ISP Lets Small Businesses Buy Ads Online
One of the largest free ISPs is targeting the lucrative small business market.
In an effort to round up new advertisers from the small business sector, ad-supported ISP FreeInternet.com on Wednesday launched an online center for the purchasing of advertising on its service.
In recent months, companies like MSN have launched similar online centers, and some media marketplaces, like AdFlight.com, have focused on serving the small business customer. All of these efforts are aimed at bringing in smaller customers, without expending the manpower usually needed to service a client.
The buying process, called Merchantadz, is completed online through a template and with a secure credit card purchase. Advertisers can supply their own artwork for banners or create a banner online. The ads are displayed through the freeinternet.com banner, which runs whenever one of the service’s 2.5 million users are online.
Freeinternet.com also hopes to strike deals to distribute the Merchantadz applications to other Web sites, with which it will share revenue.
“This one-stop shopping approach to online advertising can assist small businesses because of its simplicity and affordability,” said Bob McCausland, president and chief executive officers of freeinternet.com.
“And freei’s business partners who offer the service are able to benefit as well.”
