Patent ID: 7831595

Claim:
A machine-implemented method, comprising: for a first object of a plurality of objects that are determined to be relevant to a first search query, determining a first predictor metric based at least in part on previous selections of the first object under circumstances in which the first object was at a first position in one or more first ordered lists of objects generated in response to one or more first search requests based on the first search query; for a second object of the plurality of objects, determining a second predictor metric based at least in part on previous selections of the second object under circumstances in which the second object was at a second position in the one or more first ordered lists; wherein each predictor metric reflects a likelihood that the associated object will be selected at one or more positions within second ordered lists of objects that are (a) determined to be relevant to the first search query and (b) ordered differently than said first ordered lists; generating a ranked list by ranking the plurality of objects based on previous selection-based predictor metrics determined for the first and second objects, wherein the second object is placed at a position higher than the second position in the ranked list, and the first object is placed at a position lower than the first position in the ranked list; and in response to receiving a second search request based on said first search query from a user, providing at least a portion of the ranked list to said user; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.