Methods for augmenting user-generated content using a monetizable feature

1. A digital content generation and distribution system server comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the stored program logic comprising:

accessing logic executed by the processor for accessing a library of digital content, wherein the library of digital content comprises a plurality of content items, and has an organizational structure for facilitating storage and retrieval of the content items;

identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying from among the plurality of content items within the library, a first content item comprising at least one of image content and multimedia content;

identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying a plurality of monetizable features for the first content item, wherein each monetizable feature comprises a surface area within the first content item, the surface area identified using an image recognition technique to analyze the first content item's digital content to identify image and shape characteristics of the first content item, the surface area is for use in overlaying at least one second content item onto the surface area within the first content item, wherein the surface area meets a minimum threshold of appropriateness factors to display the at least one second content item;

displaying logic executed by the processor for causing display, at a client computing device, of at least a portion of the first content item including at least one of the surface areas and a plurality of monetization options for the each of at least one of the surface areas of the monetizable features identified for the first content item, the plurality of monetization options for a monetizable feature's surface area identifying options for selecting from a plurality of second content items available for overlaying onto the monetizable feature's surface area within the first content item, the monetization options for each of the at least one of the surface areas comprises a plurality of options representing at least one different available second content item;

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving user input indicating a selected monetization option, from displayed monetization options, for a selected surface area identified for the first content item;

selecting logic executed by the processor for selecting a second content item for the selected surface area, the selecting comprising using the selected monetization option associated with the selected surface area and using contextual information associated with a viewing audience for use in selecting the second content item relevant to the viewing audience;

formatting logic executed by the processor for formatting the selected second content item for placement within the selected surface area of the first content item; and

generating logic executed by the processor for generating a composite content item, that is a digital content item generated, using the first content item and the selected second content item, by placing the second content item in the first content item at the selected surface area, wherein the selected second content item is associated with the first content item using the monetizable feature of the first content item, the composite content item for dissemination to the viewing audience via a number of computer devices and an electronic communications network.

2. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising:

presenting logic executed by the processor for presenting the selected second content comprising an advertisement in conjunction with the first content item; and

tracking logic executed by the processor for tracking user interactions for the presentation of the advertisement.

3. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising:

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving at least one of the first content item and selected second content item, thereby generating at least one received content item; and

storing logic executed by the processor for storing the received at least one content item within the organizational structure of the library.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first content item comprises user generated content and the selected second content item comprises one or more of a static advertisement, a dynamic advertisement, an implicit advertisement, and an explicit advertisement.

5. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising:

identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying insertion points for a marker; and

placing logic executed by the processor for placing the marker with one or more insertion points in at least one content item of the plurality of content items.

6. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising setting logic executed by the processor for setting a plurality of insertion points in at least one content item of the plurality of content items, including dynamic run-time markers for on-the-fly advertising insertion at a time of presentation of the at least one content item.

7. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising generating logic executed by the processor for generating an interface for interacting with the library, the interactions with the library comprising operations to edit, search, sort, and combine content and advertisements stored within the library with selected content and advertisements, the interface comprising a graphical user interface having drag and drop functionality for the placement of one or more selected second content items, a marker, and an insertion point, in relation to the first content item.

8. The system of claim 1 :

the identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying a first content item and a plurality of monetizable features of the first content item further comprising responding logic executed by the processor for responding to a command received from a user, the user comprises one or more of an advertiser, an operator, a publisher, an owner of content, a producer, a consumer of content, and a user who shares, distributes, or uploads content; and

the stored program logic further comprising:

providing logic executed by the processor for providing one or more features of a self-serve application and an automated system for selecting and associating the selected second content item with the first content item, for users of the system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generating logic executed by the processor for generating a composite content item comprising the first content item and the selected second content item further comprising embedding instructions executed by the processor for embedding the selected second content item within the first content item.

10. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising:

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving from advertisers requests for user generated content (UGC) and for users of the system to search and select data from among the advertisers.

11. The system of claim 1 , the generating logic executed by the processor for generating a composite content item comprising the first content item and the selected second content item further comprising generating logic executed by the processor for automatically generating the composite content item comprising the first content item and the selected advertisement based upon collaborative filtering of related past performances for best-match insertion.

12. The system of claim 1 , the generating logic executed by the processor for generating a composite content item comprising the first content item and the selected second content item further comprising generating logic executed by the processor for generating the first content item and the selected second content item, comprising an advertisement, dynamically based upon user or advertiser generated variables resolved at display request time.

13. The system of claim 1 , the stored program logic further comprising presenting logic executed by the processor for presenting monetization options to a user of the system at a user computing device.

14. A method comprising:

accessing, by a digital content generation and distribution system server, a library of digital content, wherein the library of digital content comprises a plurality of content items, and has an organizational structure for facilitating storage and retrieval of the content items;

identifying, by the digital content generation and distribution system server, from among the plurality of content items within the library, a first content item comprising at least one of image content and multimedia content;

identifying, by the digital content generation and distribution system server, a plurality of monetizable features for the first content item, wherein each monetizable feature comprises a surface area within the first content item, the surface area identified using an image recognition technique to analyze the first content item's digital content to identify image and shape characteristics of the first content item, the surface area is for use in overlaying at least one second content item onto the surface area within the first content item, wherein the surface area meets a minimum threshold of appropriateness factors to display the at least one second content item;

causing, by the digital content generation and distribution system server and at a client computing device, display of at least a portion of the first content item including at least one of the surface areas and a plurality of monetization options for the each of at least one of the surface areas of the monetizable features identified for the first content item, the plurality of monetization options for a monetizable feature's surface area identifying options for selecting from a plurality of second content items available for overlaying onto the monetizable feature's surface area within the first content item, the monetization options for each of the at least one of the surface areas comprises a plurality of options representing at least one different available second content item;

receiving user input indicating a selected monetization option, from displayed monetization options, for a selected surface area identified for the first content item;

selecting, by the digital content generation and distribution system server, a second content item for the selected surface area, the selecting comprising using the selected monetization option selection indicated in user input received from the client computing device and using contextual information associated with a viewing audience for use in selecting the second content item relevant to the viewing audience;

formatting, by the digital content generation and distribution system server, the selected second content item for placement within the surface area of the first content item; and

generating, by the digital content generation and distribution system server, a composite content item, that is a digital content item generated using the first content item and the selected second content item, by placing the second content item in the first content item at the selected surface area, wherein the selected second content item is associated with the first content item using the monetizable feature of the first content item, the composite content item for dissemination to the viewing audience via a number of computer devices and an electronic communications network.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a digital content generation and distribution system server, performs a method comprising:

accessing a library of digital content, wherein the library of digital content comprises a plurality of content items, and has an organizational structure for facilitating storage and retrieval of the content items;

identifying, from among the plurality of content items within the library, a first content item comprising at least one of image content and multimedia content;

identifying a plurality of monetizable features for the first content item, wherein each monetizable feature comprises a surface area within the first content item, the surface area identified using an image recognition technique to analyze the first content item's digital content to identify image and shape characteristics of the first content item, the surface area is for use in overlaying at least one second content item onto the surface area within the first content item, wherein the surface area meets a minimum threshold of appropriateness factors to display the at least one second content item;

causing display, at a client computing device, of at least a portion of the first content item including at least one of the surface areas and a plurality of monetization options for the each of at least one of the surface areas of the monetizable features identified for the first content item, the plurality of monetization options for a monetizable feature's surface area identifying options for selecting from a plurality of second content items available for overlaying onto the monetizable feature's surface area within the first content item, the monetization options for each of the at least one of the surface areas comprises a plurality of options representing at least one different available second content item;

receiving user input indicating a selected monetization option, from displayed monetization options, for a selected surface area identified for the first content item;

selecting a second content item for the selected surface area, the selecting comprising using the selected monetization option associated with the selected surface area and using contextual information associated with a viewing audience for use in selecting the second content item relevant to the viewing audience;

formatting the selected second content item for placement within the surface area of the first content item; and

generating a composite content item, that is a digital content item generated using the first content item and the selected second content item, by placing the second content item in the first content item at the selected surface area, wherein the selected second content item is associated with the first content item using the monetizable feature of the first content item, the composite content item for dissemination to the viewing audience via a number of computer devices and an electronic communications network.