Second-pass ranker for push notifications in a social network

1. A method, comprising:

determining, with a processor executing a user interface metrics module of an online social network system, first and second engagement values for first and second content items, respectively, provided by first and second content item sources, respectively, based on activity data of previous interactions by a member of the online social network with content items from the first and second content item sources of the online social network system, the activity data having been stored in an electronic data storage of the online social network system;

the first content item provided based on a first selection metric in relation to the activity data and a value metric;

the second content item being different than the first content item and provided based on a second selection metric in relation to the activity data;

generating, with the processor executing a federator module, first and second utility values for the first and second content items, respectively, based on a mathematical operation applied to the first and second engagement values, respectively, the first and second selection metrics, respectively, and, for the first utility value, the value metric;

determining, with the processor, one of the first and second content items as a push content item based on a difference between the first and second utility values; and

causing, with the processor, via a network interface, a user device associated with the member to display the push content item as a push notification.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, with the processor, a user device type of the user device as being one of a plurality of predetermined device types; and

determining, with the processor, the push content item based, at least in t, on the laser device being the one of the plurality of predetermined device types.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined device types are a personal computer device type and a mobile device type.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, with the processor, a duplication criterion of the push content item, wherein causing a user interface of the user device to display the push content item is based on the duplication criterion having been met.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising selecting a new push content item based on the duplication criterion not having been met.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection metric is a rate at which users are expected to select a corresponding content item.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the value metric is an estimated monetary value when the content item is viewed on the user device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when performed on a processor of an online social network system, cause the processor to execute a user interface metrics module and a federator module to perform operations comprising:

determining first and second engagement values for first and second content items, respectively, provided by first and second content item sources, respectively, based on activity data of previous interactions by a member of the online social network system with content items from the first and second content item sources of the online social network system, the activity data having been stored in an electronic data storage of the online social network system;

the first content item provided based on a first selection metric in relation to the activity data and a value metric;

the second content item being different than the first content item and provided based on a second selection metric in relation to the activity data;

generating first and second utility values for the first and second content items, respectively, based on a mathematical operation applied to the first and second engagement values, respectively, the first and second selection metrics, respectively, and, for the first utility value, the value metric;

determining one of the first and second content items as a push content item based on a difference between the first and second utility values; and

causing via a network interface, a user device associated with the member to display the push content item as a push notification.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining, with the processor, a user device type of the user device as being one of a plurality of predetermined device types; and

determining, with the processor, the push content item based, at least in part, on the user device being the one of the plurality of predetermined device types.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined device types are a personal computer device type and a mobile device type.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising determining, with the processor, a duplication criterion of the push content item, wherein causing a user interface of the user device to display the push content item is based on the duplication criterion having been met.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising selecting a new push content item based on the duplication criterion not having been met.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the selection metric is a rate at which users are expected to select a corresponding content item.

14. A system, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when performed on a processor of an online social network system, cause the processor to execute a user interface metrics module and a federator module to perform operations comprising:

determining first and second engagement values for first and second content items, respectively, provided by first and second content item sources, respectively, based on activity data of previous interactions by a member of the online social network system with content items from the first and second content item sources of the online social network system, the activity data having been stored in an electronic data storage of the online social network system;

the first content item provided based on a first selection metric in relation to the activity data and a value metric;

the second content item being different than the first content item and provided based on a second selection metric in relation to the activity data;

generating first and second utility values for the first and second content items, respectively, based on a mathematical operation applied to the first and second engagement values, respectively, the first and second selection metrics, respectively, and, for the first utility value, the value metric;

determining one of the first and second content items as a push content item based on a difference between the first and second utility values; and

causing via a network interface, a user device associated with the member to display the push content item as a push notification.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising the processor and the network interface.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining, with the processor, a user device type of the user device as being one of a plurality of predetermined device types; and

determining, with the processor, the push content item based, at least in t, on the user device being the one of the plurality of predetermined device types.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined device types are a personal computer device type and a mobile device type.

18. The system of claim 14 , further comprising determining, with the processor, a duplication criterion of the push content item, wherein causing a user interface of the user device to display the push content item is based on the duplication criterion having been met.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising selecting a new push content item based the duplication criterion not having been met.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the selection metric is a rate at which users are expected to select a corresponding content item.