Microsoft To Provide Ads For Rodale Health, Fitness Sites
Microsoft Corp. and Rodale Inc. on Monday said it has signed an agreement to become the exclusive provider of contextual and paid search advertising to Rodale’s online portfolio of branded health, wellness and fitness Web sites.
“Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.”
Microsoft becomes exclusive third-party digital advertising provider of contextual and paid search ads for magazine-branded Web properties, through its adCenter platform, primarily identical placements of text-based ads with Rodale’s editorial content.
Under the terms of agreement, Microsoft becomes the exclusive third-party provider of contextual and paid search advertising for Rodale’s online network, including its key brands MensHealth.com, WomensHealthmag.com, Prevention.com, RunnersWorld.com and Bicycling.com.
“Rodale is the authoritative source for trusted content in health, fitness and wellness around the world and on the Web, and we are pleased to provide our advertisers greater access to this valuable audience segment,” Scott Howe, VP of the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group at Microsoft, said in a statement.
The contextual advertising with Rodale via adCenter Content Ads helps advertisers connect with health-conscious consumers in more effective ways by matching placements of text-based ads with Rodale’s editorial content.
“If, for example, a visitor were reading an article on running shoes or equipment, then he would likely see ads on related products.” This targeting functionality provides advertisers with an enhanced level of audience segmentation, and gives consumers an improved and more relevant online experience.
Rodale’s extensive range of health and wellness Web sites includes MensHealth.com, WomensHealthmag.com, Prevention.com, RunnersWorld.com, Bicycling.com, OrganicGardening.com, BestLifeOnline.com, RunningTimes.com, and iYogalife.com.
“The addition of Rodale in our array of syndicated advertising partners is a strong indicator that we are continuing to gain considerable traction with our advertising platform and further complements our vertical expertise in health, finance, travel, autos and entertainment.”
Microsoft carries out innovative ad-serving technologies, contextual advertising and paid search advertising capabilities through its adCenter platform, an offering available via the Microsoft Advertising portfolio.
“Combining Microsoft’s contextual advertising and paid search advertising capabilities with our gripping content will provide additional value to our visitors by ensuring the advertising they see is aligned with their interests,” said Daniele Campbell, associate vice president, Interactive Marketing, Rodale.
Regardless of Microsoft’s latest deal, it remains far behind market leader Google in paid search advertising, which accounts for about 70% of the market. Microsoft’s ongoing attempt to acquire Yahoo is to close the gap with Google.
Online advertising in the United States is anticipated to grow eight times quicker than the overall market, surpassing newspapers, cable TV, and broadcast TV by 2012, according to IDC.
In four years, online advertising will rise from the fifth-largest medium to the second behind direct marketing, IDC said. Overall revenue from Internet ads will double to $51.1 billion in 2012 from $25.5 billion last year.
Rodale expands Microsoft’s ad portfolio, which includes the latter company’s own properties, such as MSN, Windows Live, Xbox Live, and Live Search, as well as third party sites, such as Facebook.
All the company’s sites are expected to display Microsoft-provided contextual ads by end of July, with paid search advertising following at a later date.