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My 2 featured articles for the week ending Jun. 8, 2007:

Archived blogs for the week of Jul. 23, 2007

1354 - Jul. 25, 2007 - 10.12 AM EST

AOL to acquire TACODA

AOL announced yesterday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TACODA, an online behavioral targeting advertising network.

TACODA will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL. Founded six years ago, Tacoda employs advanced technology that enables advertisers to serve highly relevant ads based on consumers' online behaviors.

Using TACODA's technology, AOL will be able to extend its targeting capabilities to advertisers and publishers, and further extend the reach of its third-party display network, currently the largest in the U.S.

Ron Grant, AOL president and COO said "the acquisition of TACODA will build on our advertising momentum, letting us better serve advertisers by enhancing our ability to precisely target advertisements across an even broader network."

Grant added "we are committed to offering advertisers and publishers a full range of tools and services, along with the widest reach, and with TACODA we're taking another step toward that goal."

According to eMarketer, the behavioral targeting market is set to increase to $3.8 billion by 2011, from $350 million in 2006. Curt Viebranz, CEO of TACODA said "AOL is a perfect match for TACODA.

By combining our targeting capabilities with AOL's existing set of solutions, we can better serve online advertisers and publishers as the market for behavioral targeting continues to emerge."

He added "I'm also delighted to have the opportunity to work with Ron and with AOL's CEO Randy Falco, who are putting in place all the pieces needed to create a world-class advertising network." Read more...

Posted on Businessblog™

1353 - Jul. 24, 2007 - 2.02 PM EST

Mobile search competition to intensify

Overall, the competition for the U.S. mobile search market promises to be harsh, thanks to the large U.S. online ad market, and some pressure from certain wireless portals.

Some experts project that, in less than four years from now, mobile search will account for about $715 million, or almost 15 percent of a total mobile advertising market worth nearly $4.7 billion.

Initially, a $715 million mobile search market isn't a foregone conclusion. However, many of the behavioral factors are in place in the U.S. market to push mobile search forward.

There is already a strong correlation between mobile Internet use and accessing mobile search services. Three months ago, iCrossing reported that about 74 percent of mobile Internet subscribers access mobile search services.

Overall, this is in sharp contrast to the little more than 20 percent of general mobile phone users in the US who access mobile search.

Posted on Businessblog™

1352 - Jul. 23, 2007 - 12.58 PM EST

MSN reduces the time it keeps search data

Seeking to address concerns about personal privacy issues, MSN said it will reduce the time periodin which it keeps records of users' Internet searches on its engine.

Microsoft said in a statement today that it will remove individuals' links to search records after just a year-and-a-half. Microsoft's MSN unit and IAC/InterActiveCorp.'s Ask.com, the fourth-largest search site, in a separate statement urged rivals to adopt the same practices for collecting, using and protecting search and advertising data.

Overall, most search engines are facing increased scrutiny in Europe over their privacy policies and how they use data to compete for users by offering more personalized services and targeted advertising.

The European Union data protection agency is reviewing the privacy policies of Google and other search engines, including those of Microsoft and Yahoo.

Peter Cullen, Microsoft's chief privacy strategist said "as a whole, data retention is a very, very complex space. Cullen added "we came to the conclusion that 18 months is a good time period."

In June, Google reduced the time it stores data to 18 months from 24 months after EU privacy experts indicated that two years may breach European data protection rules.

For its part, Yahoo said it will remove individuals' links to data after a 13-month delay. On average, analyzing personal search records helps companies create more accurate searches for users and helps to better manage their advertising business, Cullen said. It also helps Internet companies provide better overall security, he said. Read more...

Posted on Businessblog™

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