MerchantCircle, a firm that allows local businesses to create free Web pages, newsletters, blogs, Web coupons and such, is now officially offering content-targeted text ads through Quigo’s AdSonar network and audio directory assistance ads through Jingle Networks’ 1-800-FREE411 service.
I spoke with Ben T. Smith, MerchantCircle’s chairman and co-founder for a story about a month ago, at which time the company was already offering the Quigo ads (apparently on more of a test basis), and anticipating some collaboration with Jingle.
MerchantCircle will offer premium members (the ones who pay) the ability to run the phone ads. It’s unclear whether anyone’s actually running the phone ads yet.
Quigo’s AdSonar network includes over 100 local, regional and national newspaper, TV and radio sites as well as eDiets, Fox News, Lonely Planet, and Martha Stewart.