METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING CONTENT TARGETING

1 . A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for optimizing content targeting with optimal topics, the method comprising:

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, one or more metadata characteristics associated with one or more topics of interest, wherein the one or more metadata characteristics include at least one primary metadata characteristic and at least one ancillary metadata characteristic associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic;

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, an inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics;

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics; and

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, one or more optimal topics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics, wherein determining the one or more optimal topics is based at least in part on the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics and the performance characteristics of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics are associated with at least one of a topic, a keyword, a title, a named entity, and an abstract.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one additional metadata characteristic associated with at least additional topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one primary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one primary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one second-order metadata characteristic associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the second-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one second-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one third-order metadata characteristic related to the at least one second-order metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one third-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one third-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one third-order metadata characteristic.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the third-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one third-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on a predetermined inventory threshold.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more performance thresholds is associated with click-through-rate, mouse-over rate, and survey response rate.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on at least one of current performance characteristics and historical performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.

13 . An apparatus for optimizing content targeting with optimal topics, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to:

determine one or more metadata characteristics associated with one or more topics of interest, wherein the one or more metadata characteristics include at least one primary metadata characteristic and at least one ancillary metadata characteristic associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic;

determine an inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics;

determine one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics; and

determine one or more optimal topics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics, wherein determining the one or more optimal topics is based at least in part on the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics and the performance characteristics of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics are associated with at least one of a topic, a keyword, a title, a named entity, and an abstract.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine at least one additional metadata characteristic associated with at least additional topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one primary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the at least one primary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one second-order metadata characteristic associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the second-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one second-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

20 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one third-order metadata characteristic related to the at least one second-order metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one third-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one third-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one third-order metadata characteristic.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein at least one of the third-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one third-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

22 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein determining the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on a predetermined inventory threshold.

23 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more performance thresholds is associated with click-through-rate, mouse-over rate, and survey response rate.

24 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein determining the one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on at least one of current performance characteristics and historical performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.

25 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:

determine one or more metadata characteristics associated with one or more topics of interest, wherein the one or more metadata characteristics include at least one primary metadata characteristic and at least one ancillary metadata characteristic associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic;

determine an inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics;

determine one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics; and

determine one or more optimal topics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics, wherein determining the one or more optimal topics is based at least in part on the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics and the performance characteristics of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.

26 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics are associated with at least one of a topic, a keyword, a title, a named entity, and an abstract.

27 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to determine at least one additional metadata characteristic associated with at least additional topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

28 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one primary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one primary metadata characteristic.

29 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the at least one primary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic.

30 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one second-order metadata characteristic associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one ancillary metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic.

31 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 , wherein at least one of the second-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one second-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

32 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the one or more metadata characteristics further include at least one third-order metadata characteristic related to the at least one second-order metadata characteristic,

wherein the at least one third-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one second-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one second-order metadata characteristic, and

wherein the at least one second-order metadata characteristic is identified by the at least one third-order metadata characteristic as being associated with the at least one third-order metadata characteristic.

33 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 , wherein at least one of the third-order metadata characteristics is associated with at least one third-order topic determined through topic-tag cloud expansion.

34 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein determining the inventory of at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on a predetermined inventory threshold.

35 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein at least one of the one or more performance thresholds is associated with click-through-rate, mouse-over rate, and survey response rate.

36 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein determining the one or more performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics is based at least in part on at least one of current performance characteristics and historical performance characteristics associated with at least one of the one or more metadata characteristics.