Google Inc.

Julia H Farago

Christian Oestlien

Richard D Borovoy

Marcus A Leal

Cinthya Rossana Urasaki

Fred Bertsch

Rafael M Borges

Elena Kon

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are provided for facilitating a following of a content sponsor in a social network. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of identifying a creative for presentation to users in response to requests for content, and receiving selection criteria from a sponsor associated with the creative, the selection criteria for use in determining when to present the creative. The creative is augmented to include a control that enables a user to follow the content sponsor automatically upon interaction with the control, and the augmented creative is presented in response to received requests for content in accordance with the selection criteria. The sponsor is charged when the creative is presented and a user initiates an action to follow the sponsor in a social network.

Facilitating following a content provider

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Julia H Farago