Selecting content based on entities present in search results

1. A method comprising:

receiving a query submitted from a user device;

receiving a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results:

evaluating, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;

creating an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;

using the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporating the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining one or more sponsored content items includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the query results are of the form of suggestions that are made responsive to the query being entered and prior to the submission of the query to a search service and wherein the one or more sponsored content items include sponsored content items for presentation along with a resource associated with a selected suggestion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the query is an implicit query and results in presentation of query results to the user without the user explicitly providing the query.

6. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage device and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a query submitted from a user device;

receive a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results:

evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;

create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;

use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

7. The product of claim 6 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

8. A system comprising:

a query enhancer;

a content selector; and

wherein the query enhancer is configured to:

receive a query submitted from a user device;

receive a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results:

evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept; and

create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query; and

wherein the content selector is configured to:

use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.