Patent ID: 7698347

Claim:
A method for reducing a size of one or more keys encoded into a link to a target resource, the method comprising: receiving, in an affiliate server, from an affiliate, a request for a target resource, where the target resource includes content information associated with an advertisement; selecting the target resources responsive to the request; encoding a link to the target resource with one or more key/value pairs including identifying an address for the result click server; determining if there are any additional key/value pairs for encoding into the link; if additional key/value pairs are present, encoding the additional key/value pairs into the link; performing a look-up operation in a key map for a key encoded in the link; if the key is not in the key map, leaving the key encoded in the link; if the key is in key map, substituting the key with a substitute key; adding an additional key indicating compression of the one or more key/value pairs; transmitting the encoded link to the affiliate; transmitting, from the affiliate to a client device, web content and the advertisement having the encoded link associated therewith; in response to a user selection of the encoded link, accessing the result click server identified in the link; selecting a given key/value pair from among the one or more key/value pairs to identify a key; locating the key in a key map to identify a substitute key; replacing the key with the substitute key in the link; after the user selection of the encoded link, recording information associated with the affiliate, the client device and the advertisement; and redirecting the user to the target resource.