Microsoft’s Contextual Network Is ContentAds
Jensense breaks the news that Microsoft’s competitor to Adsense and YPN will be known as ContentAds, and will be released at least in a beta form in 2006.
First, let me say that name isn’t going to get any points for originality, but at least it describes what it is. Second, I’m glad Microsoft will have a competitor. I’m very much for competition in the advertising world for many reasons, so having three or more viable contextual text options will be great for publishers.
The question is if Microsoft will be able to build enough advertisers through AdCenter to supply ContentAds with enough advertiser base to have relevant contextual ads that pay out well. YPN has had trouble because they haven’t had enough advertisers to really provide relevant ads, so it often seems to default to mortgage, VOIP, and other common ads.
It’s going to be fun to watch, and fun for publishers to participate in. If only there was a solution to run all three networks and predict which one would pay the most on every impression.
Contextual Ads, maybe, are nearing saturation.
We are at an interesting juncture in the history of online advertising. look around, and you can see signs of change slowly emerging. bloggers cribbing about adsense, models like word of blog, MDHP and adbrite – definitely, something is changing. omer kurdestani – are u listening?
time will tell, which model will work.
Yes, but I’d argue that online advertising hasn’t really stopped changing for the past 10 years. Changes will continue to occur, it will be fun to watch.
It’s no coincidence that Microsoft names ContentAds at the same day they debute office live.
It’s becoming more and more obvious that Microsoft roadmap is a copy of Google roadmap.
They’ll try “embrace and expand” on Google!
Microsoft debutes Office live and names ContentAds its adsense/adwords copycat
I usually rotate ads between YPN and Adsense and then see which one is doing better CTR-wise and CPC-wise and consequently CPM-wise. Then I run about 95% of the better one and 5% of the other to monitor if the numbers change, then I change it.
I’d really like to try ContentAds in the mix, but haven’t been able to find a contact…any ideas?