Information processing method and program

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing device and information processing method that efficiently achieve advertising effectiveness in advertising using social media. [Solution] In an information processing system in which an information processing device, a communication server, an SNS server, and an environmental information server are connected via a communication network, the information processing method by the information processing device comprises a post information display step, a post information provision step, a determination step, and a reward granting step. In the post information provision step, the information is provided to the user terminal when the information is selected by the user in the post information display step. In the determination step, it is determined whether the posted information satisfies predetermined conditions. In the reward granting step, if it is determined in the determination step that the posted information satisfies predetermined conditions and has been posted to the posting page, a reward is granted to the account according to the posting method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to advertisements (TV advertisements) of sponsors related to TV programs. However, with the spread of the Internet, the advertisements that people see have shifted from TV to advertisements on the WEB and advertisements on SNS (Social Network Service).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Advertisements on various media require a lot of costs. Therefore, as an advertiser, it is desired to maximize the advertising effect as much as possible. However, there is a limit to the effect that can be obtained only by the advertiser himself / herself by placing an advertisement on SNS.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to efficiently obtain an advertising effect in advertisements using SNS.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, an information processing method is provided which causes an information processing device to perform a process of granting rewards to users who are linked with an advertiser via the messaging function of a communication application that enables the exchange of messages with a specific person, wherein the information processing device has a function to communicate with a user terminal via the communication application and create an account for the user corresponding to the user terminal through authentication on an authentication page, the communication application has a function to display an object in the advertiser's room of the messaging function of the communication application for transitioning to the authentication page for creating the account for the information processing device, the information processing device has a function to display information about the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal after the account for the information processing device has been created on the authentication page, the displayed information about the advertiser's advertisement consists of a plurality of posting information according to the posting method, and the information processing device has a function to provide each of the posting information to the user terminal when each of the posting information corresponding to each of the posting information is selected by the user via the user terminal, and the information processing device considers the posting information to be SNS (Social Networking Service).When a post is made on the posting page of the Service application, the information processing device has a function to grant different rewards to the account of the information processing device according to the posting method, the posting function of the SNS application has a function that allows an unspecified number of people to view the posted content, the user's account in the information processing device corresponds to the user's account in the communication application and the user's account in the SNS application, the information processing method comprises a post information display step, a post information provision step, a determination step and a reward grant step, in the post information display step, the information processing device displays the information relating to the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal, in the post information provision step, the information processing device provides the post information to the user terminal when the information is selected by the user in the post information display step, and in the determination step, the information processing device determines whether the posted post information satisfies predetermined conditions and the posted post information The information processing method is provided such that, in the posting information provision step, the posting information provided is information posted on the posting page of the SNS application, and the predetermined conditions include at least one of the following: the posted posting information is posted on the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device for a predetermined amount of time or longer; the posted posting information is posted on the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device and the posted posting information is viewed for a predetermined number of times or more; the number of followers of the user on the SNS application is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of followers; and the number of posts by the user on the posting page of the SNS application is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of posts, and in the reward granting step, if it is determined in the determination step that the posted posting information has been posted on the posting page in accordance with the predetermined conditions, the information processing device grants the account the reward according to the posting method.

[0007] According to the present invention, when information related to an advertiser's advertisement is posted to an SNS application, a reward is granted to the user's account in the information processing device. This creates an incentive for the posting information to spread, thereby enhancing the advertising effect. Furthermore, since users obtain the posting information from the information processing device rather than from the advertiser, and the reward is also granted by the information processing device, the burden on the advertiser is reduced, and advertisers can efficiently obtain advertising effects. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the system configuration of an information processing system 100 that performs the information processing method according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the control unit shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen when a communication application is launched, showing a list of specific individuals with whom messages can be exchanged using the application. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the message room display screen for the user identified in Figure 4 (ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.). [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a screen displaying information related to age verification. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a screen displaying information related to the terms of service. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a screen that displays the conditions under which points (an example of a reward) are awarded. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen displayed when user terminal 3 retrieves posted information. [Figure 10]Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen displayed after user terminal 3 has retrieved the posted information. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the My Page (management screen) for each account of the information processing device 1. [Figure 12] Figure 12 schematically shows an example of an administration screen that displays the posting status of various accounts registered in the information processing device 1 (here, only Patent Jiro and Trade Hanako are shown as examples). [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which an advertisement is sent from the information processing device 1 to the user (user terminal 3) via a communication application. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is an example of a flowchart illustrating the information processing method according to an embodiment, showing the processing related to various authentications and posting of posted information. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is an example of a flowchart illustrating the process related to determining whether to grant a reward and the process of granting a reward, according to an embodiment of the information processing method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The various features shown in the embodiments below can be combined with each other. Furthermore, each feature constitutes an independent invention.

[0010] 1. System configuration of information processing system 100 As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 100 includes an information processing device 1, an external server, and a user terminal 3. In this embodiment, the external server includes a communication server 2A, an SNS server 2B, and an environmental information server 2C. These are connected so that information can be exchanged via a communication network 4 (for example, the Internet). The communication network 4 may be a closed network that is partially or entirely isolated from the Internet.

[0011] Each component of the information processing system 100, such as the information processing apparatus 1, etc., has one or more functions (functional units). Each component may be composed of a single device as shown in FIG. 1, or may be composed of a plurality of independent devices configured to enable information exchange. The same applies to each functional unit such as the control unit 12 of the information processing apparatus 1 described later. Hereinafter, each component included in the information processing system 100 will be further described.

[0012] The information processing apparatus 1 is configured to be communicable with the user terminal 3. Here, the user terminal 3 is a terminal that can cooperate with an advertiser via the message function of a communication application capable of exchanging messages with a specific person. The communication application, which will be described in detail later, is an application having a message function. For example, if the user terminal 3 is a smartphone, it can be installed and the communication application can be made to function on the user terminal 3.

[0013] A specific person is a person who can communicate with each other using a predetermined communication application (the communication application will be described in 1-2-1 later). A specific person may be a human or a company. In the embodiment, the specific persons include advertisers who request to place advertisements. Also, in the following description, in the embodiment, the case where the advertiser is a manufacturer that manufactures beer called "ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd." will be taken as an example for explanation. Note that the advertiser is not particularly limited to a manufacturer, and may be any target as long as it wishes to spread advertisements, and the industry type is not particularly limited. In the following description, as an example, the case where the name of the user (account name) using the user terminal 3 is "Patent Jiro" will be described. FIG. 4 is an example of a screen that can be displayed when Patent Jiro starts a communication application using the user terminal 3. For Patent Jiro, "Patent Taro", "Design Hanako", "Utility Jiro", "Trademark Yasuko", "ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.", "Tokyo Flower Shop", and "IP Taro" are others and specific persons. As shown in FIG. 4, in the communication application, the rooms of each specific person are displayed independently. Although not shown in FIG. 4, it is needless to say that there may be a room for the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 can transmit various information to the user through the room of this information processing device 1, such as information on rewards and advertisements provided by the information processing device 1.

[0014] The information processing device 1 has a function of awarding rewards to users in cooperation with advertisers through the message function of the communication application described above. In the embodiment, the reward is, for example, points that can be exchanged for a predetermined target (such as an item), but is not limited thereto. The reward may be the predetermined target (such as an item) itself instead of points. Also, the predetermined target described above is not limited to an item, whether it is points or not. Specifically, for example, the right to access digital content (granting the right to access and download paid videos, paid e-books, etc.), improvement of services in the information processing device 1 (for example, when differentiating statuses such as normal members and premium members, raising the status to a premium member), granting of virtual items (for example, avatars, etc.), participation tickets for lotteries, gift vouchers, discount coupon vouchers, provision of cash, electronic money, virtual currency, etc. may also be possible.

[0015] In the information processing system 100, when a user spreads information containing an advertiser's advertisement (posted information, described later) through a Social Network Service (SNS), the user is rewarded (points in one example of this embodiment) in their account on the information processing device 1. In other words, by cooperating to enhance the advertising effectiveness of the advertiser's advertisement, the user is rewarded in the account registered on the information processing device 1. Since the reward can be exchanged for predetermined items, for example, users are incentivized to spread information containing the advertiser's advertisement through SNS, which encourages the posting of information containing the advertiser's advertisement and effectively publicizes the advertiser's advertisement.

[0016] 1-1. Information Processing Device 1 The information processing device 1 can register a user's account through an account registration page linked in the advertiser's room of the messaging function of a communication application (such as LINE). Note that the link to the account registration page (i.e., the entry point for account registration) is not limited to the advertiser's room of the communication application, but may also be the information processing device's room within the aforementioned communication application. Alternatively, it may be a link included in the user's email, a link included in an SMS message to the user's phone number, or a link included in a direct message on a social networking service (SNS) application.

[0017] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 can obtain information about users of a communication application by coordinating with the communication application (for example, OAuth: Open Authorization). Obtaining user information can be achieved, for example, after obtaining user approval during the terms of service agreement stage in the authentication unit 121 described later. The user information to be obtained is user information within the communication application, but it may also include information such as a phone number or email address. Even if the information processing device 1 cannot obtain such information during the terms of service agreement stage, it may request information such as a phone number or email address from the user after account registration, with the user's approval. The information processing device 1 also has a function to link the communication application with an SNS application (for example, via an API). In other words, the information processing device 1 has a function to link with (obtain information from) the user's SNS application on the user terminal through the communication application. That is, the information processing device 1 can obtain information such as SNS application accounts.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the information processing device 1 includes a communication unit 10, a storage unit 11, a control unit 12, an output unit 13, and an input unit 14, and these components are electrically connected within the information processing device 1 via a communication bus 15. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the control unit 12 includes an acquisition unit 120, an authentication unit 121, a posting information provision unit 122, a reward granting unit 123, a reward granting determination unit 124, an advertisement generation unit 125, an advertisement transmission unit 126, and a management unit 127.

[0019] Each component of the information processing device 1 described above may be implemented by software or by hardware. When implemented by software, various functions can be realized by the CPU executing a computer program. The program may be stored on a non-temporary recording medium that can be read by the computer, provided for download from an external server, or implemented by so-called cloud computing, which reads a program stored in an external memory unit to realize its functions. When implemented by hardware, it can be implemented by various circuits such as ASICs, FPGAs, or DRPs. In the embodiment, various information and concepts encompassing it are handled, which are represented by high or low signal values ​​or qubits as a set of binary bits composed of 0s or 1s, and communication and calculations can be performed by the above-described software or hardware configuration. The software may be a general-purpose OS or a dedicated OS.

[0020] The communication unit 10 can employ wired communication methods such as USB, IEEE1394, Thunderbolt®, or wired LAN network communication. Alternatively, the communication unit 10 may be configured to connect to the communication network 4 via wireless communication methods such as wireless LAN network communication, 3G / LTE / 5G mobile communication, or Bluetooth® communication. Furthermore, the communication unit 10 may utilize both wired and wireless communication methods.

[0021] The storage unit 11 stores various values, such as various programs, constants, variables, and settings of the information processing device 1 executed by the control unit 12. The storage unit 11 also stores information to be processed by the various functional units of the information processing device 1 (acquisition unit 120, authentication unit 121, posting information provision unit 122, reward granting unit 123, reward granting determination unit 124, advertisement generation unit 125, and management unit 127), which will be described later. The memory unit 11 can employ a storage device such as a solid-state drive (SSD), or random-access memory (RAM) for storing temporarily necessary information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to program calculations. In addition, the information processing device 1 may use an external memory unit (for example, an external storage medium, cloud, etc.) in addition to the memory unit 11.

[0022] The control unit 12 is configured to perform processing and control related to the information processing of the information processing device 1. The control unit 12 can be configured as, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), and in this embodiment, the control unit 12 is an example of a processor capable of executing programs related to each step of the flowchart described later. The control unit 12 realizes various functions related to the information processing device 1 by, for example, reading programs stored in the storage unit 11. Furthermore, the information processing of the software in the information processing device 1 is realized by, for example, the processing of various programs stored in the storage unit 11 by the control unit 12 as hardware.

[0023] The output unit 13 is, for example, a display unit of the information processing device 1. The output unit 13 may be, for example, included in the housing of the information processing device 1 or attached externally. The output unit 13 displays a graphical user interface (GUI) screen that can be operated by the user. The output unit 13 can employ display devices such as a CRT display, liquid crystal display, organic EL display, plasma display, or electronic paper display, as well as display devices such as a lit-up light or a projector. It is optional whether or not the information processing device 1 includes an output unit 13. For example, the output of the information processing device 1 may be displayed on a display unit located in a separate location independent of where the information processing device 1 is installed. The output unit 13 may also have a device that outputs sound.

[0024] The input unit 14 is configured to receive, for example, operation inputs made by a user of the information processing device 1. The input unit 14 may be included in the housing of the information processing device 1 or it may be externally attached. The input unit 14 can be, for example, a touch panel, switch buttons, a mouse, a keyboard, etc. Whether or not the information processing device 1 includes an input unit 14 is optional. For example, operation inputs to the information processing device 1 may be received by the information processing device 1 via an information processing terminal located in a separate location independent of where the information processing device 1 is installed.

[0025] 1-2. External Servers 1-2-1. Communication Server 2A Communication server 2A has the function of enabling message exchange between individuals (specified individuals) who are registered with communication server 2A. Communication server 2A is responsible for various functions such as processing client requests, forwarding messages, authenticating users, and storing data. Specified individuals can exchange messages by launching a predetermined communication application related to communication server 2A.

[0026] In one example of the embodiment, the messaging function of the communication application uses at least one of the following: LINE, WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, Messenger, Viber, Kakao Talk, Snapchat, or QQ Mobile. It is not necessarily limited to these communication applications, but they are preferred in this embodiment. Even if these applications are functionally similar but have different names, the embodiment remains applicable. Furthermore, the communication application may or may not have a calling function.

[0027] Figure 4 shows an example of a screen displayed when Patent Jiro launches a communication application using user terminal 3. In Figure 4, the message rooms a1 to a7 of each specific person are displayed in a list. For example, when the user (Patent Jiro) selects message room a5 of ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd., the user is taken to a message room display screen showing the details of the message with ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd., as shown in Figure 5. In this way, the user (Patent Jiro) communicates with the advertiser, ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd., through the messaging function of the communication application in this embodiment.

[0028] In Figure 4, icon b1 is the icon for transitioning to the home screen of the communication application. Icon b2 is the icon for transitioning to a screen that displays a list of message rooms a1 to a7 for each specific user, and in Figure 4, icon b2 is selected. Although the explanation of the home screen is omitted here, it is possible to perform various management tasks on the home screen, such as changing the status information of one's own account.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, message room a5 has display areas Rg1 to Rg3, which are areas where some information is displayed.

[0030] Display area Rg1 is the area where messages exchanged with a specific person (in this case, ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.) are displayed. Display area Rg2 is an area that is displayed on top of display area Rg1. Nothing is displayed here at the moment, but it is possible to display advertisements, for example, here.

[0031] Display area Rg3 is an area displayed below display area Rg1. In this embodiment, advertising information c1 is displayed in display area Rg1. For example, advertising information c1 includes the text information "If you post with a specific hashtag or mention...". Within the display area of ​​advertising information c1, an object c2 that can be selected by the user is displayed. Object c2 is configured to be selectable by the user through a selection operation. Object c2 serves as a link for communication between the user terminal 3 and the information processing device 1.

[0032] Note that the display location of the advertising information c1 is not limited to within the message room shown in Figure 5, but may also be in display area Rg1 or display area Rg2. Similarly, object c2 may be displayed in display area Rg1 or display area Rg2. Furthermore, object c2 does not have to be displayed within the display area of ​​advertising information c1, and may be displayed separately (outside the display area of ​​advertising information c1).

[0033] 1-2-2. SNS Server 2B The posting function of the SNS application related to SNS server 2B has the function of allowing unspecified persons to view the posted content. In other words, SNS server 2B has the function of allowing persons who have registered an account with SNS server 2B to post some kind of information to unspecified persons and display that information to unspecified persons. The function provided by SNS server 2B may also allow unspecified persons to view the information of the post even if they are not registered an account with SNS server 2B. In one example of the embodiment, at least one of Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, BeReal., Pinterest, and YouTube is used for the posting function of the SNS application. It is not necessarily required to be one of these SNS applications, but these communication applications are preferred in the embodiment. Although these applications are functionally similar, the embodiment can still be applied even if their names are changed.

[0034] 1-2-3. Environmental Information Server 2C The environmental information server 2C has the function of providing environmental information corresponding to location information. In other words, although environmental conditions such as atmospheric pressure and temperature can change depending on the location, the environmental information server 2C is configured to be able to acquire such location-dependent environmental information. Specifically, the information processing device 1 obtains location information corresponding to the location of the user terminal 3 from the user terminal 3 via a communication application related to the communication server 2A. Then, the information processing device 1 obtains environmental information corresponding to the location information of the user terminal 3 via the environmental information server 2C.

[0035] The information processing device 1 may, for example, acquire environmental information for all of Japan at a given time from the environmental information server 2C in a batch, and then select the information corresponding to the location of the user terminal 3 from that environmental information. Alternatively, the information processing device 1 may output only the location information corresponding to the location of the user terminal 3 to the environmental information server 2C, and then acquire the environmental information corresponding to that location information as a response from the environmental information server 2C.

[0036] In the embodiment, the environmental information includes at least one of atmospheric pressure, temperature, perceived temperature, humidity, wind speed, and weather. In another embodiment, preferably, the environmental information includes atmospheric pressure, more preferably, atmospheric pressure and perceived temperature, and even more preferably, the environmental information includes all of atmospheric pressure, temperature, perceived temperature, humidity, wind speed, and weather.

[0037] 1-3. User Terminal 3 User terminal 3 can be any device capable of communicating with the information processing device 1, such as a smartphone, tablet, notebook PC, or desktop PC. In this embodiment, the operations (selection operations) on the user terminal 3 may include, for example, tapping with a finger or tapping with a device such as an electronic pen, if it is a smartphone or tablet. If it is a notebook PC or desktop PC, it may include, for example, clicking to select with a mouse or tapping to select with a touchpad. Furthermore, if the notebook PC or desktop PC has a touchscreen, it may include operations using a finger or electronic pen, similar to smartphones.

[0038] 2. Functional Configuration Referring to Figure 3, the functional configuration of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Information processing by the software stored in the memory unit 11 is concretely realized by the control unit 12, which is an example of hardware, and each functional unit included in the control unit 12 is executed. Here, the focus will be on describing the function of each functional unit, and the flow of the control flow will be explained in detail in the later section, "3. Flow of Information Processing of Information Processing System 100".

[0039] 2-1. Acquisition part 120 The acquisition unit 120 has the function of acquiring various types of information processed by the control unit 12. Here, acquisition may include both receiving data stored in the storage unit 11 and generating data through calculation processing within the information processing device 1. The data acquired by the information processing device 1 can be acquired, for example, by using an API via the communication unit 10, or by using web scraping techniques.

[0040] The acquisition unit 120 has the function of acquiring location information of the user terminal 3. The method by which the acquisition unit 120 acquires location information from the user terminal is not particularly limited, but for example, the location information acquisition function of a communication application can be used. Note that the location information of the user terminal 3 does not necessarily need to be precise; for example, it may be as precise as the prefecture level, or as precise as the city / ward / town / village level. The acquisition unit 120 has the function of acquiring environmental information corresponding to the location information of the user terminal 3. Environmental information can be acquired from an external server, the environmental information server 2C.

[0041] The acquisition unit 120 has the function of acquiring authentication information (for example, information regarding age verification and agreement to terms of service) from the authentication unit 121, which will be described later.

[0042] 2-2. Authentication Section 121 The information processing device 1 has a function to perform authentication when registering an account on the information processing device 1. Specifically, the information processing device 1 performs authentication by requesting age information and consent to the terms of service. In addition, in the example of the embodiment, consent to the rules regarding the conditions under which rewards are granted is also requested. The authentication unit 121 has the functions related to these authentications.

[0043] In this embodiment, a user (in this case, Patent Jiro) can receive a reward by using the service provided by the information processing device 1. However, as a condition for receiving this reward, the user must spread information, including the advertiser's advertisement, using social networking services (SNS). Here, the information to be spread may include content that is undesirable for minors. For example, products such as alcohol and tobacco cannot be used until one reaches adulthood, and it is undesirable for minors to spread information about such products using SNS. For this reason, the information processing device 1 in this embodiment employs a configuration that requires prior authentication before using the service of the information processing device 1.

[0044] When the authentication unit 121 determines that the user meets the age requirement, agrees to the terms of service, and agrees to the rules regarding the conditions for reward provision, the user authentication is completed and a user account is created in the information processing device 1.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the authentication unit 121 is configured to display a screen for age authentication (age verification) on the user terminal 3. The screen shown in Figure 6 includes information d1 for age verification and an object d2 for obtaining information related to age verification from the user. Information d1 includes text information for age verification, such as "Age Verification" and "Are you 20 years of age or older?", as well as graphic information to warn users. Whether or not information d1 includes graphic information is optional. Furthermore, various settings are possible for the age used for age verification; for example, it can be set to "being an adult (20 years of age or older)." This age value can also be changed. This allows for adaptation to changes in the legal age for consuming luxury goods such as alcohol and tobacco due to legal revisions, or to cases where the advertised content does not involve such luxury goods.

[0046] Object d2 uses a format that allows the user to select "yes" or "no," but it is not limited to this. For example, it could also use a format that allows the user to enter a specific age. If "no" is selected in object d2, it would be good to display text information indicating that the service related to information processing device 1 cannot be used.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, the authentication unit 121 is configured to display a screen on the user terminal 3 for the user to agree to the terms of service. The screen shown in Figure 7 includes e1 information about the terms of service and e2 an object for obtaining information from the user indicating whether or not they agree to the terms of service. Information e1 includes textual information such as "Please be sure to check" for the terms of use. Information e1 may also include graphic information. Object e2 employs a format that allows the user to select either "Yes" or "No." If "No" is selected in object e2, it is recommended that text information be displayed indicating that the service related to information processing device 1 cannot be used.

[0048] Furthermore, while this explanation assumes that age verification (Figure 6) and agreement to the terms of service (Figure 7) are displayed on separate screens, the system is not limited to this configuration. It may also be possible to perform all authentication simultaneously on a single screen. In other words, a single display screen could show both information regarding whether the user is 20 years of age or older and information regarding agreement to the terms of service, and additionally, an object for obtaining this agreement could be displayed on this screen.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, the authentication unit 121 is configured to display a screen on the user terminal 3 for obtaining consent to the rules regarding the conditions under which rewards are granted. The display screen shown in Figure 8 includes information f1 about the rule and an object f2 for obtaining agreement on this rule (confirming that it has been understood). Object f2 may also be configured to allow the user to select "Yes (agree to the rule)" or "No (disagree to the rule)," similar to objects d2 and e2. In this case, if "No" is selected, it is preferable to display text indicating that the service related to the information processing device 1 cannot be used.

[0050] 2-3. Submission Information Provision Section 122 As shown in Figure 9, the posting information provision unit 122 has the function of providing users with information including advertising content related to advertisers for dissemination on social media. In other words, as shown in Figure 9, the posting information provision unit 122 is configured to display a screen on the user terminal 3 that provides the user with information including advertising content related to advertisers. This screen displays information (in this case, information g1 and information g2) that allows you to retrieve advertising content related to the advertiser.

[0051] Information g1 includes an object g11 that causes the user terminal 3 to obtain advertising information, and information g12 that indicates the advertising information to be obtained. Information g2 also includes an object g21 that causes the user terminal 3 to obtain advertising information, and information g22 that indicates the obtained advertising information. As shown in Figure 9, when object g11 or object g21 is selected by the user, the corresponding posting information is copied to the user terminal 3.

[0052] As shown in Figure 9, the posting information provision unit 122 is configured to display a screen on the user terminal 3 that allows the user to select and obtain information for Stories posts (see g1, g11, g12) and information for feed posts (see g2, g21, g22). In other words, in this embodiment, the posting function of the SNS application has feed posts and Stories posts. It should be noted that the configuration is not limited to that shown in Figure 9, and the posting information provision unit 122 may be configured to display only one of either information for Stories posts or information for feed posts.

[0053] Furthermore, feed posts are displayed larger than stories posts on the SNS home screen, while stories posts are not displayed larger unless selected. Furthermore, feed posts remain active unless deleted, while stories posts automatically disappear after a set period of time (for example, 24 hours).

[0054] In this embodiment, we have used the above-mentioned Stories posts and Feed posts (examples of Instagram posts) as examples, but the posting method is not limited to these, and it is possible to use a method appropriate to the SNS application being used. The posting function of an SNS application includes at least one of the following: posts with text information, posts with still images, posts with videos, and posts with audio. Furthermore, the posting function of an SNS application may include multiple posting methods (the example of the embodiment gives two examples: stories posting and feed posting, but there may be three or more). Note that in the embodiment, the posting function of the SNS application may not include multiple posting methods, but rather just one.

[0055] Furthermore, the posting information provided by the posting information provision unit 122 is pre-stored in the storage unit 11. The information stored in this storage unit 11 may, for example, be received from advertisers, automatically generated within the information processing device 1 based on information received from advertisers, or obtained from an external server that generates posting information that enhances advertising effectiveness.

[0056] As shown in Figure 10, the posting information provision unit 122 is configured to display a message indicating that the posting information has been copied to the user terminal 3 and to display an object to facilitate posting to the SNS when object g11 or object g21 is selected by the user. Specifically, when objects g11 and g21 shown in Figure 9 are selected, a screen like the one shown in Figure 10 is displayed. This screen includes information h1 that notifies the user that the advertising information (posted information) has been copied to the user terminal 3, information h2 that concerns the rules regarding reward distribution, and an object h3 for launching the SNS application. This allows the user to understand that the information they are posting has been properly copied to the user terminal 3.

[0057] When a user selects "Post" on object h3, the information processing device 1 (posting information provision unit 122) automatically launches a predetermined SNS application (e.g., Instagram) on the user terminal 3. This allows advertisers to spread information on SNS simply by pasting information copied to the user terminal 3, thus reducing the workload associated with posting. Furthermore, instead of automatically launching a predetermined SNS application, the system could also be configured such that, for example, a screen is displayed allowing the user to select which SNS application to launch, and the corresponding SNS application is launched once the user makes a selection. Furthermore, the information processing device 1 may be configured such that the posting information provision unit 122 omits the process of displaying the screen shown in Figure 10. In this case, the user themselves will launch the SNS application and paste the information.

[0058] 2-4. Reward Distribution Section 123 The reward granting unit 123 has the function of granting a reward to the account of the user who posted the information, when the reward granting determination unit 124 decides to grant a reward. In other words, when the reward granting unit 123 determines that the posted information has been posted to the posting page and that predetermined conditions have been met, it grants a reward (points in one example of this embodiment) to the user's account. The reward granted to the user is linked to the account in this information processing device 1. Information regarding the account managed by the information processing device 1 will be explained in the management unit 127, which will be described later.

[0059] The rewards awarded by the reward awarding unit 123 may be changeable depending on various conditions. In this embodiment, for example, the reward for feed posts (700pt in this embodiment) is set to be higher than the reward for stories posts (500pt in this embodiment). In other words, in this embodiment, the rewards awarded differ depending on the posting method.

[0060] Alternatively, this could be achieved, for example, by an operator of the information processing device 1 changing the reward to be granted via the input unit 14, or by a configuration in which the reward to be granted automatically changes when a predetermined process is executed.

[0061] The various conditions used by the reward distribution unit 123 are not limited to these. For example, the reward may be changed depending on when the post was made, or a higher reward may be set for the account of a specific user randomly selected from multiple accounts. Furthermore, higher rewards may be set for those who are deemed to have a high ability to effectively disseminate posted information, or for those who post infrequently. Furthermore, it may be changed according to the number of views (condition b) described later; if the number of views is high, it may be set higher, and if the number of views is low, it may be set lower.

[0062] 2-5. Reward Granting Determination Unit 124 The reward granting determination unit 124 has the function of determining whether or not the posted information has been posted to the posting page, provided that predetermined conditions are met. If the content posted by a user on SNS is immediately deleted, or if the information that advertisers expect to spread is not posted properly, the advertiser's advertising effectiveness will be diminished, and rewards should not be given to such individuals. Therefore, the information processing device 1 is equipped with a reward granting determination unit 124 to avoid such situations.

[0063] The predetermined conditions in the reward granting determination unit 124 include at least one of the following: (condition a) the posted information is posted to the posting page for a predetermined amount of time or longer; (condition b) the posted information is viewed for a predetermined number of times or more; (condition c) the number of followers is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of followers; and (condition d) the number of posts on the user's SNS posting page is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of posts. In this embodiment, condition (a) is adopted for feed posts, and condition (b) can be adopted for stories posts. Condition (c) is based on the view that advertising effectiveness will be enhanced if the system of this embodiment is used by more influential individuals, for example. Furthermore, condition (d) is based on the perspective of excluding cases where individuals with few posts post solely for the purpose of receiving rewards. In other words, such individuals are not well-known because they do not post regularly, and it is assumed that they receive few views from the general public, resulting in lower advertising effectiveness.

[0064] The predetermined time in (condition a) is specifically, for example, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78, 84, 90, 96 hours, and may be within the range of any two of the values ​​exemplified here (as shown in Figure 8, in one embodiment it is 72 hours). Furthermore, the predetermined number of views in (condition b) is specifically, for example, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000, and 100,000, and may be within the range of any two of the numbers exemplified here.

[0065] 2-6. Ad Generation Unit 125 The advertisement generation unit 125 has the function of generating advertisements (advertising information) to be transmitted to the user terminal 3 via a communication application related to the communication server 2A. The advertising information k generated by the advertisement generation unit 125 is transmitted to the message room as appropriate, as shown in Figure 13. In other words, this advertising information k is transmitted from the information processing device 1 to the message room on the user terminal 3 via the communication application (via the communication server 2A) as appropriate. The advertisement generation unit 125 preferably transmits advertisements using a communication application related to the communication server 2A, but is not limited to this. For example, it may also transmit web advertisements (e.g., advertisements on a designated site on the internet or advertisements on social media) or direct mail. In other words, while the advertisements generated by the advertisement generation unit 125 are more effective when the recipient's situation (environmental information and posting tendencies) is known, they may also be sent as advertisements to an unspecified number of people. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which advertisement information k is transmitted from the information processing device 1 to the message room on the user terminal 3 via a communication application.

[0066] The advertising information k may or may not have an object (link) attached to it for receiving dissemination information (see Figure 9). The presence of an object encourages user posting and disseminates the advertiser's information, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the advertisement.

[0067] Furthermore, the advertising information k may be displayed in display area Rg2 or Rg3, or in display area Rg1, as shown in Figure 13. The advertising content may be from ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.'s room, as it is an ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd. room, but it may also be from other companies, or may include advertisements from both.

[0068] Furthermore, the relationship between the information processing device 1 and Patent Jiro may be that of a specific person, and the information processing device 1's account may be registered in Patent Jiro's communication application. In other words, although not shown in Figure 4, the information processing device 1's account may also exist on this account list screen. In this case, the advertising information k may be output to the message room with the information processing device 1. In this case, the communication application may have a function to place the account that received the message at the top of the account list. In the example in Figure 4, the message from "Patent Taro" is the most recent and is therefore at the top. When advertising information k is sent as a message, even if the account is buried at the bottom of Figure 4, it will rise to the top. This makes it easier for Patent Jiro to recognize the advertisement, improving the advertising effect on the user.

[0069] The ad generation unit 125 has the function of determining the content of the ad, the timing of sending the ad, and the target audience for sending the ad (users who have an account on the information processing device 1). The ad generation unit 125 can determine the content of the ad, the timing of sending the ad, and the target audience (users with an account on the information processing device 1) based on environmental information. For example, the hotter the day (the higher the perceived temperature), the more people are likely to want to drink ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.'s beer. Therefore, for example, if the perceived temperature meets a predetermined condition (e.g., exceeds a threshold perceived temperature), it may be decided to send advertisements for ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.'s beer, and to set the target audience to send the advertisements to as many people as possible. Furthermore, for example, low atmospheric pressure may increase the number of people complaining of feeling unwell. Therefore, when atmospheric pressure is low, it may be decided to broadcast advertisements for health foods, such as those containing yeast, instead of beer advertisements.

[0070] Furthermore, the ad generation unit 125 can also determine the content of the ad, the timing of sending the ad, and the target audience (users with an account on the information processing device 1) based on the user's posting trends. Note that the term "user" here can refer to a single user or multiple users. If it refers to a single user, the advertisement will be based on an analysis and evaluation of that individual user within the account. If it refers to multiple users, the advertisement will be based on an analysis and evaluation of multiple users. Furthermore, posting trends include, for example, the times of day when a user posts more frequently, and the types of advertisements that users prefer to post. Regarding types of advertisements, for example, if a user posts more about beer than about health foods, it can be decided to send beer-related advertisements. In other words, some users may have a bias in the types of information they share on social media, and if a user tends to avoid posting about health foods and actively post about beer, then it is likely that this user has a high interest in beer, and therefore, advertisements for ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.'s beer would be sent to this user. While there are no specific limitations to the statistical methods used to understand posting trends, one approach is to create a histogram based on time and use the time period with the highest posting frequency. Histograms can also be used to analyze the types of advertisements.

[0071] Furthermore, the ad generation unit 125 can also determine the content of the ad, the timing of sending the ad, and the target audience for sending the ad (users with an account on the information processing device 1) based on both environmental information and user posting trends.

[0072] Furthermore, the ad generation unit 125 may have a function that allows for random determination. For example, in situations where the number of user posts is small, it may be difficult to determine what kind of advertisement is effective for the user and when it is effective to send the advertisement to the user. In such cases, the ad generation unit 125 may have a function that randomly determines the content of the advertisement and the timing of its transmission. The ad generation unit 125 may also have a function that randomly determines the user to whom the advertisement is sent (a user who has an account on the information processing device 1). The method of randomly determining these is not particularly limited; for example, a configuration can be adopted in which random numbers are used to select one of several advertisement contents. The same applies to the transmission timing and recipient.

[0073] The ad generation unit 125 may generate ads based on environmental information for the most recent predetermined period. The most recent predetermined period is, for example, from x hours before the current time to y hours after the current time. Specifically, x (time) could be, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or it could be within the range of any two of the numbers exemplified here. Specifically, y (time) can be, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or it may be within the range of any two of the numbers exemplified here. Furthermore, the ad generation unit 125 may generate ads based on environmental information beyond the most recent predetermined period. In this case, the environmental information only provides a prediction of the environment in the future to some extent, and is useful because it allows users to prepare for future conditions.

[0074] The ad generation unit 125 may determine the content of the ad, the timing of sending the ad, and the target audience (users with an account on the information processing device 1) according to a predetermined algorithm, or it may determine these using a machine learning model.

[0075] 2-7. Advertisement transmission unit 126 The ad transmission unit 126 is configured to transmit the ad (advertising information) generated by the ad generation unit 125 to various terminals. The transmission timing and target can be determined according to the timing and target determined by the ad generation unit 125.

[0076] The method for sending advertisements (advertising information) by the advertising transmission unit 126 can be at least one of the following: (1) sending to a message room of a communication application; (2) sending via email to an email address held by the user; (3) sending via SMS to a phone number held by the user; or (4) sending via direct mail in the user's SNS application. In this embodiment, the advertising transmission unit 126 appropriately transmits to the message room of the communication application. In other words, this advertising information is appropriately transmitted from the information processing device 1 to the message room on the user terminal 3 via the communication application (via the communication server 2A). In this case, the communication application may have a function to place the account that received the message at the top of the account list. For example, in the example in Figure 4, the message from "Patent Taro" is the most recent and is therefore at the top. If the advertising information is sent using the method described in (1) above, even if the account is buried at the bottom of Figure 4, it will rise to the top. This makes it easier for Patent Jiro to recognize the advertisement, improving the effectiveness of the advertisement to the user.

[0077] 2-8. Management Department 127 As shown in Figure 11, an example of the account management screen (My Page) for an account (Patent Jiro's account in Figure 11) in the information processing device 1 is shown. The management unit 127 is configured to manage the management screen containing the information shown in Figure 11 once authentication by the authentication unit 121 is completed.

[0078] The management unit 127 is configured to display, for example, the rewards earned by each account, and this corresponds to display j1. Furthermore, the management unit 127 is configured to display the target j2 that can be exchanged for the accumulated rewards. Furthermore, the management unit 127 is configured to display a display j3 that shows textual information regarding posting rules, etc., so that posting information can be posted using various social networking services (SNS). Furthermore, the management unit 127 is configured to display object j4 for selection when posting information. When this object j4 is selected, the system transitions to a display screen such as the one shown in Figure 9.

[0079] The information processing device 1 is capable of managing each post so that it can understand the posting status of each user. Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, the management unit 127 manages the status of each post. Posts T1, T2, and T3 are all independent of each other. For example, each post contains information such as the poster (account name), post details, posting date, posting time, posting location, temperature, perceived temperature, wind speed, humidity, atmospheric pressure, weather, and whether or not a reward was awarded. Post T1 has been marked as "reward granted" because the conditions for reward granting have been met. Therefore, the reward for this post will be granted to Patent Jiro's account by the reward granting unit 123. Post T2 is currently under review to determine if the conditions for reward eligibility have been met. For example, this could be because a predetermined amount of time has not elapsed since posting, or because it has not reached a predetermined number of views. Post T2 will be continuously reviewed (monitored) by the reward eligibility determination unit 124. Post T3 is a post that did not receive a reward because the conditions for rewarding it were not met. In other words, Post T3 is a post that was decided not to receive a reward (NG post). For example, this could be a situation where a user should have posted information provided by Post Information Provision Department 122, but instead posted different information.

[0080] The screen shown in Figure 12 is a screen that can be viewed by the administrator of the information processing device 1. Furthermore, in order for Patent Jiro himself to know the status of his posts, it is preferable that the management unit 127 be configured to display post information, post date, post time, and whether or not a reward has been granted for each post.

[0081] 3. Information Processing Flow of Information Processing System 100 The program according to this embodiment executes each of the steps (information processing method) described below. The flowchart described here is an example, and the control flowchart of the information processing device 1 can be modified by changing the order or omitting parts.

[0082] 3-1. Flowchart for various authentications and posting of information Refer to Figure 14 to explain the flow related to various authentications and posting of information.

[0083] (Step S000) This flow begins when the user (Patent Jiro) performs the selection operation on object c2 shown in Figure 5. When the authentication unit 121 determines that this selection operation has been performed, it proceeds to step S001. Furthermore, step S000 is not limited to being triggered by the selection operation of object c2 shown in Figure 5; for example, it may be triggered by the selection operation of object j4 on the My Page shown in Figure 11 by a person with an account.

[0084] (Step S001) The authentication unit 121 determines whether the user (Patent Jiro) already has an account. If the user has an account, the process proceeds to step S008; otherwise, it proceeds to step S002.

[0085] (Step S002) The authentication unit 121 displays the age authentication screen shown in Figure 6 on the user terminal 3.

[0086] (Step S003) The authentication unit 121 performs a determination related to age verification. If the authentication unit 121 determines that the age verification is appropriate (if "Yes" is selected as shown in Figure 6), it proceeds to step S004; if it determines that the age verification is inappropriate (if "No" is selected as shown in Figure 6), it proceeds to step S013. If "Yes" is selected as shown in Figure 6, the information corresponding to that selection is sent to the information processing device 1 via the communication application, the acquisition unit 120 acquires this information, and the authentication unit 121 makes a determination based on that information. The same procedure applies if "No" is selected.

[0087] (Step S004) The authentication unit 121 displays the screen for agreeing to the terms of service shown in Figure 7 on the user terminal 3.

[0088] (Step S005) If the authentication unit 121 determines that consent has been obtained to the terms of use (if "Yes" is selected as shown in Figure 7), it proceeds to step S006. If it determines that consent has not been obtained (if "No" is selected as shown in Figure 7), it proceeds to step S013. The processing of information corresponding to the selection is the same as described in (Step S003).

[0089] (Step S006) The authentication unit 121 displays a screen on the user terminal 3 regarding the agreement to the rules for reward granting, as shown in Figure 8.

[0090] (Step S007) The authentication unit 121 determines whether or not consent to the rules has been obtained. If consent is determined to have been obtained (i.e., object f2 shown in Figure 8 is selected), the process proceeds to step S008. If consent has not been obtained (i.e., object f2 shown in Figure 8 is not selected), step S006 is displayed continuously. Furthermore, if it is determined that no selection operation has been performed for a predetermined period of time or longer, the process may be modified to exit the loop from step S007 to step S006 and proceed to step S013. Furthermore, the processing of information corresponding to the selection is the same as described in (step S003).

[0091] Although omitted in the steps, if consent is obtained in step S007, all authentication will be completed. As a result, the management unit 127 will create an account for the user (Patent Jiro) in the information processing device 1. In other words, the information processing device 1 can create a user account through the authentication page (see Figures 6-8) linked in the advertiser's (ABCXYZ Beer Co., Ltd.) room (see Figure 5) of the messaging function of the communication application.

[0092] (Step S008: Post Information Display Step) As shown in Figure 9, the posting information provision unit 122 displays a screen on the user terminal 3 for providing the user with information (posting information) that includes advertising content related to the advertiser.

[0093] (Step S009) The posting information provision unit 122 determines whether object g11 or object g21 shown in Figure 9 has been selected. The processing of information corresponding to the selection is the same as described in (Step S003).

[0094] (Step S010) The posting information provision unit 122 displays information h1, information h2, and object h3, as shown in Figure 10.

[0095] (Step S011) The submission information provision unit 122 makes a selection determination regarding object h3. The processing of information corresponding to the selection is the same as described in (Step S003).

[0096] (Step S012: Environmental Information Acquisition Step) Since the user selected to make an SNS post in step S011, the posting information provision unit 122 processes information so that the user terminal 3 launches the SNS application. In other words, the information processing device 1 processes information so that it launches the SNS application that is linked to the communication application. Furthermore, communication applications and SNS applications do not necessarily need to be linked. In this case, the user can simply launch the SNS themselves and post the copied information.

[0097] In step S012, the acquisition unit 120 acquires the location information of the user terminal 3. In addition, the acquisition unit 120 also acquires environmental information corresponding to this location information. The posted information copied via step S009 is associated with the location information and environmental information. The timing at which the acquisition unit 120 acquires location information and environmental information may be before or after this step. In other words, it can be at any time as long as it is not an extremely long time after the user posts information on SNS. To put it another way, the acquisition unit 120 only needs to acquire location information corresponding to the location of the user terminal 3 when the user terminal 3 posts information, and also acquire the corresponding environmental information. For example, even if the post information is copied in step S009, the time lag until the post information is actually published is not considered to be significant, so the timing of acquisition could be set to when the post information is copied in step S009. Alternatively, for example, the timing of acquisition could be set to when the user publishes the post information to social media.

[0098] The flow then terminates (step S014). Furthermore, once the SNS application is launched, the user pastes the copied information, stored in the memory unit (not shown) of user terminal 3, onto the SNS posting page.

[0099] (Step S013) The authentication unit 121 displays text information on the user terminal 3 indicating that the service related to the information processing device 1 cannot be used, and this flow ends (step S014).

[0100] 3-2. Determination of Reward Grant and Flowchart for Reward Granting Refer to Figure 15 to explain the process for determining eligibility for rewards and the flow related to reward distribution.

[0101] (Step T000) Assume that the user (Patent Jiro) has completed posting the information to SNS after going through the flow shown in Figure 14. This flow is executed upon completion of the post. This flow is performed for each post.

[0102] (Step T001: Judgment Step) The reward granting determination unit 124 determines whether or not the posted information has been posted to the SNS (posting page) in accordance with predetermined posting conditions. The reward granting determination unit 124 proceeds to step T002 if the condition is met, and to step T003 if the condition is not met.

[0103] (Step T002) The reward granting determination unit 124 determines whether or not to grant a reward to the submitted information (whether or not to classify it as NG). For example, if the content posted on social media differs from the posted information shown in Figure 9, the reward granting determination unit 124 will determine that it is NG (Not Approved). Furthermore, even if the same content as the posted information shown in Figure 9 is posted on SNS, the reward granting determination unit 124 will determine that the posted information has been deleted without waiting for a predetermined time (72 hours in this embodiment), and will make a decision to classify it as NG. Furthermore, even if the same content as the posted information shown in Figure 9 is posted on SNS, the reward granting determination unit 124 will determine that the posted information has been deleted before the predetermined number of posts is reached, and will make a decision to classify it as NG.

[0104] (Step T003: Reward Granting Step) The reward distribution unit 123 grants the predetermined reward to the user's account. This completes the flow (step T005).

[0105] (Step T004) The reward granting determination unit 124 cancels the continuous monitoring state (determination state) for the post information that has been determined to be NG. This completes this flow (step T005).

[0106] 3-3. Flowchart for ad generation and ad transmission This section describes the flow related to ad generation and ad transmission. The flowchart is omitted.

[0107] (U001: Ad generation step) The ad generation unit 125 generates ads based on environmental information and user posting trends. For environmental information and posting trends, location information, environmental information, and corresponding posting information obtained in step S012 of Figure 14 can be used.

[0108] (U002: Ad submission step) The advertisement transmission unit 126 transmits the advertisement generated by the advertisement generation unit 125 to the user terminal 3 via a communication application. In this embodiment, the transmission method can be one of the transmission methods (1) to (4) described in Section 2-7. In this embodiment, method (1) is used. Furthermore, in the case of (2) sending an email to an email address held by the user, and (3) sending an SMS to a phone number held by the user, for example, at any of the timings in steps S002 to S007, this information (email address, phone number) may be automatically obtained through cooperation between applications, or obtained by having the user input it. (4) In the case of sending via direct mail on the user's SNS application, for example, at any of the timings in steps S002 to S007, information such as the user ID or a similar user identifier in the SNS application may be automatically obtained through cooperation between applications, or obtained by having the user input it. Furthermore, the process is not limited to any of the timings in steps S002 to S007. For example, after the user has completed creating an account on the information processing device 1, information processing to obtain (2) to (4) (either automatically obtained through the cooperation of applications or obtained by having the user input the information) may be performed with the user's consent.

[0109] 4. Effects and Actions According to the Embodiment Advertising across various media requires significant costs, so advertisers naturally want to maximize their advertising effectiveness. However, there are limits to the impact an advertiser can achieve by placing ads solely on social media. In contrast, with Information Processing Device 1, when information related to an advertiser's advertisement is posted to the SNS application, the user's account is rewarded. This creates an incentive for the information to spread, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the advertisement. Furthermore, since users obtain the posted information from Information Processing Device 1 rather than from the advertiser, and the rewards are also provided by Information Processing Device 1, the burden on the advertiser is reduced, allowing advertisers to efficiently obtain advertising results.

[0110] In this embodiment, varying the rewards depending on the posting method increases user enjoyment, and this also creates a synergistic effect by preventing posts with low advertising effectiveness from being made through the evaluation step, even as the number of users increases.

[0111] For example, consider a method where advertisers place ads on social media and offer incentives to those who share those ads to enhance their advertising effectiveness. In this method, if the advertised product is subject to age restrictions (e.g., alcohol products), it may become necessary to verify the age of each person who shares the ad. This verification process might be perceived as cumbersome, potentially causing them to stop sharing the ad. In this case, there is a concern that the advertising effectiveness due to the ad's sharing will be reduced. In contrast, information disseminated by users (posted information) is obtained from the information processing device 1. The information processing device 1 has already obtained the user's age information and information regarding their agreement to the terms of service. Therefore, users do not need to authenticate their age information, etc., each time they obtain posted information (each time they place an advertisement on behalf of an advertiser). This effectively reduces the burden of authentication procedures, and in addition, combined with the incentive of receiving rewards, it promotes the dissemination of posted information related to advertisers' advertisements, thereby increasing the effectiveness of advertising using social media.

[0112] Advertising on television and other media is considered to require significant costs, so advertisers naturally want to maximize their advertising effectiveness. However, with television advertising, since commercials are scheduled to air regardless of weather or other environmental factors, it's conceivable that a beverage company might air an advertisement for a cold drink even when it's raining and cold. This limits the advertising effectiveness that advertisers can achieve. In contrast, the information processing device 1 can send advertisements to the user terminal 3 based on environmental information, making it possible to deliver advertisements that take the environment into account and thereby enhance the effectiveness of the advertisements.

[0113] Furthermore, the very moment a post is made on social media is often a time when the poster's emotions are heightened, making it potentially effective to run advertisements at that time. For example, when someone posts information about alcoholic beverages on social media, their motivation may not only be to earn rewards (points), but also due to environmental factors such as high temperatures and thirst. Information processing system 100 improves advertising effectiveness by providing advertisements to posters whose emotions are heightened at that time.

[0114] Various embodiments are illustrated below. The embodiments shown below can be combined with each other. [Note 1] An information processing method that causes an information processing device to execute a process to award rewards to users who are affiliated with advertisers via the messaging function of a communication application that allows the exchange of messages with specific individuals, The information processing device has the function of communicating with a user terminal via the communication application and creating an account for the user corresponding to the user terminal on the information processing device through authentication on the authentication page. The communication application has a function to display an object in the advertiser's room of the messaging function of the communication application for transitioning to the authentication page for creating the account of the information processing device. The information processing device has a function to display information about the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal after the account for the information processing device has been created on the authentication page. The information relating to the advertiser's advertisement displayed is composed of multiple posting information according to the posting method, and the information processing device has a function to provide each posting information to the user terminal when each piece of information corresponding to each posting information is selected by the user via the user terminal. The information processing device has a function that, when the posted information is posted to the posting page of an SNS (Social Network Service) application, grants different rewards to the account of the information processing device depending on the posting method. The posting function of the aforementioned SNS application has a function that allows unspecified persons to view the posted content. The user's account in the information processing device corresponds to the user's account in the communication application and the user's account in the SNS application. The aforementioned information processing method comprises a step of displaying posted information, a step of providing posted information, a judgment step, and a reward granting step. In the step of displaying the posted information, the information processing device displays the information relating to the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal. In the aforementioned post information provision step, the information processing device provides the post information to the user terminal when the information is selected by the user in the post information display step. In the determination step, the information processing device determines whether the posted information satisfies predetermined conditions. The previously posted information is the information that was posted to the posting page of the SNS application, provided in the posting information provision step. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include: For a predetermined period of time or longer, the previously posted information is posted to the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device. The previously posted information has been posted to the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device, and the previously posted information has been viewed more than a predetermined number of times. The number of followers of the user in the aforementioned SNS application is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of followers. The number of posts made by the user on the posting page of the aforementioned SNS application is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of posts. It includes at least one of the following: In the reward granting step, if it is determined in the determination step that the posted information has been posted to the posting page in accordance with the predetermined conditions, the information processing device grants the account the reward according to the posting method. [Note 2] The information processing method described in Appendix 1, An information processing method in which the posting function of the aforementioned SNS application includes at least one of the following: posting of text information, posting of still images, posting of videos, and posting of audio. [Note 3] The information processing method described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2, With additional ad submission steps, In the ad transmission step, the information processing device transmits an ad to the user terminal, the ad being based on the user's posting trends in the posted information. [Note 4] An information processing method described in any one of the appendices 1 to 3, The information processing method, in the step of displaying the posted information, displays the posted information and an object that allows the user to obtain the posted information. [Note 5] A program that executes the information processing method described in any one of the appendices 1 to 4. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1: Information Processing Device 2A: Communication Server 2B: SNS server 2C: Environmental Information Server 3: User terminal 4: Communication Network 10: Communications Department 11: Storage section 12: Control Unit 13: Output section 14: Input section 15: Communications bus 100: Information Processing Systems 120: Acquisition section 121: Authentication Department 122: Submission Information Provider Department 123: Reward Distribution Department 124: Reward Granting Determination Unit 125: Advertising Generation Department 126: Advertising transmission department 127: Management Department

Claims

1. An information processing method that causes an information processing device to execute a process to award rewards to users who are affiliated with advertisers via the messaging function of a communication application that allows the exchange of messages with specific individuals, The information processing device has the function of communicating with a user terminal via the communication application and creating an account for the user corresponding to the user terminal on the information processing device through authentication on the authentication page. The communication application has a function to display an object in the advertiser's room of the messaging function of the communication application for transitioning to the authentication page for creating the account of the information processing device. The information processing device has a function to display information about the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal after the account for the information processing device has been created on the authentication page. The information relating to the advertiser's advertisement displayed is composed of multiple posting information according to the posting method, and the information processing device has a function to provide each posting information to the user terminal when each piece of information corresponding to each posting information is selected by the user via the user terminal. The information processing device has a function that, when the posted information is posted to the posting page of an SNS (Social Network Service) application, grants different rewards to the account of the information processing device depending on the posting method. The posting function of the aforementioned SNS application has a function that allows unspecified persons to view the posted content. The user's account in the information processing device corresponds to the user's account in the communication application and the user's account in the SNS application. The aforementioned information processing method comprises a step of displaying posted information, a step of providing posted information, a judgment step, and a reward granting step. In the step of displaying the posted information, the information processing device displays the information relating to the advertiser's advertisement on the user terminal. In the aforementioned post information provision step, the information processing device provides the post information to the user terminal when the information is selected by the user in the post information display step. In the determination step, the information processing device determines whether the posted information satisfies predetermined conditions. The previously posted information is the information that was posted to the posting page of the SNS application, provided in the posting information provision step. The aforementioned predetermined conditions include: For a predetermined period of time or longer, the previously posted information is posted to the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device. The previously posted information has been posted to the posting page of the same user as the account of the information processing device, and the previously posted information has been viewed more than a predetermined number of times. The number of followers of the user in the aforementioned SNS application is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of followers. The number of posts made by the user on the posting page of the aforementioned SNS application is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of posts. It includes at least one of the following: In the reward granting step, if it is determined in the determination step that the posted information has been posted to the posting page in accordance with the predetermined conditions, the information processing device grants the account the reward according to the posting method.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, An information processing method in which the posting function of the aforementioned SNS application includes at least one of the following: posting of text information, posting of still images, posting of videos, and posting of audio.

3. An information processing method according to claim 1 or claim 2, With additional ad submission steps, In the ad transmission step, the information processing device transmits an ad to the user terminal, the ad being based on the user's posting trends in the posted information.

4. An information processing method according to claim 1 or claim 2, The information processing method, in the step of displaying the posted information, displays the posted information and an object that allows the user to obtain the posted information.

5. A program that performs the information processing method described in claim 1 or claim 2.

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