Meta Platforms, Inc.
Pacing content campaigns by adjusting probability of bidding

Abstract:

A content provider specifies a content campaign along with a desired metric to achieve for the campaign, such as a budget. For each opportunity to present content to a user, an online publishing system selects content to a group of users using a selection process. To achieve the desired metric for the content campaign, the publishing system determines a probability of participating in the selection process with content from the content campaign based on feedback about the current performance of the campaign. For example, the system compares the opportunities passed and the budget spent for the content campaign to a current time and budget expenditure, and then it calculates an equilibrium probability that will achieve the desired budget at the end of the campaign. The system then determines whether to participate in a selection process for each new opportunity to present content using this adjusted equilibrium probability.