Patent US 9,736,253

For an online community advocacy management platform, the techniques herein create “ghost profiles” of users not registered with the app/plug-in, but that are participating in the social media forum (an identification phase). In this manner, all participants may build their advocacy score regardless of the app/plug-in, which may be useful for the user if later deciding to participate officially, or else for the brand to continue to be able to monitor anonymous (yet uniquely identified) activity on an individual basis, and to identify, quantify, and foster the most valuable and influential advocates within the existing community.