Redmond, Washington — Microsoft has taken the wraps off its Content Ads, fully releasing the company’s contextual ad serving system out of beta. The adCenter blog, early today published 5 posts explaining all of the changes they have pushed live as part of their Spring 2009 Upgrade.
The Redmond software heavyweight has been positioning Content Ads, which started beta tests in Aug. 2007, as its answer to Google’s dominant AdSense program, Content Ads enables advertisers to deliver content-relevant ads across the Microsoft content network audience.
The official launch of Content Ads, which media buyers can use to place keyword-targeted ads on up to 1,000 sites including WSJ.com, FOX Sports, and RunnersWorld.com, is part of an upgrade to the company’s adCenter pay-per-click ad buying system. The upgrade also includes enhanced targeting, bidding and keyword research options.
However, since online advertising has been damaged along with the rest of the ad industry, the Microsoft service probably would have had more impact if it had released this product a year ago. But with its general release, the offering has added a site exclusion option that allows advertisers to keep their ads from up to 500 sites in the network at the campaign or ad group level. Additionally, marketers can now analyze the performance of individual sites in the Content Ads network.
“With this enhanced visibility into Content Ad placement and accomplishment of their Content Ads, advertisers will be able to help control the distribution of their Content Ads and improve ROI,” said Brian Boland, director of search and media with Microsoft’s Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group. Boland claimed financial services advertisers have found particular success with Content Ads to date.