Software behemoth Microsoft is finally making a headway in winning over its arch rivals, on Wednesday released its pubCenter ad publishing tool available for the public beta testing, providing more of an alternative to Google’s AdSense and Yahoo Publisher Network technology that places ads on publishers’ sites.
The public beta is available for U.S. public only, and publishers can sign up for free at the pubCenter site, according to cnet reports.
Just similar to other contextual advertising program, Microsoft pubCenter will be offering websites an opportunity to display ads coming from Microsoft’s online advertising networks. All the services analyze the content on a Web site and place advertisements the service regards to be relevant to that content.
Microsoft’s ad network offering gives another option for publishers looking to monetize their content, has been primarily intended to let advertisers place ads on Microsoft properties, from Live Search to the Xbox.
Here are the highlights from the pubCenter Beta, which allows publishers to:
Place ads on your web site—realizing revenue potential with relevant ads targeted to your audience.
Customize ads based on the look and feel of your websites.
Gain access to one of the largest advertising networks, delivering high-quality ads.
Track ad performance using Analytics tools
The new PubCenter Beta program will now let third-party Web publishers include ads from Microsoft’s network on their own sites.
The private beta has been under testing for a few months and along with the public beta intro today the public blog is open for business as well. According to LiveSide.net Microsoft pubCenter is actively seeking publishers to join and test contextual ads on their sites. The program is only open to sites in the US at present.
Kevin McCabe, senior product manager of PubCenter, announced the move at the AdSpace conference Wednesday. People can sign up for the beta service at the PubCenter site, though it is only open to people in the United States at present.
The program is free and does not require withdrawal from any other ad networks the publisher might be signed up with.