Vibrant Media, a pioneer in contextual keyword advertising, this week unveiled IntelliTXTSM, a new online advertising product that enables publishers to monetize the previously untapped content portion of their websites. By delivering sponsored links from within article-based content, IntelliTXT combines the power and relevance of contextual advertising with the market growth of pay-for-performance advertising.
IntelliTXTSM highlights keywords which are included in the content of a website. These keywords are usually popular with search engine keyword advertising buys. For example, if a sites uses IntelliTXTSM keyword links on a page which has the phase search engines, this word may be linked to an Overture Content Search Ad which the site reader can click on for relevant advertising or product information.
Vibrant Media says that the product has been optimized and refined after a year of close collaboration with web publishers, editors and their readers. Publishers have worked closely with editors to ensure that the product is used in the most appropriate sections. In addition, they have worked with readers to introduce the new advertising model and to explain how the contextual keyword links work. Completely user activated, IntelliTXT underlines key words in editorial content creating links to relevant ads. The links remain inactive until a user moves the cursor over a keyword and clicks on it.
“IntelliTXT has surpassed my expectations. It is generating additional incremental revenue for TheAutoChannel.com by linking what people want to sell to people looking at relevant content,” said Bob Gordon, president of The Auto Channel. “It’s interactive, so it’s not intrusive. Our users have the option to either click on the link or not click on it.”
Publisher-Side Product Also Provides Key Benefits for Advertisers
The new product offers web publishers access to the rapidly growing online advertising market without sacrificing existing advertising inventory. The product also benefits advertisers by enabling them to reach consumers earlier in the buying cycle, by providing more relevant leads and a click-through rate equal to 24 times the rate of run-of-the-web banner ads (leading to greater ROI). IntelliTXT also has the ability to provide relevant links for up to five themes per page in comparison to other models which only allow one.
“IntelliTXT works because it is based on the concept that effective advertising should not be a diversion, but something users find relevant, timely and useful,” said Doug Stevenson, CEO of Vibrant Media. “Vibrant Media’s IntelliTXT enables web publishers to take advantage of their most important real estate – the content itself – where readers spend the bulk of their time. Advertisers get the benefits of exceptional targeting but with pay-for-performance pricing.”
Market Opportunity
Founded by two former AOL advertising executives, Vibrant Media already has a web publisher base of more than 150 leading sites and titles, and strategic relationships with leading technology vendors.
According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, online advertising revenues in the United States reached a record of $2.2 billion in Q4 2003 with total revenues for the year estimated at $7.2 billion.
“I’m not at all surprised at these revenue numbers,” said Greg Stuart, president & CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, referring to the year-end revenue report. “Our medium is such that we should expect this positive performance. Based on sound business principles the industry has grown up and become a great competitive advantage for those marketers who have been paying attention.”
