Patent ID: 8019746

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for optimizing the relative positions of sponsored and organic search results on a search results page displayed to a user, the method comprising: calculating, by a search engine, a degree of commerciality of a search query; receiving the search query from a user by the search engine; and delivering, by the search engine to a browser of a user in response to the search query, a plurality of sponsored search results in at least two columns and a plurality of organic search results in at least a third column of one or more search results pages, wherein a layout of the at least three columns depends on the degree of commerciality of the search query; wherein the degree to which the search query is commercial is based on a number of first-listed organic search results of the plurality of organic search results that are commercial, based on an analysis of content of their respective landing pages, wherein the first-listed organic search results comprise at least those listed on a first page of the one or more search results pages.