Twitter Deal Seems Likely To Analysts; Google And Facebook Continue To Rule The Market

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Rare Bird

Many analysts see a Twitter deal looming after a brutal year on the market (with shares dropping from the mid-thirties to about $16 today). The New York Times reports those rumors intensifying in the wake of Microsoft’s LinkedIn acquisition. But there aren’t many natural corporate homes for Twitter. It’s come to resemble more of a media and news delivery service, but traditional media companies don’t have the means (News Corp. has a $7 billion market cap to Twitter’s $11.3), while the Googles and Comcasts are avowedly uninterested. Of course, shares were up 17% last week on deal speculation, so take persistent rumors with a grain of salt. More.

Slim Pickings

If you think Google and Facebook have been online advertising powerhouses to date – which, uhh, yeah – then buckle up. Digital Content Next (DCN) and IAB/PwC research has shown the big two upping their overall market consolidation from 70% to 75% in recent years, but if anything that’s tracking the low end of a rising curve. The online ad industry grew by $2.7 billion year-over-year: $1.4 billion to Google, $1 billion to Facebook and $300 million chopped up for “Everyone Else.” More at DCN.

Small Ball

YouTube has been hooking up small businesses with professional filmmakers and production for video ads (as long as the business agrees to spend at least $150 on the platform), according to The Street. The service has only launched in six cities so far, but YouTube also released a new application, YouTube Director, to help construct video ads. Quality video advertising has a higher barrier to entry than, say, search or display, but Alphabet and Facebook are determined to add Mom-and-Pop dollars to their video monetization engines. More.

Undercover Bidder

Microsoft wasn’t the only one stalking LinkedIn’s biz. Salesforce also placed a bid on the B2B social network, Recode’s Kara Swisher reports. The company would’ve required both debt and stock refinancing to afford LinkedIn’s huge price tag, but it was hedging bets on its revenue-generating recruiting business to make that money back. “We gave it a solid look,” said Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. “We are always looking to help our customers in new ways.” More. By the time Salesforce made a bid, Microsoft was already in deep negotiations on its $26.2 billion deal [AdExchanger coverage].

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