DYNAMIC CONTENT DELIVERY VIA EMAIL

1 . A computerized method, at a dynamic publication system, for publishing dynamic content via email, the computerized method including operations comprising at least:

generating a code snippet for inclusion in a body of an email message, the code snippet including a paired set of tags comprising a reference tag and a dynamic content tag, the dynamic content tag including a plurality of embedded markers and a resource locator that references a dynamic content server;

transmitting, by the email server, the email message to a client device, the email message including a header and a body, wherein the body includes the code snippet having a reference tag;

in response to a rendering of the email message on the client device, receiving, at the dynamic content server via a network, a request for dynamic content, the request being transmitted by the client device based on an interpretation of the dynamic content tag in the body of the email message, and the request including the plurality of embedded markers; and

in real time, allocating, based on one or more of the plurality of embedded markers, a piece of dynamic content to the client device as the email message is rendered on the client device, the allocating the piece of dynamic content comprising:

determining a selection of content items for display in the email message based on a message identifier included in the request for dynamic content;

identifying, from the plurality of embedded markers, an email address of a user of the client device that is inserted into the code snippet by the email server at a time of sending;

personalizing a dynamically determined content item of the selection of content items based on at least one of a behavior, a habit, and a topic of interest associated with the user;

determining a degree of persistence for the personalized dynamically determined content item, the degree of persistence including a persistence period that specifies a period of time for when a determination of the personalized dynamically determined content item expires after a first rendering of the personalized dynamically determined content item on the client device;

fixing a mapping of one or more content hyperlinks to the personalized dynamically determined content item for a duration of the persistence period; and

transmitting, in response to the received request, the personalized dynamically determined content item to the client device for rendering within the email message.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistence period is determined dynamically upon making the dynamic content determination based on identified different pieces of dynamic content.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference tag comprises an <a href> tag and the dynamic content tag comprises an <img> tag, and wherein the <a href> tag is wrapped around the <img> tag within the code snippet, such that interpretation of the <img> tag by the client device causes transmission of the request for dynamic content to the dynamic content server, and wherein a subsequent user interaction with the dynamically determined content item triggers a second resource locator contained in the <a href> tag.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of embedded markers comprises:

a model marker specifying a type of content to be returned by the dynamic content server, the model marker being used by the dynamic content server as a filter to restrict the personalized dynamically determined content item to candidate content items of the specified type; and

a recommendation number marker that is incremented for each instance of the code snippet appearing within the email message, the recommendation number marker preventing duplication of returned personalized dynamically determined content items across the body of the email message.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of embedded markers comprises a timestamp marker that is populated by the email server when the email message is sent, and wherein modifying the timestamp marker causes the dynamic content server to generate new content for the received request and prevents caching of a previously returned content item by the client device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising caching, at the dynamic content server, an association between the received request and the personalized dynamically determined content item; and

based on the cached association serving, with the personalized dynamically determined content item, a subsequent request transmitted from the client device for a duration of a persistence period.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the personalized dynamically determined content item comprises a dynamic image content item generated as a block of content having a plurality of parts including a title, image content, and description text.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmission of the email message by the email server, generating a dynamic subject line for the email message by pre-rendering the dynamic content tag of the code snippet to cause the dynamic content server to identify a personalized content item for the user of the client device based on the plurality of embedded markers; and

populating, in the header of the email message, the dynamic subject line with a title pulled from the identified personalized content item.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the dynamic subject line is unique to the user and is generated while at least one further dynamic content tag in the body of the email message remains unrendered until the email message is opened on the client device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the allocating further comprises detecting, in the request for dynamic content, an originating IP address of the client device rendering the email message and requesting the dynamic content;

performing a location lookup based on the detected originating IP address to determine a current location of the client device; and

making the determination of the personalized dynamically determined content item based on the current location, the determination identifying at least one of the personalized dynamically determined content items of the selection of content items to render in the email message.

11 . A dynamic publication system comprising:

at least one processor for executing machine-readable instructions; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor configured to:

generate a code snippet for inclusion in a body of an email message, the code snippet including a paired set of tags comprising a reference tag and a dynamic content tag, the dynamic content tag including a plurality of embedded markers and a resource locator that references a dynamic content server;

transmit, by the email server, the email message to a client device, the email message including a header and a body, wherein the body includes the code snippet having a reference tag;

in response to a rendering of the email message on the client device, receive, at the dynamic content server via a network, a request for dynamic content, the request being transmitted by the client device based on an interpretation of the dynamic content tag in the body of the email message, and the request including the plurality of embedded markers; and

in real time, allocate, based on one or more of the plurality of embedded markers, a piece of dynamic content to the client device as the email message is rendered on the client device, the allocation of the piece of dynamic content comprising:

determining a selection of content items for display in the email message based on a message identifier included in the request for dynamic content;

identifying, from the plurality of embedded markers, an email address of a user of the client device that is inserted into the code snippet by the email server at a time of sending;

personalizing a dynamically determined content item of the selection of content items based on at least one of a behavior, a habit, and a topic of interest associated with the user;

determining a degree of persistence for the personalized dynamically determined content item, the degree of persistence including a persistence period that specifies a period of time for when a determination of the personalized dynamically determined content item expires after a first rendering of the personalized dynamically determined content item on the client device;

fixing a mapping of one or more content hyperlinks to the personalized dynamically determined content item for a duration of the persistence period; and

transmitting, in response to the received request, the personalized dynamically determined content item to the client device for rendering within the email message.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the persistence period is determined dynamically upon making the dynamic content determination based on identified different pieces of dynamic content.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the reference tag comprises an <a href> tag and the dynamic content tag comprises an <img> tag, and wherein the <a href> tag is wrapped around the <img> tag within the code snippet, such that interpretation of the <img> tag by the client device causes transmission of the request for dynamic content to the dynamic content server, and wherein a subsequent user interaction with the dynamically determined content item triggers a second resource locator contained in the <a href> tag.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of embedded markers comprises:

a model marker specifying a type of content to be returned by the dynamic content server, the model marker being used by the dynamic content server as a filter to restrict the personalized dynamically determined content item to candidate content items of the specified type; and

a recommendation number marker that is incremented for each instance of the code snippet appearing within the email message, the recommendation number marker preventing duplication of returned personalized dynamically determined content items across the body of the email message.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of embedded markers comprises a timestamp marker that is populated by the email server when the email message is sent, and wherein modifying the timestamp marker causes the dynamic content server to generate new content for the received request and prevents caching of a previously returned content item by the client device.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to cache, at the dynamic content server, an association between the received request and the personalized dynamically determined content item; and

based on the cached association serve, with the personalized dynamically determined content item, a subsequent request transmitted from the client device for a duration of a persistence period.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the personalized dynamically determined content item comprises a dynamic image content item generated as a block of content having a plurality of parts including a title, image content, and description text.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to, prior to transmission of the email message by the email server, generate a dynamic subject line for the email message by pre-rendering the dynamic content tag of the code snippet to cause the dynamic content server to identify a personalized content item for the user of the client device based on the plurality of embedded markers; and

populate, in the header of the email message, the dynamic subject line with a title pulled from the identified personalized content item.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the dynamic subject line is unique to the user and is generated while at least one further dynamic content tag in the body of the email message remains unrendered until the email message is opened on the client device.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the allocation further comprises detecting, in the request for dynamic content, an originating IP address of the client device rendering the email message and requesting the dynamic content;

performing a location lookup based on the detected originating IP address to determine a current location of the client device; and

making the determination of the personalized dynamically determined content item based on the current location, the determination identifying at least one of the personalized dynamically determined content items of the selection of content items to render in the email message.