IAR Bits and Bytes for Wednesday

eBay Adds An Affiliate Program Provider

Auction giant eBay launched a new pay-for-performance affiliate program using Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Commission Junction's network and technology, adding another provider to its mix.

The company has been working with Microsoft's bCentral, and will continue that relationship.

The eBay Web site affiliate area now says: "Every time one of your site's visitors clicks on the eBay link, then registers at eBay, you get $4.00!"

The new affiliate marketing program will allow eBay to advertise on thousands of Web sites in the Commission Junction network on a pay-for-performance basis.

"eBay is focusing its online marketing and advertising on initiatives that truly drive results," said Matt Lawrence, eBay's manager of business development said in a statement. The "proprietary tracking and reporting technology, full-service account management, global reach and quantifiable, proven ROI were all important factors in our decision to select Commission Junction."

eBay quietly launched the program on March 3, and claims to have acquired more than 11,000 affiliates. eBay's subsidiary company, Half.com, already had an affiliate program with privately held Commission Junction that boasts 16,000 affiliates.

24/7 Media to Sell Ads for eMedicine.com

24/7 Media Inc. in New York has signed an agreement to sell advertising and other marketing opportunities on eMedicine.com, home of the World Medical Library, an online, peer-reviewed medical reference library.

eMedicine gives physicians and consumers Internet access to clinical decision support tools and information. Each topic undergoes four levels of physician peer review. The World Medical Library currently has over 5,000 topics completed.

The agreement calls for 24/7 Media to sell sponsorships and advertising designed to reach the 300,000 medical professionals that visit emedicine.com each month.

24/7's ad network has a health channel that includes sites such as MedNets.com, MOL.net, NewsRx.com, NursingCenter.com, Mdjobsite.com and Bioscience.org.

Ask Jeeves to Use L90's adMonitor

Los Angeles-based L90 Inc. signed a marketing technology agreement to help maximize revenue on Ask Jeeves Inc. Web properties and DirectHit Network partner sites.

L90's proprietary adMonitor technology will serve and track marketing campaigns using Ask Jeeves' interstitials and DirectLinx products on Ask Jeeves and the Direct Hit Network, which includes sites such as MSN.com, Salon.com, and Gay.com. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.

"When it comes to interacting with Internet users, banners are not the most effective tool," said Mike Leo, president of technology solutions at L90. "adMonitor allows Ask Jeeves to offer marketers the opportunity to reach users in more targeted and integrated ways, while maximizing marketing revenue."

L90 will serve and track interstitials, keyword-triggered pop-ups and DirectLinx, which are contextual text-based ads.

adMonitor powers L90's revenue-generating ProfiTools app, an outsourced digital marketing platform that helps Web publishers and marketers monetize their business. ProfiTools include sponsorships, microsites, content integration, rich media, sweepstakes, viral marketing, opt-in e-mail and newsletters, among other marketing tools.