Deep neural networks for targeted content distribution

Abstract

Herein are techniques to use an artificial neural network to score the relevance of content items for a target and techniques to rank the content items based on their scores. In embodiments, a computer uses a plurality of expansion techniques to identify expanded targets for a content item. For each of the expanded targets, the computer provides inputs to an artificial neural network to generate a relevance score that indicates a relative suitability of the content item for that target. The computer ranks the expanded targets based on the relevance score generated for each of the expanded targets. Based on the ranking, the computer selects a subset of targets from the available expanded targets as the expanded targets for whom the content item is potentially most relevant. The computer stores an association between the content item and each target in the subset of expanded targets.