Methods for paid placement of promotional e-mail messages

1. A method of providing dynamic interfaces to display prioritized electronic communications differently from other electronic communications, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, via a communications network, a request from a client device to access an account of electronic messages associated with the client device, the computer system including one or more computer servers communicatively coupled to the client device via the communications network;

accessing, by the computer system, a plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages;

identifying, by the computer system, from the plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages, a first electronic message that belongs to a predefined category of electronic messages, the predefined category of electronic messages including electronic messages eligible for prioritization by the computer system, each electronic message of the predefined category generated for distribution to a plurality of accounts of electronic messages selected in accordance with an account selection policy established by a corresponding content provider of the electronic message; and

providing, by the computer system, a user interface including the plurality of electronic messages, the user interface causing the first electronic message to be displayed according to a first set of display parameters defined by the computing system, the first set of display parameters including i) displaying a visual indicator indicating that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of messages ii) representing the first electronic message in a first position of a display order and representing other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages subsequent to the first electronic message in the display order, iii) representing the first electronic message in a visual format different from the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages, or iv) representing the first electronic message in a dedicated area of the user interface different than a message index area within which the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages are displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein representing the first electronic message in a first position of a display order and representing other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages subsequent to the first electronic message in the display order includes subjecting the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages to a display order rule whereas the first electronic message is not subject to the display order rule.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the display order rule is a chronological rule.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a list view with the first electronic message represented by a prioritized list item and the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages represented by standard list items.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the prioritized list item appears vertically above the standard list items.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user interface utilizes a first graphical style for the prioritized list item and a second graphical style for the standard list items.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the account of electronic messages is an electronic mail or message account and the plurality of electronic messages include electronic mail messages or electronic messages.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of electronic messages based on information identifying the content provider of the first electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of electronic messages based on information in the first electronic message indicative of the predefined category of electronic messages.

10. An electronic system for providing dynamic interfaces to display prioritized communications differently from other communications, the electronic system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer code instructions stored thereon, the computer code instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

receive, via a communications network, a request from a client device to access an account of electronic messages associated with the client device;

access a plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages;

identify, from the plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages, a first electronic message that belongs to a predefined category of electronic messages, the predefined category of electronic messages including electronic messages eligible for prioritization by the computer system, each electronic message of the predefined category generated for distribution to a plurality of accounts of electronic messages selected in accordance with an account selection policy established by a corresponding content provider of the electronic message; and

provide a user interface including the plurality of electronic messages, the user interface causing the first electronic message to be displayed according to a first set of display parameters defined by the computing system, the first set of display parameters including i) displaying a visual indicator indicating that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of messages ii) representing the first electronic message in a first position of a display order and representing other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages subsequent to the first electronic message in the display order, iii) representing the first electronic message in a visual format different from the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages, or iv) representing the first electronic message in a dedicated area of the user interface different than a message index area within which the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages are displayed.

11. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein representing the first electronic message in a first position of a display order and representing other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages subsequent to the first electronic message in the display order includes subjecting the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages to a display order rule whereas the first electronic message is not subject to the display order rule.

12. The electronic system of claim 11 , wherein the display order rule is a chronological rule.

13. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes a list view with the first electronic message represented by a prioritized list item and the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages represented by standard list items.

14. The electronic system of claim 13 , wherein the prioritized list item appears vertically above the standard list items.

15. The electronic system of claim 13 , wherein the user interface utilizes a first graphical style for the prioritized list item and a second graphical style for the standard list items.

16. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the account of electronic messages is an electronic mail or message account and the plurality of electronic messages include electronic mail messages or electronic messages.

17. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the computer code instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to identify that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of electronic messages based on information identifying the content provider of the first electronic message.

18. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the computer code instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to identify that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of electronic messages based on information in the first electronic message indicative of the predefined category of electronic messages.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with computer code instructions stored thereon for providing dynamic electronic mail interfaces to display prioritized communications differently from other communications, the computer code instructions, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive, via a communications network, a request from a client device to access an account of electronic messages associated with the client device;

access a plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages;

identify, from the plurality of electronic messages associated with the account of electronic messages, a first electronic message that belongs to a predefined category of electronic messages, the predefined category of electronic messages including electronic messages eligible for prioritization by the computer system, each electronic message of the predefined category generated for distribution to a plurality of accounts of electronic messages selected in accordance with an account selection policy established by a corresponding content provider of the electronic message; and

provide a user interface including the plurality of electronic messages, the user interface causing the first electronic message to be displayed according to a first set of display parameters defined by the computing system, the first set of display parameters including i) displaying a visual indicator indicating that the first electronic message belongs to the predefined category of messages ii) representing the first electronic message in a first position of a display order and representing other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages subsequent to the first electronic message in the display order, iii) representing the first electronic message in a visual format different from the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages, or iv) representing the first electronic message in a dedicated area of the user interface different than a message index area within which the other electronic messages of the plurality of electronic messages are displayed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the account of electronic messages is an electronic mail or message account and the plurality of electronic messages include electronic mail messages or electronic messages.