No-frills online ad search engine launched

A simple-to-use online advertising search engine has been launched. The site is aimed at small to medium sized businesses wishing to manage their own ad placements.

by Helen Leggatt

The aptly named "Ad Database" gives those who don’t wish to commit to an ad network access to online inventory and the ability to plan their own campaigns.

There is no charge for publishers to list inventory information which can consist of ad sizes, site demographics, ad specifications and a link to the publisher’s detailed online media kit.

The Ad Database is also free to search and can be refined using various criteria including budget and cost basis, as per a sample search.

The site currently has around 1,000 publishers indexed including Wired, Wall Street Journal Online and TechCrunch.

“I think the principal benefit will be for small and midsize businesses who are not yet savvy about online advertising,” said site founder Dan Simmons, via DMNews.com. “[They can] get a feel for the online ad landscape without having to sign up or commit to an ad network without even knowing who their pubs were.”