Overture Services says new online content ad program key to its growth

Joining a new market started by rival Google, Overture Services Inc. expects its new Content Match ad program to play a significant role in its effort to diversify. Overture says it already has 95,000 customers for its content ads, just shy of Google’s 100,000. It figures content ads will account for a $2 billion market within five years.

Content ads, also called contextual ads, are made to appear on editorial pages that carry information related to the advertising product or service. Overture, Google and Primedia Inc.’s Sprinks service offer content ads as a complement to ads placed with Internet search results.

Overture says its Content Match program, which launched in late June, is still too new for it to report results experienced by advertisers. But it notes that a test of the program elicited strong feedback from advertisers. “Advertisers are always looking for new traffic sources, and we think content ads will be a good source of new traffic beyond what advertisers get through paid search,” a spokesman says.

Overture has sought to differentiate its content ad service from its competition by offering what it calls a hybrid approach that combines mathematical formulas for placing ads with a team of editorial experts who help determine the best content pages for advertisers.

"By combining advanced technology, an industry-leading editorial team and customized partner implementations, we believe Overture will deliver the most relevant contextual advertising product on the Internet," said Bill Demas, senior vice president and general manager of Overture`s Partner Business and Solutions Group.