Content-based notification delivery

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

ranking a plurality of users of a social-networking system based on one or more criteria associated with a spotlight content item, wherein the spotlight content item is associated with a node in a social graph associated with the social-networking system, and wherein at least one of the criteria is based on social-networking information for each of the users;

verifying the ranked users, wherein the verifying comprises confirming one or more of the ranked users based on recent interactions by the ranked users with social-networking information corresponding to the node associated with the spotlight content item; and

sending a notification about the spotlight content item to each of the confirmed users in accordance with a batching protocol, wherein the batching protocol is determined based at least in part on rankings for each of the confirmed users, and wherein the sending comprises:

sorting the confirmed users into a plurality of batches based on the batching protocol; and

distributing the notification to each of the batches of the confirmed users in a parallel manner using a clustered computing system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the criteria associated with the spotlight content item comprise:

a type of relationship between a node representing each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item;

an interaction history between each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item; or

an interaction history between each user and one or more content items determined to be similar to the spotlight content item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifying further comprises, for each of the confirmed users:

checking privacy settings of the confirmed user to ensure compliance;

checking the connectivity to the social-networking system of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of receiving the notification;

determining the characteristics of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of accessing the spotlight content item; or

determining whether a number of recent notifications received by the confirmed user exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

logging information about interactions with one or more initial batches of the sent notifications, wherein the logged information comprises a type for each of the interactions and timing information for each of the interactions; and

adjusting distributions of subsequent batches of notifications in accordance with the logged information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recent interactions comprise:

liking a content item associated with the node;

commenting on a content item associated with the node;

sharing a content item associated with the node;

visiting a profile page associated with the node; or

subscribing to or unsubscribing from a service associated with the node.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more actions of the user associated with the spotlight content item after receiving the notification; and

updating the ranking of the users based on the determined actions.

7. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

rank a plurality of users of a social-networking system based on one or more criteria associated with a spotlight content item, wherein the spotlight content item is associated with a node in a social graph associated with the social-networking system, and wherein at least one of the criteria is based on social-networking information for each of the users;

verify the ranked users, wherein the verifying comprises confirming one or more of the ranked users based on recent interactions by the ranked users with social-networking information corresponding to the node associated with the spotlight content item; and

send a notification about the spotlight content item to each of the confirmed users in accordance with a batching protocol, wherein the batching protocol is determined based at least in part on rankings for each of the confirmed users, and wherein the software operable when executed to send a notification about the spotlight content item comprises software that is operable when executed to:

sort the confirmed users into a plurality of batches based on the batching protocol; and

distribute the notification to each of the batches of the confirmed users in a parallel manner using a clustered computing system.

8. The media of claim 7 , wherein the criteria associated with the spotlight content item comprise:

a type of relationship between a node representing each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item;

an interaction history between each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item; or

an interaction history between each user and one or more content items determined to be similar to the spotlight content item.

9. The media of claim 7 , wherein the verifying further comprises, for each of the confirmed users:

checking privacy settings of the confirmed user to ensure compliance;

checking the connectivity to the social-networking system of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of receiving the notification;

determining the characteristics of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of accessing the spotlight content item; or

determining whether a number of recent notifications received by the confirmed user exceeds a threshold.

10. The media of claim 7 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

log information about interactions with one or more initial batches of the sent notifications, wherein the logged information comprises a type for each of the interactions and timing information for each of the interactions; and

adjust distributions of subsequent batches of notifications in accordance with the logged information.

11. The media of claim 7 , wherein the recent interactions comprise:

liking a content item associated with the node;

commenting on a content item associated with the node;

sharing a content item associated with the node;

visiting a profile page associated with the node; or

subscribing to or unsubscribing from a service associated with the node.

12. The media of claim 7 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

determine one or more actions of the user associated with the spotlight content item after receiving the notification; and

update the ranking of the users based on the determined actions.

13. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:

rank a plurality of users of a social-networking system based on one or more criteria associated with a spotlight content item, wherein the spotlight content item is associated with a node in a social graph associated with the social-networking system, and wherein at least one of the criteria is based on social-networking information for each of the users;

verify the ranked users, wherein the verifying comprises confirming one or more of the ranked users based on recent interactions by the ranked users with social-networking information corresponding to the node associated with the content item; and

send a notification about the spotlight content item to each of the confirmed users in accordance with a batching protocol, wherein the batching protocol is determined based at least in part on rankings for each of the confirmed users, and wherein the instructions executable by the processors to send a notification about the spotlight content item comprise instructions executable by the processors to:

sort the confirmed users into a plurality of batches based on the batching protocol; and

distribute the notification to each of the batches of the confirmed users in a parallel manner using a clustered computing system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the criteria associated with the spotlight content item comprise:

a type of relationship between a node representing each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item;

an interaction history between each user and the node associated with the spotlight content item; or

an interaction history between each user and one or more content items determined to be similar to the spotlight content item.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the verifying further comprises, for each of the confirmed users:

checking privacy settings of the confirmed user to ensure compliance;

checking the connectivity to the social-networking system of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of receiving the notification;

determining the characteristics of one or more devices associated with the confirmed user to ensure capability of accessing the spotlight content item; or

determining whether a number of recent notifications received by the confirmed user exceeds a threshold.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

log information about interactions with one or more initial batches of the sent notifications, wherein the logged information comprises a type for each of the interactions and timing information for each of the interactions; and

adjust distributions of subsequent batches of notifications in accordance with the logged information.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the recent interactions comprise:

liking a content item associated with the node;

commenting on a content item associated with the node;

sharing a content item associated with the node;

visiting a profile page associated with the node; or

subscribing to or unsubscribing from a service associated with the node.