at least one bid from a plurality of sponsors, each bid corresponding to a fee to be paid by a corresponding one of the sponsors for placement of an associated listing; and
a search engine configured to:
receive a query from a user;
identify a plurality of documents and cost per action (CPA).sponsored listings relevant to the query based, at least in part, on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors; and
generate a search results page with a listing for each of the identified documents and CPA sponsored listings.
10 . The search apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein display placement of each document and sponsored listing in the search results page, relative to other listings, is based at least in part on the bid of at least one of the plurality of sponsors.