What Drove Yahoo’s Purchase Of Citizen Sports
To buy or to build? That’s the question that drove Yahoo’s decision to buy social sports startup Citizen Sports, which owns a series of sports-related apps on the iPhone and on Facebook, according to Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) media head James Pitaro. “When we really sat down and looked at what we were doing in the social space and where we were trying to get, we ultimately decided that what they already had is superior than what we would have been able to do in the short term,” he says. Now, he says, Yahoo Sports—which is “doing a very good job on the PC”—will be able to bolster its presence on the iPhone—and also build a presence on Facebook. “We haven’t been as active on Facebook as we should be,” he says. “It’s a top priority for our media businesses.” During a discussion with Pitaro and Citizen Sports CEO Mike Kerns, the two men also talked to us about the future of fantasy sports online, the overlap between Yahoo Sports and Citizen Sports and also some details about the deal, which will see about 30 employees joining Yahoo.
Read More: PaidContent.org
X+1 Adds ‘Smart Tagging’ To Targeting Platform
In the latest upgrade to its audience targeting platform, x+1 has added a feature designed to streamline the process of tagging multiple Web pages and types of media by employing a universal piece of code across all digital formats. Unlike traditional ad-tagging methods — which may entail offline development and installation by IT staff for each page — x+1′s new Smart Tagging System included in its platform will apply a uniform tag across Web sites, landing pages, online display ads and e-mail, promising to reduce costs and boost campaign performance. The code for Smart Tags is generated automatically when a campaign is created through the company’s solution, allowing users to place tags via the dashboard. The new tagging system pulls in anonymous visitor data on the fly including IP address, demographic information, prior sites and Web pages viewed and other tracking information funneled into x+1′s POE optimization engine.
Read More: MediaPost
AOL Goes ‘Local’ With $10 Million V.C. Fund
Aol. said Wednesday that it is putting together a $10 million venture capital that will invest in start-up’s whose businesses target the “local” space, as the newly liberated company continues its bet on local content, PaidContent reported. “An increasing number of start-ups are fundamentally improving the local experience for consumers, businesses, governments and organizations throughout the world,” the company said in a statement. “Aol. will target these types of companies with its local fund which will operate out of Aol. Ventures.” The move follows Aol’s purchase of hyperlocal news firm Patch.
Read More: Blogs.NYTimes.com
