Here's today's AdExchanger.com news round-up... Want it by email? Sign-up here.
WordPress Federated
Federated Media (FM) is already putting its newly-acquired Lijit ad network tech to work as it announced yesterday a potentially big deal with Automattic to represent WordPress.com publishers. An FM spokesman tells Douglas Quenqua of ClickZ, "The focus initially is on the long tail, so we are more focused on quality of blog, not number of users or page views." Publishers can opt-in if they wish. Read it. In the release, FM says it will use its semantic tech to detect and target social signal (conversations). And, no mention (yet) of using Lijit's search engine on WordPress.com which could yield additional insights for WordPress.com publishers, let alone the still-untapped search retargeting potential across the Lijit/FM ad network and beyond.
Magnetic Gets New CEO
Search retargeter Magnetic has a new CEO as James Green (LinkedIn) takes over for Josh Shatkin-Margolis after previous roles at Giant Realm (bought by Burst Media in 2009) among others according to MediaPost's Laurie Sullivan. Green tells Sullivan, "I've been hired before to turnaround companies having difficulties, and I didn't want to do that this time. I wanted to join a team in a company poised for growth." Read more.
TagMan Gets $5 Million
Tag management specialists TagMan announced that it has raised $5 million in Series B financing as Greycroft Partners and iNovia Capital anted up among others. Sales, marketing and more support offices appears to be the focus of the new funds according to the release. Tag management companies sometimes are derided as providing a point solution, but TagMan and others appear to continue to thrive if continued investment and hiring are beacons for success at the very least. Read it.
Display reporting and discrepancy management company Ad-Juster has partnered with Adometry (old Adometry + Click Forensics) for Adometry's tag management tech. According to a release, Adometry's TagScan product will help ensure Ad-Juster's publisher partners don't have any challenges with third-party data that could interfere with publisher site performance. Read more.
Mousethrough Rate (MTR)
Adweek reviews Moat's heat-mapping tech for ad creative in a feature article. The company is launching a product it calls a "No Clicks Campaign" which Adweek describes as "a heat map-focused analytics service that seeks to eliminate engagement rates measured in clicks altogether." It's about the mouseover and more as there are a lot more mouseoverERS than clickers according to Moat research. Read more.
Networks And Publishers Verifying
Adsafe Media has a new tool for ad networks and publishers that can't get enough of ad verification tech and want to manually look at each URL. The aptly-named URL Analyzer looks at a page and delivers Adsafe ratings. The company says its getting significatn traction with networks and pubs and monitors over "1.5 billion impressions every day across their network and exchange partners," according to a release. Read it.
Retargeting Works: Case No. 342017515
It's a short article but for display+email retargeters, it's somewhat sweet. Jason Feifer of Fast Company writes about display retargeting momentum coupled with email. Responsys CEO Dan Springer offers some company results as Feifer - who calls retargeting "spooky" - writes, "It seems worth the cash: Of people who engage with MetLife because of display ads, about 75% now come through retargeting." Drink the Koolaid.
You're Hired!
- CPX Interactive Names CSO, CRO and CFO - press release
- Aggregate Knowledge Names Former Adobe Executive Douglas Grounds as SVP, Customer Success - press release
New Website!
Media buying company Exchangelab launched its flashy new website that includes a memorable video that gives Terence Kawaja's ecosystem logo map a run for its money. See it.
Privacy
- Mobile Marketing Assn. Issues App Privacy Guidelines - MediaPost
- Go Ahead. Sell My Data. - Kevin Curtain
- Public More Worried About Privacy Loss Than Terrorism - MediaPost
- PrivacyChoice Challenges Developers To "Get Their Apps in Gear" - press release
But Wait. There's More!
- Microsoft, Others Work on Yahoo Bid (subscription) - The Wall Street Journal
- White Paper: Big Data for the Future – Unlocking the Predictive Power of the Web - Recorded Future blog
- Cognitive Match Integrates eXelate Audience Data to Improve Dynamic Advertising Creative and Message Targeting in Real-Time - press release
- The Relationship Mirage - Upstream Group blog
- Is Social Data The Next Investing Frontier? - David Pakman's blog
- Retailers Are Creating Media Properties That Will Revolutionize Marketing - Ad Age
- [x+1]'s New Web Services API for Server-to-Server Integration Gives Digital Marketers Greater Flexibility and Control - press release
- MediaLink's Wenda Harris Millard Cuts Through the Digital Clutter - The Makegood
- Groupon Seeks Valuation at Close to $12 Billion - The New York Times