Microsoft expands online advertising arsenal

Microsoft makes more moves in its bid to dominate online advertising, and has purchased ad management solutions firm Rapt.

by Helen Leggatt

Another week, another acquisition. This time it’s Microsoft making the move in announcing its purchase of Rapt, a company that assists ad-supported businesses to optimize the value of their media assets by determining the most profitable strategies for pricing and placement.

“Online publishers have a complex array of needs, and they require more attentive and sophisticated partners to help them solve these challenges," said Brian McAndrews, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group, in a recent release.

"With this acquisition, we are uniquely positioned to help publishers succeed on all fronts. Our end-to-end solution will include workflow tools, ad package and delivery, turnkey distribution, content partnerships, and yield management and optimization."

Microsoft will integrate Rapt’s software into its Atlas Publisher Suite, part of the company's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group.

Tags: ad-supported, online advertising, placement strategy, pricing strategy