Abstract:
A method for performing a market analysis for a first online business is disclosed. Market information for a plurality of online businesses may be collected. A user may request a market analysis for the first online business. Market information for the first online business may also be collected. The marketing information for the plurality of online businesses and the first online business may be canonicalized to make comparisons easier. One or more online businesses in the plurality of online businesses may be selected as being similar to the first online business. The marketing information for the first online business may be compared to the marketing information of the similar one or more online businesses. The results of the comparison may be displayed to the user. The user may request modifications to the first online business. The first online business may be modified and the modified online business may be published.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to the field of designing websites and more particularly to performing a market analysis of a website by comparing the website with similar websites or content associated with similar websites. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention provides methods for providing a market analysis for a business, and preferably a first online business connected to a network, such as the Internet. The process may be performed using one or more hardware servers connected to the network. The hardware servers may collect marketing information for a plurality of online businesses connected to the network. 
         [0003]    The marketing information for the plurality of online businesses may be collected using any currently known or developed in the future method, such as, as non-limiting examples, scraping or analyzing data (files, templates, metadata, etc.) from a plurality of websites associated with the plurality of online businesses. Each online business may have at least one associated website. The marketing information for the plurality of online businesses may be stored in a database. 
         [0004]    The hardware server(s) may receive a request from a user for a marketing analysis of the first online business. The user may be the owner (or a representative for the owner) of the first online business. The marketing information for the first online business may have been included in the marketing information for the plurality of online businesses. The marketing information for the first online business is preferably removed, if it was there, from the data for the marketing information for the plurality of online businesses. 
         [0005]    The marketing information for the first online business may also be collected using any currently known or developed in the future method, such as, as non-limiting examples, website scraping or analyzing website data (files, templates, metadata, etc.) from a website associated with the first online business. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, the marketing information for the plurality of online businesses and the marketing information for the first online business may be canonicalized so as to be in a standard or preferred format to make the marketing information from the plurality of online businesses and the first online business easier to compare. 
         [0007]    The hardware server(s) may determine, from the plurality of online businesses, one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business. The similarity may be in the genre/type and/or the location of the first online business, but may also include other factors such as the average price points of goods or services, current demographics, targeted demographics and/or the sizes (as determined by sales) of the businesses. 
         [0008]    The hardware server(s) may compare the marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business with the marketing information from the first online business. The marketing information comparison may include visibility information (such as website views or views of the first online business on third party websites such as Yelp and Google), traditionally desired marketing metrics (such as pricing) and website metrics (such as the presentation, e.g., location, quantity, size, color, etc. of the images, sound and/or text of the goods and/or services displayed on the website). In other embodiments, the first online business may also be compared to venues based on information extracted and structured through websites and other public sources. 
         [0009]    The marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business and marketing information for the first online business may be displayed by the hardware server(s) to the user. The marketing information for the first online business and the one or more similar online businesses may be displayed in any desired manner. For example, the marketing information for the one or more similar online businesses may be averaged or combined and then displayed as one or more statistics (e.g., minimum, maximum, 95th percentile, median counts), prices of products and/or service, bar graphs and/or pie charts. Further, only the most relevant and/or helpful marketing information is displayed to the user. The user may have a client computer with a display running a browser that is configured to be able to view the displayed marketing information from the first online business and the one or more similar online businesses. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the hardware server(s) may recommend to the user one or more actions or modifications to the website associated with the first online business based on the comparison of the marketing information for the first online business and the marketing information for the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business. 
         [0011]    The hardware server(s) may receive a request from the user to modify the website, either as earlier recommended or in some other manner. If the user requests a modification, the hardware server(s) may modify the website (such as by modifying the HTML code for the website) according to the request and then publish the modified website. In preferred embodiments, the hardware server(s) provide hosting services for the first online business and/or to the plurality of online businesses. Providing hosting services for the first online business and/or to the plurality of online businesses allows the hardware server(s) to analyze, modify and publish websites without the need of working through a third party that hosts the websites. However, in other less preferred embodiments, a third party hosting provider may be used to allow the hardware server(s) to analyze, modify and/or publish websites. 
         [0012]    The above features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system that may be used to practice the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a method for practicing the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , combined with the step of displaying the results to the user. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , combined with the step of recommending an action to the user. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , combined with the step of canonicaling the marketing information. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , combined with the steps of receiving a request for a user to modify the website, modifying the website and then publishing the website. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but defines the collection of marketing information as scraping the marketing information from the first online business&#39;s websites and/or scraping the marketing information from the plurality of online businesses&#39; websites. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a flow diagram illustrating the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but adds the disclosure of hosting the websites for one or more of the plurality of online businesses and/or hosting the website for the first online business. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment for transmitting marketing information over an API to a requester. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment for displaying marketing information on a map on a webpage to a requester that matches the requester&#39;s search criteria. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12 . is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention to graphically illustrate marketing information. 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention to illustrate a list of similar businesses. 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention that may be used to graphically represent data to compare similar businesses. 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention that may be used to graphically illustrate with a bar graph marketing information. 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  is an example of a webpage that may be used in an embodiment of the invention that may be used to graphically illustrate with bar graphs marketing information. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    The present inventions will now be discussed in detail with regard to the attached drawing figures that were briefly described above. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth illustrating the Applicant&#39;s best mode for practicing the invention and enabling one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. It will be obvious, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without many of these specific details. In other instances, well-known machines, structures, and method steps have not been described in particular detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Unless otherwise indicated, like parts and method steps are referred to with like reference numerals. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system that may be used to practice the present invention. Network  160  is a collection of links and nodes (e.g., multiple computers and/or other devices connected together) arranged so that information may be passed from one part of the network  160  to another over multiple links and through various nodes. Examples of networks  160  include the Internet, the public switched telephone network, the global Telex network, computer networks (e.g., an intranet, an extranet, a local-area network, or a wide-area network), wired networks, wireless networks and/or combinations thereof. While the invention may be practiced with any network  160 , the invention will generally be described as using the Internet  160  to provide a non-limiting example of how the invention may be practiced. 
         [0035]    The Internet  160  is a worldwide network of computers and computer networks arranged to allow the easy and robust exchange of information between computer users  100  on clients  101  running browsers  102 . Hundreds of millions of users  100  (people) around the world have access to computers (clients  101 ) connected to the Internet  160  via Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Content providers place multimedia information (e.g., text, graphics, audio, video, animation, and other forms of data) at specific locations on the Internet  160  referred to as websites  111 ,  121 . In some websites  111 ,  121 , the multimedia information may comprise marketing information  112 ,  122 , particularly if the websites  111 ,  121  are part of an online business  110 ,  120 . The combination of all the websites  111 ,  121  and their corresponding web pages on the Internet  160  is generally known as the World Wide Web (WWW) or simply the Web. 
         [0036]    For Internet users  100  and online businesses  110 ,  120  alike, the Internet  160  continues to be increasingly valuable. Users  100  use the Internet  160  for everyday tasks, from social networking, shopping, banking, and paying bills to consuming media and entertainment. E-commerce is growing, with businesses  110 ,  120  delivering more services and content across the Internet  160 , communicating and collaborating online, and inventing new ways to connect with each other. Each online business  110 ,  120  may have at least one website  111 ,  121  and many online businesses  110 ,  120  will also have a brick-and-mortar presence. As a specific, non-limiting example, the first online business  110  and the plurality of online businesses  120  may be for restaurants. 
         [0037]    Prevalent on the Internet  160  are websites  111 ,  121  which offer and sell goods and services to individuals and organizations. Websites  111 ,  121  may consist of a single webpage, but typically consist of multiple interconnected and related webpages. Websites  111 ,  121 , unless very large and complex or have unusual traffic demands, typically reside on a single hardware server  130  and are prepared and maintained by a single individual or entity (although websites  111 ,  121  residing on multiple hardware servers  130  are certainly possible). Menus, links, tabs, etc. may be used to move between different web pages within a website  111 ,  121  or to move to a different website  111 ,  121 . 
         [0038]    Websites  111 ,  121  may be created using HyperText Markup Language (HTML) to generate a standard set of tags that define how the webpages for the website  111 ,  121  are to be displayed. Users  100  of the Internet  160  may access online businesses&#39;  110 ,  120  websites  111 ,  121  using software known as an Internet browser  102 , such as MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER, MOZILLA FIREFOX or GOOGLE CHROME. After the browser  102  has located the desired webpage, the browser  102  may request and receive information from the website  111 ,  121 , typically in the form of an HTML document, and then display the website content for the user  100  on the client  101 . The user  100  then may view other webpages at the same website  111 ,  121  or move to an entirely different website  111 ,  121  using the browser  102 . 
         [0039]    Some online businesses  110 ,  120 , typically those that are larger and more sophisticated, may provide their own hardware, software, and connections to the Internet  160  to operate their own websites  111 ,  121 . But many online businesses  110 ,  120  either do not have the resources available or do not want to create and maintain the infrastructure necessary to host their own websites  111 ,  121 . To assist such online businesses  110 ,  120 , hosting companies exist that offer website hosting services  140 . These hosting providers typically provide the hardware, software, and electronic communication equipment necessary to connect multiple websites  111 ,  121  to the Internet  160 . A single hosting service provider may literally host thousands of websites  111 ,  121  on one or more hardware servers  130 . In preferred embodiments, the hosting services  140  operated by the hardware server(s)  130  provide hosting services for either, and preferably both, the website  111  for the first online business  110  and the plurality of websites  121  for the plurality of online businesses  120 . 
         [0040]    Browsers  102  are able to locate specific websites  111 ,  121  because each website  111 ,  121 , resource, and computer on the Internet  160  has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. Presently, there are two standards for IP addresses. The older IP address standard, often called IP Version 4 (IPv4), is a 32-bit binary number, which is typically shown in dotted decimal notation, where four 8-bit bytes are separated by a dot from each other (e.g., 64.202.167.32). The notation is used to improve human readability. The newer IP address standard, often called IP Version 6 (IPv6) or Next Generation Internet Protocol (IPng), is a 128-bit binary number. The standard human readable notation for IPv6 addresses presents the address as eight 16-bit hexadecimal words, each separated by a colon (e.g., 2EDC: BA98: 0332: 0000: CF8A: 000C: 2154: 7313). 
         [0041]    IP addresses, however, even in human readable notation, are difficult for people to remember and use. A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is much easier to remember and may be used to point to any computer, directory, or file on the Internet  160 . A browser  102  is able to access a website  111 ,  121  on the Internet  160  through the use of a URL. The URL may include a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request combined with the website&#39;s  111 ,  121  Internet address, also known as the website&#39;s  111 ,  121  domain name. An example of a URL with a HTTP request and domain name is: http://www.companyname.com. In this example, the “http” identifies the URL as a HTTP request and the “companyname.com” is the domain name. 
         [0042]    The user  100  will typically be an owner, the owner&#39;s agent, or another person associated with the first online business  110 . The user  100  may use a client  101 , such as, as non-limiting examples, a cell phone, PDA, tablet, laptop computer, or desktop computer to request that a market analysis be performed for a website  111 . The client  101  may run a browser to allow the user  100  to easily navigate the Internet  160 . 
         [0043]    Websites  111 ,  121  may comprise one or more webpages. The websites  111 ,  121  may be hosted or operated by hardware server(s)  130  providing hosting services  140 . The hardware server(s)  130  may be, as non-limiting examples, one or more Dell PowerEdge(s) rack server(s), HP Blade Server(s), or IBM Rack or Tower server(s), although other types or combination of servers may also be used. The hardware server(s)  130  may provide the electronic hardware to run computer programs that may be written to perform various functions and processes. 
         [0044]    An exemplary process for practicing the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The present invention provides methods for providing a market analysis for a first online business  110  connected to a network, such as the Internet  160 . For purposes of this specification and claims, a market analysis comprises information regarding a plurality of online businesses  120  (typically competitors&#39; online businesses  120 ) and suggestions for a first online business  110  (typically the user&#39;s  100  online business  110 ). 
         [0045]    The hardware server(s)  130  may collect marketing information  122  for a plurality of online businesses  120  connected to the Internet  160 . (Step  200 ) For purposes of this specification and claims, marketing information  122 ,  112  is defined as any data that affects a website&#39;s ability to sell or advertise goods and/or services. As a non-limiting example, online businesses associated with restaurants may collect marketing information  122 ,  112  from the online websites&#39; menus. 
         [0046]    The marketing information  122  for the plurality of online businesses  120  may be collected using any currently known or developed in the future method, such as, as non-limiting examples, scraping and/or analyzing data from a plurality of websites  121  associated with the plurality of online businesses  120 . 
         [0047]    Scraping is a technique for collecting data (which may include marketing information  122 ) from a plurality of online businesses  120 , each having a website  121 . A computer program may scrape the plurality of online businesses  120  by simulating the actions of a user  100  to receive data from the plurality of online businesses  120  over the Internet  160 . The computer program may, as non-limiting examples, use Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or a browser to collect the data from the plurality of online businesses  120 . The data may be analyzed to identify the marketing information  122  for each of the plurality of online businesses  120 . 
         [0048]    The hardware server(s)  130  may also directly analyze data (files, HTML code, templates, metadata for the websites and/or customer data) associated with one or more of the plurality of online businesses  120 . If the hardware server(s)  130  are providing hosting services  140  for one or more of the plurality of online businesses  120 , the hardware server(s)  130  may be able to access the data directly. Otherwise, the hardware server(s)  130  may collect the data through one or more other hosting providers via cooperative agreements with the hosting providers and customers (owners of online businesses). The data may be analyzed to identify the marketing information  122  for the plurality of online businesses  120 . 
         [0049]    The marketing information  151  for the plurality of online businesses  120  may be stored as data in a database  150 . A database  150  is an organized collection of data. The data may be organized to model relevant aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring this information. Database management systems (DBMSs) are specially designed applications that interact with hardware server(s)  130 , other applications, and the database itself to capture and analyze data. A general-purpose database management system (DBMS) is a software system designed to allow the definition, creation, querying, update, and administration of databases. As non-limiting examples, DBMSs may include MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, SAP, dBASE, FoxPro, IBM DB2, LibreOffice Base, FileMaker Pro, Cassandra and Redis. 
         [0050]    The hardware server(s)  130  may receive a request from a user  100  for a marketing analysis of a first online business  110 . (Step  210 ) The user  100  will typically be, but does not have to be, the owner (or a representative for the owner) of the first online business  110 . The marketing information  112  for the first online business  110  may or may not be part of the marketing information  122  for the plurality of online businesses  120 . Preferably, the marketing information  112  for the first online business  110  is removed, if it was there, from the data for the marketing information  122  for the plurality of online businesses  120 . 
         [0051]    In another embodiment, the marketing analysis may be performed on a first business that may or may not be online, i.e. have a website  111 . As an example, data (such as a picture) may be taken directly from a hardcopy of the first business&#39;s menu. The data in the picture may be structured and then compared to the marketing information  122  from one or more online businesses that are similar to the first business. 
         [0052]    The marketing information  112  for the first online business  110  may also be collected using any currently known or developed in the future method, such as, as non-limiting examples, scraping or analyzing data from a website  111  associated with the first online business  110 . (Step  220 ) Content generated by the plurality of online businesses  120  and by the first online business  110  may also be reviewed, either programmatically or manually for marketing information  122 ,  151 . Optionally, the first online business  110  and/or the plurality of online businesses  120  may be called on a telephone and asked questions to gain additional marketing information  122 ,  151 . 
         [0053]    The hardware server(s)  130  may determine, from the plurality of online businesses, one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business. (Step  230 ) The similarity is preferably in the genre and/or the location of the first online business  110 , but may also include factors such as the average price points of goods or services, current demographics, targeted demographics and/or the sizes of the businesses. Other methods for determining similar online businesses may include searching for similar text in the offerings (e.g., “slice”/“pizza”) in two different menus, genres or names, finding a significant overlap in customers and the distance between businesses. In some embodiments, the user  100  may request to be compared to a particularly successful or trendy (even if not similar) business, group of businesses or locations that are known, for example, to set trends or be market leaders. 
         [0054]    The hardware server(s)  130  may compare the marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business  110  with the marketing information  112  from the first online business  110 . (Step  240 ) The marketing information comparison may include traditional marketing metrics, such as pricing, but also may include website metrics, such as the presentation and advertisements (location, quantity, size, color, etc. of the images, sound and/or text) of the goods and/or services displayed on the website. The marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business  110  may be combined, averaged, statistically analyzed, sorted, standardized or arranged in any manner (such as on maps, charts or graphs) to make it easier for the user  100  to compare the marketing information  112  for the first online business  110  with the marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business  110 . Other embodiments allow not just the website  111  to be compared, but the first online business&#39;s  110  web presence. The first online business&#39;s  110  web presence may include profiles on other websites, business directories, social networks, etc., for example on Yelp. The hardware servers  130  may report on traffic to these sites verses the first online business&#39;s website  111 . The hardware servers  130  may also compare wording generated by the first online business  110  with wording generated by other online businesses  120 , with or without canonicalization. 
         [0055]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but further includes the step of displaying to the user  100  the marketing information from the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business  110  and the marketing information for the first online business  110 . (Step  300 ) The marketing information  112 ,  122  for either source may be displayed in any desired manner. For example, the marketing information  112 ,  122  may be averaged, totaled, standardized, and/or displayed in graphical representations, such as bar graphs or pie charts. As non-limiting examples,  FIGS. 16-20  illustrate sample webpages that may be used to graphically display marketing information  112 ,  122  to the user  100 . Further, only the most relevant and/or helpful marketing information is preferably displayed to the user  100 . In addition, actionable sentences, e.g., “Your services list is too long—consider reducing the number of offerings to 7, which is the largest of all of your competitors” may be displayed to the user  100 . The user  100  may have a client  101 , with a display, running a browser  102  that is configured to be able to view the displayed marketing information. 
         [0056]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but further includes the step of recommending to the user  100  one or more actions or modifications to the website  111  associated with the first online business  110  based on the comparison of the marketing information  112  for the first online business  110  and the marketing information for the one or more online businesses that are similar to the first online business. (Step  400 ) 
         [0057]    As non-limiting examples, the hardware server(s)  130  may recommend to the user  100  to advertise on third parties, such as Google ads/offers and/or correct business listing information, such as phone numbers or addresses, in one or more business directories or social networks (for example Yelp or Facebook). If the user  100  has a restaurant, the hardware server(s)  130  may recommend to the user  100  to alter the price for one or more menu items, increase or decrease the length of one or more description in the menu and/or add or delete one or more entrees based on a comparison with the one or more similar online businesses that are also restaurants. Preferably actions that make the biggest difference are listed before or instead of actions that would make a lesser impact on the first online business  110 . Based on pricing information, suggestions may be made to the user  100  to change the number of menu items in a menu/selection, price or description, based on a statistical analysis of the competition as well as best practices in human cognition or other factors. 
         [0058]    In preferred embodiments, the hardware server(s) may quantify how much the actions, such as corrections to business directories, social networks and/or modifications to the website  111 , will help consumers find their business  110 . The quantification may be based on actions performed by past users for similar businesses and how much improvement these past similar businesses experienced. 
         [0059]    In another embodiment, the user  100  may select one or more search criteria (such as a type of business and/or geographical area) so that the system may determine one or more similar businesses in a geographical area. A map may be displayed on a website to the user  100  showing the locations of the one or more similar businesses. In some embodiments, complimentary businesses may also be shown on the map. This embodiment may recommend an action to assists the user  100  in selecting a location to open a business where no or few similar businesses exist and/or where complimentary businesses exist. 
         [0060]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but further includes the step of canonicalizing the marketing information  122  for the plurality of online businesses  120  and the marketing information  112  for the first online business  110 . (Step  500 ) This step modifies the marketing information  112 ,  122  to place the data in a standard or preferred format to make the marketing information  112 ,  122  easier to compare. The canonicalizing process may also include removing meaningless words like “the”, adding synonyms, adding expansion terms (e.g., “merlot” may trigger adding “wine” and “alcohol”) and/or adding section/menu information (e.g., “Polenta cakes” in the small plates section of a dinner menu could turn into “Polenta cakes small plates dinner”) 
         [0061]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but further includes the following steps. The hardware server(s)  130  may receive a request from the user  100  to modify the website  111 , either as earlier recommended (as described for  FIG. 4 , Step  400 ) or in some other manner. (Step  600 ) If the user  100  requests a modification, the hardware server(s)  130  may modify the website (such as by modifying the HTML code for the website) according to the request of the user (Step  610 ) and then publish the website  111  (Step  620 ). 
         [0062]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but specifically states that the method of collecting marketing information  122  from the plurality of online business  120  (Step  700 ) and/or the marketing information  112  from the first online business  110  (Step  710 ) uses the scraping technique previously described. The scraping technique for collecting marketing information  112 ,  122  may be used on the first online business  110 , the plurality of online businesses  120 , neither or both. 
         [0063]    Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but includes the hardware server(s)  130  providing hosting services  140  for the first online business  110  (Step  810 ) and/or to one or more of the plurality of online businesses  120  (Step  800 ). Providing hosting services  140  for the first online business  110  and/or to one or more of the plurality of online businesses  120  allows the hardware server(s)  130  to analyze, modify and publish websites without the need of working through a third party that hosts the website  111 . However, in other less preferred embodiments, a third party hosting provider may be used to allow the hardware server(s)  130  to analyze, modify and/or publish the website  111 . 
         [0064]    Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGS.  9  and  11 - 15 . In this embodiment, marketing information  122  may be collected from a plurality of online businesses  120  as previously discussed. The marketing information  122  may be real-time local business data. (Step  200 ) The collected marketing information  122  is preferably stored in a database  150 . (Step  900 ) One or more hardware servers  130  may receive a search criteria from a requester, preferably via an API. As non-limiting examples, the search criteria may identify a type of restaurant and a geographical region. The one or more hardware servers  130  may search the database  150  for marketing information  151  that matches the search criteria. The one or more hardware servers  130  may transmit, preferably over an API, to the requester only the marketing information  151  that matches the search criteria. (Step  920 ) 
         [0065]    Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGS.  10  and  11 - 15 . In this embodiment, the marketing information  122  may be collected (Step  200 ) and stored ( 900 ) as previously described. The user  100  (requester) may type the search criteria into an input field on a webpage designed for this purpose or select a search criteria from a provided menu  1200 ,  1300  as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . (Step  910 ) The one or more hardware servers  130  may display to the user  100  (requester) on a map  1210 ,  1400  on a webpage only the marketing information that matches the search criteria. (Step  1000 ) As a specific example, the map  1210  in  FIG. 12  illustrates the locations of a plurality of businesses that match the search criteria of “relaxing messages” and “San Francisco.” 
         [0066]    As another example, a heat map  1400  (showing business type density in a geographical region) is shown in  FIG. 14 . The heat map  1400  may be created based on a search criteria of “pizza” and “San Francisco” entered into one or more data input fields  1300 . In addition to the heat map  1400 , the one or more servers  130  may also calculate various statistics for businesses that match the search criteria. As an example, a bar graph  1310  may be displayed on a webpage, as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The bar graph, as non-limiting examples, may display the mean, maximum, minimum, 95th percentile or any other statistic related to marketing information as desired. 
         [0067]    Other embodiments and uses of the above inventions will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification and examples given should be considered exemplary only, and it is contemplated that the appended claims will cover any other such embodiments or modifications as fall within the true scope of the invention. 
         [0068]    The Abstract accompanying this specification is provided to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure and in no way intended for defining, determining, or limiting the present invention or any of its embodiments.