MSN adCenter / Microsoft Launch New Advertising Initiative
Microsoft is currently launching an new online ad program on their Live services and on MSN. Microsoft reports they will use the revenue from this new program to fund new online efforts and to take ad market share from Google and Yahoo. The advertisements will run on the Office Live Web hosting/development platform, the Live Mail e-mail service, and the MSN Spaces community site.
Acording to Microsoft initial testing of Windows Live ads is being done in Australia and Italy, while Windows Live Mail ads are being tested in markets around the world, including in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the U.S.
The Office Live ads are being tested only in the U.S. for now. Microsoft reported that this service sold out of space very soon after its launch. Tests will continue throughout 2006, Microsoft said, with research conducted among some 100 advertisers in nine markets to identify advertisers’ needs more effectively.
Microsoft said it will continue to invest heavily in MSN.com as well as test advertising opportunities on the Xbox Live service, on mobile devices, and on other company properties.If you are wondering why you did not get an invatition to advertise on this new platform, rest assured you budget probally is what disqualified you. Among those buying space under the current Beta Tests are Coca-Cola Brazil, JC Penney, and Monster Worldwide. So at least for now this adspace is reserved for the big boys of the Fortune 500 arena.
According to Microsoft, the objective of the new advertising model is to use the ad revenue to subsidize free and low-cost online services so perhaps there will be a benifit in this for the small business owner as well in time. Perhaps they could use it to fix the Help and Support Issues reported by Mark Barrera at MasterLink Search Engine Marketing.
~ Jack Spirko