System and method for automated responses to information needs on websites

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device over a network, an electronic communication comprising words;

determining that the electronic communication comprises content potentially relating to an information need of a user by applying a set of rules to the words of the electronic communication,

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises an explicit question by the user, and

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises content that suggests the user is seeking information relating to a topic;

matching, using the computing device, the words of the electronic communication to words in prior search queries that have been previously stored, where the prior search queries are associated with online content; and

returning, by the computing device over the network, a reply to the electronic communication, the reply comprising a representation of the online content.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

verifying that the electronic communication does not comprise content to be filtered out.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein it is verified that the electronic communication does not comprise content to be filtered out by applying the set of rules to the words of the electronic communication.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein it is determined that the electronic communication comprises the content potentially relating to the information need of the user by inputting the words of the electronic communication to a trained classifier.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the representation of the online content comprises a link to the online content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic communication is received from a web site.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the electronic communication is a message posted by a user on the web site.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the reply is returned to the user via the social networking website.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the words of the electronic communication are additionally matched to titles associated with online content.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the words of the electronic communication are additionally matched to keywords associated with online content.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the words of the electronic communication are additionally matched to predefined rules associated with online content.

12. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

receiving, over the network, feedback from a user relating to the reply.

13. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

storing, using the computing device, the online content on computer-readable media operatively connected to the computing device, wherein the reply to the electronic communication comprises a link to the online content on the computer-readable media.

14. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

displaying the online content to a user, wherein the online content comprises a plurality of online content items; and

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of online content items from the user, wherein the reply to the electronic communication comprises a representation of the one of the plurality of online content items.

15. A non-transitory machine readable media embodying instructions, the instructions causing a data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic communication comprising words;

verifying that the electronic communication does not comprise content to be filtered out by applying a first set of rules to the words of the electronic communication;

determining that the electronic communication comprises content potentially relating to an information need of a user by applying a second set of rules to the words of the electronic communication,

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises an explicit question by the user, and

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises content that suggests the user is seeking information relating to a topic;

matching the words of the electronic communication to words in prior search queries, where the prior search queries that have been previously stored are associated with online content; and

returning a reply to the electronic communication, the reply comprising a representation of the online content.

16. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, configured to:

receive an electronic communication comprising words;

verify that the electronic communication does not comprise content to be filtered out by applying a first set of rules to the words of the electronic communication;

determine that the electronic communication comprises content potentially relating to an information need of a user by applying a second set of rules to the words of the electronic communication,

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises an explicit question by the user, and

wherein the content potentially relating to the information need of the user comprises content that suggests the user is seeking information relating to a topic;

match the words of the electronic communication to words in prior search queries, where the prior search queries that have been previously stored are associated with online content; and

return a reply to the electronic communication, the reply comprising a representation of the online content.

17. The non-transitory machine readable media of claim 15 wherein the method additionally comprises determining that the electronic communication comprises the content potentially relating to the information need of the user by inputting the words of the electronic communication to a trained classifier.

18. The non-transitory machine readable media of claim 15 wherein the representation of the online content comprises a link to the online content.

19. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the at least one processor is additionally configured to: determine that the electronic communication comprises the content potentially relating to the information need of the user by inputting the words of the electronic communication to a trained classifier.

20. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the representation of the online content comprises a link to the online content.