Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to rank web site influence

1. A computer-implemented method to rank the influence of a web site, comprising:

filtering out a post that is not relevant to a topic term from a first plurality of posts to a web site;

determining a number of inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determining a time between the inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determining a number of posts that are relevant to the topic term by:

generating a query based on the topic term;

generating a first index by applying the query to the first plurality of posts to the web site; and

determining the number of posts by comparing the first index with a second index, wherein the second index comprises a list of web sites to which a second plurality of posts belong, the second plurality of posts includes the first plurality of posts; and

generating a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links, the number of posts, and the time between the inbound links.

2. A computer-implemented method to rank the influence of a web site, comprising:

filtering out a post that is not relevant to a topic term from a first plurality of posts to a web site;

determining a number of inbound links to the web site based on the topic term by:

generating a query based on the topic term;

generating a first index by applying the query to the first plurality of posts to the web site;

comparing the first index to a second index to generate a third index,

wherein the second index comprises a list of web sites to which a second plurality of posts belongs, wherein the second plurality of posts includes the first plurality of posts;

generating a fourth index comprising a list of posts to which the first plurality of posts link; and

determining the number of inbound links by comparing the third and fourth indices;

determining a time between the inbound links to the web site based on the topic term; and

generating a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links and the time between the inbound links.

3. A tangible storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

filter out a post that is not relevant to a given topic term from a first plurality of posts to a web site;

determine a number of inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determine a time between the inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determine a number of the posts by:

generating a query based on the topic term;

generating a first index by applying the query to the first plurality of posts to the web site; and

determining the number of the posts by comparing the first index to a second index, wherein the second index comprises a list of web sites to which a second plurality of posts belong, wherein the second plurality of posts includes the first plurality of posts; and

generate a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links and the time between the inbound links.

4. A tangible storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

filter out a post that is not relevant to a given topic term from a first plurality of posts to a web site;

determine a number of posts that are relevant to the topic term by at least:

generating a query based on the topic term;

generating a first index by applying the query to the first plurality of posts to the web site; and

determining the number of posts by comparing the first index to a second index, wherein the second index comprises a list of web sites to which a second plurality of posts belong, wherein the second plurality of posts includes the first plurality of posts;

determine a number of inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determine a time between the inbound links to the web site based on the topic term; and

generate a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links, the number of posts, and the time between the inbound links.

5. A tangible storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

receive at least a portion of an index from a web site monitor;

filter out a post that is not relevant to a given topic term from a first plurality of posts to a web site;

determine a number of inbound links to the web site based on the topic term;

determine a time between the inbound links to the web site based on the topic term; and

generate a rank of the web site based on the number of inbound links and the time between the inbound links.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of unique visitors to the web site, wherein the rank is based on the number of unique visitors.

7. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein determining a time between inbound links comprises:

generating a fifth index comprising posting times of the second plurality of posts;

comparing the fifth index to the number of inbound links to generate a sixth index comprising inbound links and posting times; and

comparing the sixth index to the first index to generate a seventh index comprising inbound links, posting times, and posts associated with the inbound links and the posting times.

8. A method as defined in claim 2 , further comprising receiving at least a portion of the fourth index from a web site monitor.

9. A storage medium as defined in claim 3 , wherein the time between the inbound links comprises a median time between the inbound links.

10. A storage medium as defined in claim 5 , wherein the received portion of the index comprises posts having a number of inbound links that is greater than a threshold.

11. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the time between the inbound links comprises a median time between the inbound links.

12. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the comparing comprises a join operation.

13. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the received portion of the fourth index comprises posts having a number of inbound links that is greater than a predetermined threshold.