Online Ad Presence Indicators for Real-Time Lead Qualification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online advertising systems are inefficient for merchants selling products or services that are researched online but purchased offline, as they are awkward for non-technical users, lead to lost revenue due to unresponsive advertisers, and result in false or fraudulent clicks, making it difficult for consumers to promptly contact advertisers for additional information.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a direct response communication system (DRCS) to track and manage consumer interactions with merchants, allowing real-time 2-way communication initiation through presence indicators in advertisements, ensuring that only available merchants are advertised, and enabling tracking and reporting of genuine leads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pay-per-call system is implemented to allow consumers to initiate telephone calls to advertisers, then consumer contact capability is improved, but the system becomes awkward for non-technical users and leads to lost revenue when advertisers do not answer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the online advertising platform with presence indicators) that mediates between consumers and advertisers. Instead of direct telephone calls, the system provides presence indicators that show advertiser availability status, acting as a mediator that guides consumers to contact only available advertisers, thereby reducing failed contact attempts and improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by checking and displaying advertiser availability status before consumers attempt to contact them. The presence indicator shows whether an advertiser is currently available to respond, allowing consumers to make informed contact decisions in advance, thus preventing wasted contact attempts and improving overall system reliability
2Productivity
If advertisements are published without verifying merchant availability, then advertising reach is maximized, but revenue is lost due to fraudulent or false clicks from unavailable merchants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where advertiser availability status is continuously monitored and reflected through presence indicators. This feedback loop ensures that only advertisers who are currently available and willing to receive contacts have their advertisements displayed, eliminating fraudulent clicks from unavailable merchants while maintaining high advertising reach through dynamic status updates
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static advertisement publishing to dynamic advertisement display based on real-time advertiser availability. The presence indicator dynamically changes based on advertiser status, allowing the system to adapt advertisement visibility to current conditions, thereby maximizing productive reach while minimizing waste from fraudulent or unresponsive contacts
3Loss of information
If presence indicators are displayed for all advertisers, then consumer information access is improved, but the system cannot distinguish between genuine and fraudulent advertisers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual differentiation (color changes or distinct visual states of presence indicators) to encode different levels of advertiser verification and availability. Genuine, verified advertisers who are currently available receive distinctive visual markers that differentiate them from unverified or unavailable advertisers, allowing consumers to quickly identify reliable contacts while maintaining comprehensive information access
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for qualifying leads originating from an advertisement published online. The system is configured to track certain events relative to an advertisement. Tracked event data may be recorded to a database.