Patent ID: 8533322

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for enabling content providers to provide targeted content to users, the method comprising: generating a first mapping that maps specific user IDs to specific segments, said user IDs associated with particular network users, said first mapping generated using user-specific data associated with said users; generating a second mapping that maps specific geographic regions to specific segments, said second mapping generated using aggregated data associated with residents of said regions; and providing content providers access to a query interface that provides functionality for retrieving segment data associated with particular user IDs, said query interface configured to receive, from a content provider, a request that specifies a user ID and to respond to the request by a process that comprises: determining whether the user ID is mapped in the first mapping to at least one segment; when the user ID is determined to be mapped to at least one segment, returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an indication of the at least one segment, to thereby enable the content provider to provide to the user targeted content that is based on information specific to a corresponding user; and when the user ID is determined to not be mapped in the first mapping to at least one segment, determining a geographic region associated with the user ID, looking up in the second mapping one or more segments associated with the geographic region, and returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an indication of the one or more segments associated with the geographic region, to thereby enable the content provider to provide to the user content that is targeted to the geographic region; said method performed by a computing system that is programmed to perform the method, said computing system comprising one or more computing devices.