Microsoft seems to be pretty much aggressive on its advertising program the past couple of days. After sealing an advertising placement deal with Digg, the company then announced that it is buying AdECN, an advertising exchange platform, a virtual marketplace for buying and selling display ads. This comes right before another press release about the creation of Applied Research Group which will be Microsoft’s arm in developing innovations in search ad technologies.
Kevin Johnson, president, Platforms and Services Division explained the reason behind Microsoft’s plan to acquire AdECN:
We believe the addition of AdECN to the Microsoft portfolio is a perfect fit and will create more efficiency for the industry by forming a more robust marketplace between advertisers and publishers, aggregating more supply and demand. This is good for the whole advertising industry.”
Relating this to my previous post about the Microsoft-Digg deal, it is but natural that Microsoft should step up its online advertising programs. And the Microsoft-Digg deal just is all it needed to wake up and finally smell the profitability of the online advertising industry.
Google has been dominating the online advertising industry, its about time that another major player comes into the scene and shake Google’s dominace a little. Granting of course that Microsoft’s advertising program could provide more revenues for advertisers and earnings for publishers.
