Mixture seeding for sustainable information spreading in complex networks

Abstract

A high intensity of online advertising often elicits a negative response from web users. Marketing companies are looking for more sustainable solutions, especially in the area of visual advertising. However, the research efforts related to information spreading processes and viral marketing are focused mainly on the maximization of coverage. This paper presents a sustainable seed selection solution based on mixtures of seeds with different characteristics. The proposed solution makes it possible for the information spreading processes to reach more diverse audiences. Mixture seeding avoids overrepresentation of nodes with similar characteristics, and thus decreases campaign intensity while maintaining acceptable coverage.