Shortly following AOL’s $4.4 billion buyout by Verizon Communications Inc., AOL takes further steps to make its mark and once again become the king of the internet by striking a deal with tech giant Microsoft. AOL has agreed to take responsibility of all display, mobile, and video ad sales on Microsoft properties in the U.S. and eight other international markets.
In exchange, Microsoft’s Bing will power all ads and search technology on AOL’s properties for the next 10 years, displacing Google. This deal marks Microsoft’s response to its decade-long struggle in the digital advertising world. Investing in almost all aspects of the industry – from video to automated marketing – failed to bear the fruit needed to compete with tech all stars like Google. Is AOL, one of America’s oldest internet providers, the investment Microsoft needed all along to become a big player in the digital marketing game?
We’re excited to see how this merger will affect both AOL and Microsoft’s ranking in the digital marketing, advertising, and consumer industries. It may be just what these companies need to have an edge in these constantly adapting and highly competitive areas of business. For instance, AOL can now offer more comprehensive and customized packages for brands that include distribution through Microsoft products like Xbox and the MSN Web Portal.
Stay tuned and check back on our blog for the latest developments in both AOL and Microsoft news.