Systems and methods for obtaining and displaying videos
Systems and methods for obtaining and playing video advertisements in conjunction with play of video content use information about the viewability of an instantiation of a video player software application. An instantiation of the video player software application generates a viewability score which is intended to reflect a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application is located on a part of a webpage that currently appears on a user's display screen. Information used to generate the viewability score can be gathered during play of a video. The information used to generate a viewability score can include information about user performed actions and information that indicates the degree to which the user is engaged by a video.
1. A method performed by an instantiation of a video player software application on a rendered webpage that is being presented to a user on a display screen, the method generating a viewability score for the instantiation of the video player software application, comprising:
obtaining, with the instantiation of the video player software application, information that pertains to a viewability of the instantiation of video player software application on the rendered webpage, wherein the information comprises at least one of information about a viewability of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user, information about user-performed actions that were previously taken by the user, and information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user; and
generating, with the instantiation of the video player software application, a viewability score for the instantiation of the video player software application using the obtained information, where the viewability score represents a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays within the instantiation of the video player software application, and where the higher the viewability score, the greater the likelihood that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays within the instantiation of the video player software application.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewability score represents a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen for at least a predetermined period of time when a new video plays within the instantiation of the video player software application.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information about a viewability of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information about user-performed actions that were previously taken by the user before the generating step is performed.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user-performed actions are user-performed actions taken in connection with play of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, with the instantiation of the video player software application, a first bid request to at least one video provider, where the first bid request includes the viewability score;
receiving, at the instantiation of the video player software application from the at least one video provider, a first bid for playing a first proposed video to the user, where the first bid includes data that enables the instantiation of the video player software application to obtain and play the first proposed video; and
playing the first proposed video to the user with the instantiation of the video player software application when the user issues a play command.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
collecting, with the instantiation of the video player software application, information that pertains a viewability of the first proposed video while the instantiation of the video player software application is playing the first proposed video to the user;
generating, with the instantiation of the video player software application, an updated viewability score using both the obtained information and the collected information;
sending, with the instantiation of the first video player software application, a second bid request to at least one video provider, where the second bid request includes the updated viewability score;
receiving, at the instantiation of the video player software application from the at least one video provider, a second bid for playing a second proposed video to the user, where the second bid includes data that enables the instantiation of the video player software application to obtain and play the second proposed video; and
playing the second proposed video to the user with the instantiation of the video player software application when the user issues a play command.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein collecting information comprises collecting information about user-performed actions that were taken by the user in connection with play of the first proposed video.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein collecting information comprises collecting information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with the first proposed video when the first proposed video was played to the user.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when performed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
obtaining, with an instantiation of a video player software application, information that pertains to a viewability of the instantiation of video player software application on a rendered webpage that is being presented to a user on a display screen, wherein the information comprises at least one of information about a viewability of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user, information about user-performed actions that were previously taken by the user, and information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user; and
generating, with the instantiation of the video player software application, a viewability score for the instantiation of the video player software application using the obtained information, where the viewability score represents a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays on the instantiation of the video player software application, and where the higher the viewability score, the greater the likelihood that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays on the instantiation of the video player software application.
12. A system for generating a viewability score for an instantiation of a video player software application on a rendered webpage that is being presented to a user on a display screen, comprising:
a memory configured to store computer processor instructions; and
at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform a method comprising:
obtaining, with the instantiation of the video player software application, information that pertains to a viewability of the instantiation of video player software application on the rendered webpage, wherein the information comprises at least one of information about a viewability of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user, information about user-performed actions that were previously taken by the user, and information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application previously played to the user; and
generating, with the instantiation of the video player software application, a viewability score for the instantiation of the video player software application using the obtained information, where the viewability score represents a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays on the instantiation of the video player software application, and where the higher the viewability score, the greater the likelihood that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen when a new video plays on the instantiation of the video player software application.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the viewability score represents a degree of confidence that the instantiation of the video player software application will be located on a portion of the webpage that appears on the display screen for at least a predetermined period of time when a new video plays on the instantiation of the video player software application.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information about a viewability of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information about user-performed actions that were previously taken by the user before the generating step is performed.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the user-performed actions are user-performed actions taken in connection with play of a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein obtaining information comprises obtaining information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with a prior video that the instantiation of the video player software application played to the user before the generating step is performed.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
sending, with the instantiation of the video player software application, a first bid request to at least one video provider, where the first bid request includes the viewability score;
receiving, at the instantiation of the video player software application, from the at least one video provider, a first bid for playing a first proposed video to the user, where the first bid includes data that enables the instantiation of the video player software application to obtain and play the first proposed video; and
playing the first proposed video to the user with the instantiation of the video player software application when the user issues a play command.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
collecting information that pertains a viewability of the first proposed video while the instantiation of the video player software application is playing the first proposed video to the user;
generating, with the instantiation of the video player software application, an updated viewability score using both the obtained information and the collected information;
sending a second bid request to at least one video provider with the instantiation of the video player software application, where the second bid request includes the updated viewability score;
receiving, at the instantiation of the video player software application, from the at least one video provider, a second bid for playing a second proposed video to the user, where the second bid includes data that enables the instantiation of the video player software application to obtain and play the second proposed video; and
playing the second proposed video to the user with the instantiation of the video player software application when the user issues a play command.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein collecting information comprises collecting information about user-performed actions that were taken by the user in connection with play of the first proposed video.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein collecting information comprises collecting information that is indicative of a degree of engagement that the user had with the first proposed video when the first proposed video was played to the user.