1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to Internet web development, and more particularly, to a method, system and computer program product for controlling and tracking content distribution through various networks.
2. Background Art
A wide adoption of various networks, such as web-based and mobile-based social networks, raises issues related to propagation of information throughout the network. Typically, when a member of a network receives some information content or a link to some content of interest, he sends it to other members of his social group or network. Presumably, members of the same network (such as, a social group, a virtual community, a social network, etc.) may have similar interests and the content of interest can propagate very deep into a network. A general scheme of content propagation through the Internet or a network is shown in FIG. 1.
A publisher (i.e., an advertiser or a producer of content) can determine how many people have initially received his content as a result of a targeted broadcast or a mass mailing. However, the advertiser has no control over subsequent propagation of his content to other members of a network.
Thus, the advertiser cannot judge an effectiveness of his advertising campaign, since he only has information about the initial recipients of his content and has no information about how his content travels throughout the Internet or various networks or groups the initial recipients are associated with. In order to provide effective advertising over the Internet or over mobile networks, an advertiser needs to have a control over the propagation and spread of his content.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an effective method and system for controlling and tracking the propagation of content over the Internet and throughout social networks.