Influential bloggers integrate ads

In a bold move, Vancouver-based Marqui Management Systems has hired a team of bloggers to hawk the company's services. Marqui, whose clients include the David Suzuki Foundation, makes Web-based text editing software.
In the 'Blogosphere Program,' a team of heavily read, influential technology bloggers will insert the company's logo and at least one mention per week (with a link to the company's Web site) into their blogs. For their efforts, the bloggers will receive $800 a month. An additional $50 is paid with each qualified sales lead.
By Pierre Hamilton
December 14, 2004

In a bold move, Vancouver-based Marqui Management Systems has hired a team of bloggers to hawk the company’s services. Marqui, whose clients include the David Suzuki Foundation, makes Web-based text editing software.

In the ‘Blogosphere Program,’ a team of heavily read, influential technology bloggers will insert the company’s logo and at least one mention per week (with a link to the company’s Web site) into their blogs. For their efforts, the bloggers will receive $800 a month. An additional $50 is paid with each qualified sales lead.

Stephen King, CEO of Marqui, says blog-vertising has helped his small company get noticed with a unique idea. Some bloggers disagree with the dilution of the blogosphere, but King and Marc Canter, the brains behind the concept, say that by remaining honest and open – they post the bloggers contract online and encourage bloggers to divulge their relationship with the company – they’ve managed to lessen the brunt of attacks from upset bloggers.

While it’s too early for results, Marqui has benefited from a great deal of media interest.

In related news, Microsoft expects advertising will support its new blogging tool, MSN Spaces, which is currently in beta testing. Available in 14 languages and 26 markets, MSN Spaces arrives as a direct competitor to Google’s Blogger and AOL’s Journals. MSN’s offering integrates the company’s other communication tools Messenger and the popular email service Hotmail, which were recently updated and re-launched along with MSN Music Store. MSN Spaces has been designed to leave room for four text ads. Initially the space will house MSN advertisements, but the company says that while they have no immediate plans to sell ads, they are considering the potential for advertising during the beta stage.

Ad space is available on an updated version of Google Groups Service, an online message archive, which launched last Thursday. The service makes it easier for users to navigate online discussion groups. Advertisements related to the topic of the discussion appear on the right-hand side of the Web browser. Groups is the third-largest source for advertising revenue, trailing its Web and Image search features.

Information about Marqui and its Blogosphere Program is available at http://www.marqui.com/Paybloggers/