Patent Publication Number: US-2009228561-A1

Title: Method and System for Promoting a Website

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to promotion of a website, and particularly but not exclusively to a method and system of rewarding a user who distributes a website URL. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Websites providing access to commercial services, such as retail or auction websites, are prolific. While internet directories exist for finding these websites, a person will only find the website if they are seeking a particular service. A user is unlikely to know of the service and thus unlikely to search in a directory for a web portal for the service, especially in the case of a excitingly new and unexpected type of service or website. 
     Referrals to new websites are, in these situations, highly valuable. Potential referrers are usually reluctant to forward details of a website to another person because it can be time consuming and appear too direct or forward which may embarrass the referrer and/or referee. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of promoting a website through a user of the website, the method comprising the steps of: 
     generating data, the data comprising user identity information for identifying the user; and 
     sending the data to the user for forwarding to one or more persons. 
     The data may comprise a link to another object or resource. The data may comprise a URL and/or a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) and/or a URL for an object or resource. The URI may comprise a domain name. The domain name may be the domain name of the website. The user identity information may form part of a query or fragment part of the URI. In some embodiments the step of sending the data to the user comprises the step of sending an email tag including the URI to the user. The email tag may promote the website. The email tag may include a clickable link to the site. The clickable link may be the URI. The email tag may be arranged for insertion at the end of an email from the user to the one or more persons. In some embodiments the method comprises the step of giving the user the opportunity to edit and/or compose at least part of the email tag. The step of sending an email tag including the URI to the user may comprise the step of sending a web page including the URI to the user. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the user may configure an email application to automatically insert the email tag into emails composed by the user. 
     In some embodiments the method may further comprise the step of receiving a request from one of the one or more persons for the resource. In the embodiments where the data comprises a URI, the step of receiving a request may include the step of receiving the URI from the person. In accordance with some embodiments, where an email tag includes a link, the person may initiate the request by clicking on the clickable link. Alternatively, the person may initiate the request by inserting the URI in an address bar of a world-wide web browser. 
     In some embodiments, where the method comprises the step of receiving a request from one or more persons, the method may further comprise the step of extracting from the received request the user identifying information. The method may further comprise the step of identifying the user from the user identifying information and recording that the website was promoted to the person by the user. 
     In some embodiments the method further comprises the step of rewarding the user. The step of rewarding the user may comprise the step of rewarding the user when the one or more persons completes an action. The action may be initiated on the website The action may be initiating an auction on the website. The reward may be one or more of cash, a voucher and/or voucher code, a service, and redeemable reward points. 
     In some embodiments, where the data comprises a URI, is the method further comprises the step of instructing the user to send the data including the URI. The instruction may include directions to include the URI in an email from the user to the one or more persons. In an alternative embodiment, the instruction includes directions to include the URI in a SMS to the one or more persons by the user. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of promoting a website through a user of the website, the method comprising the steps of: 
     receiving from the user a request to send information promoting the website to a person; and 
     sending the information to the person. 
     In some embodiments the step of sending information may include sending an email to the person. The step of sending the email comprises the step of including a URI and/or a URL to the website. The URI may include user identity information. The URI may be a clickable link. 
     In some embodiments the method includes rewarding the user. The step of rewarding the user may include rewarding the user when the person completes an action. The action may be initiated on the website. 
     In some embodiments the method includes the step of giving the user the opportunity to edit and/or compose at least part of the email. 
     In some embodiments the method comprises the preliminary step of authenticating the user, the process comprising the steps of: 
     receiving an address of an email account associated with the user; 
     receiving a device number of a device associated with the user; 
     sending an email containing authentication information to the email account; 
     sending different authentication information to the device; 
     receiving a first message and a second message from the user; 
     confirming that the first message comprises the authentication information contained in the email; and 
     confirming that the second message comprises different authentication information sent to the device. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a system for promoting a website through a user of the website, the system comprising: 
     a data generator for generating data, the data including user identity information for identifying the user; and 
     a data sender for sending the data to the user for forwarding to one or more persons. 
     In some embodiments the data generator may be arranged to generate a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) for inclusion in the data. The data generator may be arranged to include the user identity information as a query or fragment part of the URI included in the data. The data generator may include a business rules server. 
     In some embodiments the data sender includes a web server. In these embodiments the data is sent as web page information. Alternatively, the data is sent as an email by an email server. 
     In some embodiments the system may further comprise a request receiver for receiving a request from one of the one or more persons for the resource. The request receiver may include a web server. In some embodiments the system may further comprise user identifying information extractor for extracting from the received request the user identifying information. The extractor may include the web server and/or the business rules server. The system may further comprise a database for identifying the user from the user identifying information. The system may comprise a database for recording that the website was promoted to the person through the user. 
     In some embodiments the method further comprises a user reward subsystem. The user reward subsystem may comprise a database for tracking, issuing and redeeming rewards. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a system for promoting a website through a user of the website, the system comprising: 
     a request receiver for receiving from the user a request to send information promoting the website to a person; and 
     an information sender for sending the information to the person. 
     The request receiver may comprise a web server. The information sender may comprise an email server. 
     In accordance with a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a computer program comprising instructions for controlling a computer to implement a method in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. 
     In accordance with a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention. 
     In accordance with a seventh aspect the invention provides a computer program comprising instructions for controlling a computer to implement a method of the second aspect. 
     In accordance with an eighth aspect, the invention provides a computer readable medium in accordance with the seventh aspect. 
     The term “server” in this specification is intended to encompass any combination of hardware and software that performs services for connected clients in part of a client-server architecture. The client and a server may be separate software running on a single piece of hardware or a plurality of connected pieces of hardware. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the invention embodiments of a method and process for promoting a website through a user of the website will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method for promoting a website; 
         FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of a system for promoting a website; 
         FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of a method of promoting a website; 
         FIG. 4  shows a screen shot of a web page according to one embodiment of the system and method, the web page providing an email tag to the user; 
         FIG. 5  shows a web page of one embodiment of the method and system for promoting a website, the web page being arranged for the user to request an email promoting the website to be sent to another person; 
         FIG. 6  shows a screen shot of a web page according to the system and method for promoting a website, the web page being arranged to redeem a reward or voucher; 
         FIG. 7  shows a screen shot of a web page of one embodiment of a system and method of promoting a website, the web page being arranged to view the status of promotional emails sent to other persons; 
         FIG. 8  is a screen shot of one embodiment of a web page allowing a potential user to register for the website by pressing a register now button; 
         FIGS. 9-12  show screen shots of different fragments of a web page for a method and system for promoting a website, the page being arranged to allow the prospective user to enter information during an authentication process during registrations; 
         FIG. 13  shows a screen shot of a web page according to one embodiment of the method and system for promoting a website, the web page being arranged to re-enter validation or authentication information given to the user during the registration process; and 
         FIG. 14  shows a screen shot of a web page of one embodiment of the system and method of promoting a website, the page being arranged to allow the user to create a password for future access to the website. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A flow diagram representing one embodiment of a method of promoting a website through a user of the website is shown in  FIG. 1  and is generally indicated by the numeral  100 . An embodiment of a corresponding system  200  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The method  100  is implemented at least in part as computer software running on servers  202 ,  204  and  206  of the system  200 . Generally, the software may be a propriety version of the open source DRUPAL content management platform with extra components coded using the PHP programming language. The servers  202 ,  204  and  206  are connected by a local area network  214 , including a switched Ethernet data link layer supporting Internet Protocol (IP) as a network layer protocol. Also included in the system  200  is an internet gateway  208  such as a router, DSL Modem or equivalent connected to the internet  218  for the system to communicate with a computer  216  of the user  210 . 
     The website may be any website that would benefit from promotion. One type of website that would benefit from promotion is an online market place for trades and services, such as the whocando.com.au website. This website provides a method of providing a tradesman or service provider. The user  210  posts on the website a job that needs doing, that is a service request. Tradesmen and service providers can then view the posted job and place a bid for performing the job or providing the service. The tradesmen or service provider can find many such postings and bid on more than one posting. The person  210  can then select one of the bids which is then awarded to the associated tradesman or service provider. This market place can operate in several ways. Firstly, the user  210  can define a maximum price for the job, and the bidders, that is the tradesman or service providers, undercut each other. Secondly, a ceiling price may be set by the user  210 . Thirdly, no ceiling may be set by the user  210 , and in this case the system operates similarly to a quotation process or a tender system. In all these cases, the user  210  can reject all bids or select any bid. For services there are bid selection criteria other than price which are important, such as the certificates held by the tradesman service provider, their reputation, awards for their work or any other relevant factors. It will be appreciated that this system is unique in that is a market place for trades and services, however it can also be adapted for products, such as for the bulk supply of office materials. The services may include, for example, the provision of a design for a building extension, the renovation of a bathroom, the cleaning of a gutter, the splitting of fire wood and household chores. 
     The system  200  includes a data generator  204  which in this embodiment is a business rules server  204  including a database  212 . The business rules server  204  generates data, in this case a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) for an object or resource, such as a web page or domain of the promoted website, including user identity information for identifying the user as shown in step  102 . The database  212  includes the identity and registration details of all the existing users, such as  210 , of the system  200 . The user identity information is included in the URI as a query. An example URI generated by the server  204  is: 
     https://www.whocando.com.au/?q=user/register/referer/a/54/535 
     The above URI includes the domain name www.whocando.com.au of the website WhoCanDo. The user identity information is the coded user identity a/54/535. It forms part of the query component of the URI after the symbols ?q. The user identity information a/54/535 is stored in the database  212  for future use. The user&#39;s identity information is coded for the user&#39;s  210  privacy. In this case, the user identity information corresponds to the registered user “Justin Blows”. In some embodiments, the URI may be replaced with a URL or URN. 
     The system  200  includes a data sender, in this example embodiment being in the form of a web server  202 . The web server  202  receives from the business rules server  204  the URI. As indicated by step  104  in  FIG. 1 , the web server  202  sends the URI to the user&#39;s  210  computer  216  as part of web page information from which web page  400  is rendered. An example web page  400  including the URI  402  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The web page information includes HTML and cascading style sheets, possibly incorporating JAVA code. In this embodiment, the internet connection between the user&#39;s  210  computer  216  and the system  200  uses a cryptographic protocol such as a Secure Socket Layer, preferably with 128 bit encryption, or Transport Layer Security (TLS). The web page information is rendered by a web browser on the user&#39;s  210  computer  216  The URI  402  is formatted as a clickable link to the WhoCanDo website, and is embedded within the following text:
         Need to get work done?—Get Your free membership from WhoCanDo at https://www.whocando.com.au/?q=user/register/referer/a/54/535       

     The text is arranged for insertion at the end of an email, that is as an email tag or signature, from the user to the one or more nominated or other persons  226 . These nominated or other persons  226  are generally acquaintances of the user, and thus the promotion takes the quality of a personal referral. The text can be cut [Ctrl+C] from a text box  404  and then pasted [Ctrl+V] into a window of an email application. Before cutting, the text in the text box  404  can be composed or edited. The user  210  may configure an email application running on their computer  216  or their mobile handheld device  220  connected to a wireless/cellular network  222  to automatically insert the email tag into emails composed by the user  210 . The email tag passively promotes the website in contrast to sending an email with the sole purpose of promoting the website. In this embodiment, the web page  400  contains instructions  406  the user to include the text in text box  404  in an email from the user  210  to the one or more persons  226 . In alternative embodiments, the instruction may direct the user  210  to include the URI in a SMS to a mobile handheld device  230  of the one or more persons  226 . The URI does not need to be visible to the user provided that it is included in the clickable link. 
     In some embodiments of the method as shown in  FIG. 3 , the other person  226  clicks on the clickable link embedded in an email received from the user  210  on their computer  224 . This sends a request for the resource at the URI  402  which is received by the web server  202  at step  106 . The web server  202  extracts the user identity information and sends it to the business rules server  204 , the server  204  recording in a database  212  that the nominated person  226  was referred to the website by the user  210 . The web server  202  then serves the web page pointed at by the URI to the nominated person&#39;s computer  224  at step  108 . The nominated person  226  is thus connected to the promoted website. Alternatively, the person  226  may initiate the request by inserting the URI in an address bar of a world-wide web browser. 
     The system  200  can also send an email to the person  226  on request by the user  210 . This is done through a web page such as  420  shown in  FIG. 5 . The user  210  enters the nominated person&#39;s  226  email address into the text box  422 . The user  210  then enters an invitation subject line for the email into text box  428 . Invitation text for inclusion in the email is auto generated and displayed for editing, if desired by the user  210 , in text box  430 . In this embodiment, the text in text box  430  is:
         Justin Blows is a member of WhoCanDo.com.au and thinks you might be interested in joining in the benefits of WhoCanDo.   WhoCanDo.com.au is Australia&#39;s marketplace for trades &amp; services—a place where you save time &amp; money; a place where you can find great tradesmen and service providers and where you can find new business and customers.   To access your FREE membership of WhoCanDo, please click on the link below.   Your WhoCanDo team   auction jobs online   Need to get work done?—Get Your free Membership from WhoCanDo at https://www.whocando.com.au/?q=user/register/referer/a/54/535 today!       

     The text includes the clickable link URI to the website, including user identity information. A person will be taken to the website if they click on the clickable link. The text in text box  430  is sent to the email address  422  on the user  210  pressing the ‘send’ button  432  on the web page  420 . 
     If the nominated person  226  uses the website the user  210  is rewarded. In this embodiment, for example, the user  210  is rewarded for the nominated person  226  posting a job or service requirement on the website. The reward may be in the form of a voucher or voucher code redeemable at a web page such as  440  shown in  FIG. 6 . Rewarding the user, however, may include rewarding the user when the person  226  completes any suitable action. The action may be initiated on the website, but it may be a manual process. The system includes a user reward subsystem, including the database  212  and business rules server  204  for tracking, issuing and redeeming rewards. 
     The system  200  can provide a web page, such as  450  in  FIG. 7 , which allow the user  210  to view the status of the invitations sent by the system  200  on the user&#39;s  210  request. An Invitation  452  can be deleted by pressing a delete link  454 . 
     The system  200  also implements a process for authenticating the user  210  during registration for the website, that is while the user  210  is still a prospective user  210 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , this process is generally initiated by the prospective user  210  pressing a “register now” button  552  on a “sign in” page  550 . On pressing the “register now” button  552 , the system  200  provides a web page such as that shown in  FIGS. 9-12  indicated by numeral  560 . The web page  560  is arranged for the prospective user  210  to enter their email address and mobile/cellular telephone number in text boxes  562  and  564  respectively. A text box  566  is also provided to enter a user name desired by the user for use on the website. Personal, postal and contact details can also be entered at  568 . The user  210  can then press a “create new account” button  570  which sends the details entered into the web page to the web server  202 . The system  200  receives the email address  562  and the mobile phone number  564  that is associated with the prospective user  210 . The system  200  generates authentication information in the form of an authentication code and sends the authentication code to the email address  562 . The system  200  also sends another authentication code to the user&#39;s mobile phone  220  having the supplied phone number  564 . The email address  562  is associated with the user and is preferably the email address commonly used by the user. The system  200  also can use this email address to send various future alerts and messages to the user  210 . It will be appreciated that the mobile phone  220  may be an alternative device such as any suitable mobile handheld device. Example devices include the BLACKBERRY or a pager. The another authentication code sent to the mobile phone  220  or other device is in this embodiment sent over a short message service (SMS). The system initiates a request with an SMS gateway  228  for the SMS to be sent to the device  220 . 
     In some embodiments, the process of authentication also includes the step of confirming that the mobile phone number corresponds to a mobile phone  220  that has been issued to a predetermined geographical region, such as Australia This may be achieved by checking a leading set of digits of the device or telephone number entered by the user  210  at text box  564 . This is useful in limiting the service provided by the website to a particular predetermined geographical region. For example, the system  200  may check that the number  564  has ten digits and starts with 04, which is consistent with an Australian mobile number. 
     The system  200  sends an authentication or validation code to the email address  562  and another authentication code to the mobile number  564 . The user  210  then retrieves the authentication code from the email account having the associated address  562 , and the another authentication code from the mobile phone  220 . At web page  580  provided by the system  200  shown in  FIG. 13 , the user  510  enters a message, which in this embodiment comprises a character string corresponding to each of the authentication codes in text boxes  582  and  584 . The web page  580  also has a text box  586  for the user  210  to enter the user name previously entered at text box  566 . The user  210  then presses the “sign in” button  588  which sends the authentication code and the another authentication code to the web server  202 . The system  200  receives the first character string and the second character string entered by the prospective user  210  and then confirms that the first character string is the authentication code sent in the email, and that the second character string is the another authentication code sent to the device or mobile phone. If these are confirmed, the system has authenticated the user  210 . Otherwise the user is not authenticated and the user is not registered. After the user is authenticated, the system may provide a web page  590  which allows the user to create a password by entering it into text box  592  (and then again for confirmation in text box  594 ) and then pressing the submit button  596 . This completes the registration process. 
     In some embodiments of the authentication process the user may be required to view a web page displaying terms of use and the privacy policy of the website, such as displayed at  562  in  FIG. 11 . The user  210  can confirm that the privacy policy and terms of use are accepted by checking boxes such as  566  and  568  on web page  560 . 
     Now that preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be appreciated that at least some embodiments have some of the following advantages:
         Rewarding a user of a website for a referral to the website encourages referrals and results in the website&#39;s address being widely disseminated by users of the website.   The website is advertised to persons that may not be reachable through other methods of promotion or advertising   The personal touch of the other or nominated person receiving an email or email tag by a user known to them (possibly a friend) is more likely to result in the nominated person using the website than if an impersonal advertising method was employed.   The email tag is a relatively ‘unobtrusive’ method of advertising or promoting the website, and the user is thus more likely to promote the website than for more direct and possibly offensive referral means.   The email tag is automatically sent each time the user sends an email, without requiring the user&#39;s involvement after the initial configuration of the tag and instructing the users email program to automatically insert the tag.   Instead of a single channel for authentication/registration, such as email, two channels including email and SMS to a handheld mobile device is required for authentication. While it is easy to create additional and/or fraudulent email addresses using Hotmail™, for example, it is much more difficult to create additional or fraudulent mobile phone numbers. Thus it is much more likely that there will be a one to one correspondence between real persons and registered users. This extra security is especially important in websites such as the embodiments described above which include a reward program, where fraudulent identities using fraudulent email accounts can be set up and then used to send spam including URL&#39;s including identity information as described above.   During the registration/authentication process both an email address and a phone number is provided to the system which provides two channels of communication to the user via the system and other users of the system which increases the chance of successfully contacting the user.   An email address is provided which can be used as a general communication channel which is very cheap. It can contain more information than sent to the user through a SMS to the mobile phone. However, this system holds a phone number to which SMS&#39;s can be sent to for special promotions and advertising campaigns, for example.   The authentication method using both email and SMS is desirable in processes which involves bidding from multiple people. It prevents fraudulent bids from multiply registered identities. It prevents people such as children bidding who do not have a mobile phone.   The phone number is generally traceable to a real person through official or telephone providers records. A telephone number can be used to block undesirable individuals as most users only have a single mobile phone number.   The telephone number can be used as an unique identifier for a person, especially if that person only has a single mobile phone.       

     In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprises or variations such as comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 
     It will be appreciated that numerous variations and/or modification may be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. For example, the SMS gateway may be incorporated in the system. The portable handheld device may be any portable handheld device with an associated telephone number or indeed any SMS capable device. The system may be located on a single physical device such as a single server. The connection between the system and the computer may not be over the internet but some other network such as a local or wide area network or WiFi, WiMax or any other suitable network. The computer and the mobile handheld device may be the same device. The bid may be a quotation. The message sent to the device may be over an equivalent message service to the Short Message Service, for example over a pager service. The data comprising user identity information may be sent in a file over the internet. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrated and not restrictive.