Generating content feeds based on expanded network engagement

1. A method, comprising:

presenting to an online network, using one or more computer systems, a set of content items via a graphical user interface (GUI);

storing electronic records of interaction with the set of content items;

measuring user interaction with the set of content items within a second-degree network of a member of the online network, using the one or more computer systems, by:

filtering first-degree connections within the network of the member by corresponding strengths of the first-degree connections; and

joining the records of user interaction with the content items with the filtered first-degree connections of the member to generate a set of first-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member;

wherein each record identifies a content item and a member, other than the member, that interacted with the content item; and

wherein the measurements include, for each of the content items, one or more of:

a number of clicks on the content item within the network of the member; and

a number of impressions of the content item within the network of the member;

calculating, by the one or more computer systems, one or more metrics from the set of first-degree measurements;

ranking, by the one or more computer systems, the set of content items by the one or more metrics;

using the ranking to generate a visual representation of one or more of the content items in a content feed; and

presenting, via the GUI, the visual representation of the one or more content items to the member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises:

joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member within the network of the member to generate a set of second-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein-measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises at least one of:

filtering the second-degree connections by the strengths of the first-degree connections; and

applying one or more thresholds to the set of first-degree measurements prior to joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sets of first-degree and second-degree measurements comprise:

a number of first-degree clicks of a content item;

a number of first-degree impressions of the content item;

a number of second-degree clicks of the content item; and

a number of second-degree impressions of the content item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more metrics comprise at least one of:

a click-through rate (CTR);

the CTR multiplied by a logarithm of a number of clicks; and

a weighted combination of first-degree interaction and second-degree interaction with a content item.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the one or more metrics from the set of first-degree comprises:

applying a threshold to the set of first-degree measurements prior to calculating the one or more metrics.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the threshold is associated with at least one of:

a number of clicks;

a number of impressions; and

a content publisher.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the one or more metrics from the set of first-degree measurements comprises:

weighting the set of first-degree measurements by a set of connection strengths in the second-degree network of the member.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the ranking to generate a visual representation of one or more of the content items in the content feed to the member comprises:

selecting a highest-ranked subset of the content items for inclusion in a content pool; and

ordering the highest-ranked subset of the content items with other content items from other content pools into the content feed.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

present to an online network a set of content items via a graphical user interface (GUI);

store electronic records of interaction with the set of content items;

measure user interaction with the set of content items within a second-degree network of a member of the online network by:

filtering first-degree connections within the network of the member by corresponding strengths of the first-degree connections; and

joining the records of user interaction with the content items with the filtered first-degree connections of the member to generate a set of first-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member;

wherein each record identifies a content item and a member, other than the member, that interacted with the content item; and

wherein the measurements include, for each of the content items, one or more of:

a number of clicks on the content item within the network of the member; and

a number of impressions of the content item within the network of the member;

calculate one or more metrics from the set of first-degree measurements;

rank the set of content items by the one or more metrics;

use the ranking to generate a visual representation of one or more of the content items in a content feed; and

present, via the GUI, the visual representation of the one or more content items to the member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises:

joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member within the network of the member to generate a set of second-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises at least one of:

filtering the second-degree connections by the strengths of the first-degree connections; and

applying one or more thresholds to the set of first-degree measurements prior to joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sets of first-degree and second-degree measurements comprise:

a number of first-degree clicks of a content item;

a number of first-degree impressions of the content item;

a number of second-degree clicks of the content item; and

a number of second-degree impressions of the content item.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more metrics comprise at least one of:

a click-through rate (CTR);

the CTR multiplied by a logarithm of a number of clicks; and

a weighted combination of first-degree interaction and second-degree interaction with a content item.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein calculating the one or more metrics from the set of first-degree measurements comprises:

applying a threshold to the first-degree measurements prior to calculating the one or more metrics.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the threshold is associated with at least one of:

a number of clicks;

a number of impressions; and

a content publisher.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein calculating the one or more metrics from the first-degree measurements comprises:

weighting the first-degree measurements by a set of connection strengths in the second-degree network of the member.

18. A system, comprising:

a content-selection module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

measure user interaction with a set of content items within a second-degree network of a member of an online network by:

filtering first-degree connections within the network of the member by corresponding strengths of the first-degree connections; and

joining records of user interaction with the content items with the filtered first-degree connections of the member to generate a set of first-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member;

wherein each record identifies a content item and a member, other than the member, that interacted with the content item; and

wherein the measurements include, for each of the content items, one or more of:

a number of clicks on the content item within the network of the member; and

a number of impressions of the content item within the network of the member;

calculate one or more metrics from the set of first-degree measurements; and

rank the set of content items by the one or more metrics; and

a presentation module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

prior to said measuring user interaction, present to the online network the set of content items via a graphical user interface (GUI);

storing electronically the records of user interaction with the set of content items;

use the ranking to generate a visual representation of one or more of the content items in a content feed; and

present, via the GUI, the visual representation of the one or more content items to the member.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises:

joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member within the network of the member to generate a set of second-degree measurements of user interaction within the network of the member.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein measuring user interaction with the set of content items within the second-degree network of the member further comprises at least one of:

filtering the second-degree connections by the strengths of the first-degree connections; and

applying one or more thresholds to the set of first-degree measurements prior to joining the set of first-degree measurements with second-degree connections of the member.