BENCHMARKING IN ONLINE ADVERTISING

1 . A method for benchmarking in online advertising, the method comprising using at least one hardware processor for:

comparing values of a metric associated with a first online ad entity to values of the same metric associated with other online ad entities; and

based on the comparing, identifying one or more of the other online ad entities as potential benchmarks to the first online ad entity.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the comparing comprises:

receiving a first historical time series comprising the values of the metric associated with the first online ad entity;

receiving multiple other historical time series comprising the values of the metric associated with the other online ad entities; and

computing a set of statistical relationships, each of the statistical relationships being between the first historical time series and a different one of the multiple other historical time series.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the statistical relationships are Pearson correlations.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the identifying comprises:

based on the computing of the set of statistical relationships, selecting a specific one of the other online ad entities to serve as a potential benchmark to the first online ad entity,

wherein the selecting is upon determining that a strongest one of the statistical relationships is between the first historical time series and one of the multiple other historical time series which comprises the values of the metric associated with the specific one of the other online ad entities.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the identifying comprises:

based on the computing of the set of statistical relationships, selecting a specific subset of the other online ad entities to serve as a potential benchmark to the first online ad entity,

wherein the selecting is upon determining that strongest ones of the statistical relationships are between the first historical time series and the subset of the multiple other historical time series which comprises the values of the metric associated with the specific subset of the other online ad entities.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

computing a statistical measure of the values of the metric associated with the specific subset of the other online ad entities; and

defining the statistical measure as a benchmark to the values of the metric associated with the first online ad entity.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the statistical measure is selected from the group consisting of: an average, a mean and a mode.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first online ad entity and the other online ad entities are each selected from the group consisting of: a campaign, a group of campaigns, an individual ads and a group of individual ads.

9 . A computer program product for benchmarking in online advertising, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by at least one hardware processor for:

comparing values of a metric associated with a first online ad entity to values of the same metric associated with other online ad entities; and

based on the comparing, identifying one or more of the other online ad entities as potential benchmarks to the first online ad entity.

10 . The computer program product according to claim 9 , wherein the comparing comprises:

receiving a first historical time series comprising the values of the metric associated with the first online ad entity;

receiving multiple other historical time series comprising the values of the metric associated with the other online ad entities; and

computing a set of statistical relationships, each of the statistical relationships being between the first historical time series and a different one of the multiple other historical time series.

11 . The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the statistical relationships are Pearson correlations.

12 . The computer program product according to claim 9 , wherein the identifying comprises:

based on the computing of the set of statistical relationships, selecting a specific one of the other online ad entities to serve as a potential benchmark to the first online ad entity,

wherein the selecting is upon determining that a strongest one of the statistical relationships is between the first historical time series and one of the multiple other historical time series which comprises the values of the metric associated with the specific one of the other online ad entities.

13 . The computer program product according to claim 9 , wherein the identifying comprises:

based on the computing of the set of statistical relationships, selecting a specific subset of the other online ad entities to serve as a potential benchmark to the first online ad entity,

wherein the selecting is upon determining that strongest ones of the statistical relationships are between the first historical time series and the subset of the multiple other historical time series which comprises the values of the metric associated with the specific subset of the other online ad entities.

14 . The computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the program code is further executable by the at least one hardware processor for:

computing a statistical measure of the values of the metric associated with the specific subset of the other online ad entities; and

defining the statistical measure as a benchmark to the values of the metric associated with the first online ad entity.

15 . The computer program product according to claim 14 , wherein the statistical measure is selected from the group consisting of: an average, a mean and a mode.

16 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first online ad entity and the other online ad entities are each selected from the group consisting of: a campaign, a group of campaign, an individual ads and a group of individual ads.

17 . A method for benchmarking in online advertising, the method comprising using at least one hardware processor for:

comparing values of N metrics associated with M online ad entities, wherein N≧1 and M≧2;

based on the comparing, constructing an N×M×M matrix indicative of statistical relationships between the M online ad entities over the N metrics; and

clustering cells of the matrix, to produce multiple clusters each comprised of similarly-characterized cells, whereby each of the multiple clusters is usable as a joint benchmark.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein different ones of the multiple clusters are associated with advertisers belonging to different business sectors.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the comparing comprises:

receiving multiple historical time series comprising the values of the N metrics associated with the M online ad entities; and

computing N·M 2 statistical relationships, each of the statistical relationships being between members of a different pair of the multiple historical time series.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the statistical relationships are Pearson correlations.

21 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein N≧2.

22 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein N≧3.

23 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising using the at least one hardware processor for displaying the matrix on a computer screen, wherein strengths of the statistical relationships are displayed numerically.

24 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising using the at least one hardware processor for displaying the matrix on a computer screen, wherein strengths of the statistical relationships are displayed using different colors.

25 . A computer program product for benchmarking in online advertising, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by at least one hardware processor for:

comparing values of N metrics associated with M online ad entities, wherein N≧1 and M≧2;

based on the comparing, constructing an N×M×M matrix indicative of statistical relationships between the M online ad entities; and

clustering cells of the matrix, to produce multiple clusters each comprised of similarly-characterized cells, whereby each of the multiple clusters is usable as a joint benchmark.

26 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein different ones of the multiple clusters are associated with advertisers belonging to different business sectors.

27 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein the comparing comprises:

receiving multiple historical time series comprising the values of the N metrics associated with the M online ad entities; and

computing N·M 2 statistical relationships, each of the statistical relationships being between members of a different pair of the multiple historical time series.

28 . The computer program product according to claim 27 , wherein the statistical relationships are Pearson correlations.

29 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein N≧2.

30 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein N≧3.

31 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein the program code is further executable by the at least one hardware processor for displaying the matrix on a computer screen, wherein strengths of the statistical relationships are displayed numerically

32 . The computer program product according to claim 25 , wherein the program code is further executable by the at least one hardware processor for displaying the matrix on a computer screen, wherein strengths of the statistical relationships are displayed using different colors.