BIDDING FOR ADVERTISING IMPRESSION IN AN ONLINE EXCHANGE USING ONE OR MORE MULTIPLE QUALITY MEASUREMENTS

1 . A computer-implemented method for bidding for an advertising impression, comprising:

initializing, within an advertising exchange, an advertising bidding impression campaign to bid for the advertising impression;

selecting an desired impression quality rank within the advertising bidding impression campaign;

accepting, from a bidder, a bid against the selected desired impression quality rank;

determining an actual impression quality rank for an actual advertising impression in an advertising impression inventory; and

awarding the actual advertising impression to the bidder based on the bid and the actual impression quality rank.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the desired impression quality rank comprises a letter grade that is based on a measure of a probability of the actual advertising impression being seen and acted upon by an end consumer.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the actual impression quality rank comprises:

aggregating average viewability of multiple actual impressions over a defined time period.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the actual impression quality rank comprises:

determining a viewability comprising a quantitative evaluation based on an opportunity for the actual advertising impression to be seen;

determining a verification comprising a qualitative evaluation of how and where the actual advertising impression is seen; and

combining the viewability and the verification to determine the quality rank.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the initializing comprises displaying a graphical user interface that is used to select the desired impression quality rank.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the initializing, selecting, and accepting are performed in combination with a real-time second price auction.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a target audience;

selecting a parameter for the advertising bidding impression campaign;

wherein the awarding is further based on the selected target audience and the selected parameter.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting an additional desired impression quality rank within the advertising bidding impression campaign;

accepting, from the bidder, an additional bid against the selected additional desired impression quality rank; and

awarding an additional actual advertising impression to the bidder based on the additional bid and the additional desired impression quality rank.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

specifying a budget for the advertising bidding impression campaign; and

continuing to award actual advertising impressions and additional actual advertising impressions to the bidder based on the bid and the additional bid while remaining within the specified budget.

10 . An advertising exchange system for bidding for an advertising impression in computer system comprising:

(a) a server computer having a processor and memory;

(b) an advertising exchange application executed by the processor on the server computer, wherein the advertising exchange application is configured to:

(1) initialize an advertising bidding impression campaign to bid for the advertising impression;

(2) select an desired impression quality rank within the advertising bidding impression campaign;

(3) accept, from a bidder, a bid against the selected desired impression quality rank;

(4) determine an actual impression quality rank for an actual advertising impression in an advertising impression inventory; and

(5) award the actual advertising impression to the bidder based on the bid and the actual impression quality rank.

11 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the desired impression quality rank comprises a letter grade that is based on a measure of a probability of the actual advertising impression being seen and acted upon by an end consumer.

12 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application determines the actual impression quality rank by:

aggregating average viewability of multiple actual impressions over a defined time period.

13 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application determines the actual impression quality rank by:

determining a viewability comprising a quantitative evaluation based on an opportunity for the actual advertising impression to be seen;

determining a verification comprising a qualitative evaluation of how and where the actual advertising impression is seen; and

combining the viewability and the verification to determine the quality rank.

14 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application initializes by displaying a graphical user interface that is used to select the desired impression quality rank.

15 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application initializes, selects, and accepts in combination with a real-time second price auction.

16 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application is further configured to:

select a target audience;

select a parameter for the advertising bidding impression campaign;

wherein the awarding is further based on the selected target audience and the selected parameter.

17 . The advertising exchange system of claim 10 , wherein the advertising exchange application is further configured to:

select an additional desired impression quality rank within the advertising bidding impression campaign;

accept, from the bidder, an additional bid against the selected additional desired impression quality rank; and

award an additional actual advertising impression to the bidder based on the additional bid and the additional desired impression quality rank.

18 . The advertising exchange system of claim 17 , wherein the advertising exchange application is further configured to:

specify a budget for the advertising bidding impression campaign; and

continue to award actual advertising impressions and additional actual advertising impressions to the bidder based on the bid and the additional bid while remaining within the specified budget.