ISP EarthLink and pay-for-placement search site GoTo.com signed a two-year, $10 million
agreement that makes GoTo.com the default search engine on EarthLink’s Web
properties.
These properties include the ISP’s Personal Start Page (the default launch
page for
EarthLink members), EarthLink’s Web site and EarthLink’s
Finance Center, a personal finance portal.
Starting in January 2000, EarthLink members will be able to find the
products, services and information they need by accessing GoTo.com’s relevant
search results.
At GoTo.com, advertisers bid in an ongoing auction for priority placement in
the search results.
EarthLink said it will leverage GoTo.com’s search concept to drive traffic to
its “premiere partner” brand-name sites. In addition, a co-branded
EarthLink/GoTo.com search results page will enable EarthLink to include
relevant advertising and content or commerce partner links that relate to the
specific search query.
“Because search is the most frequently used tool on EarthLink’s sites, it’s
essential for us to provide a leading search tool to our members and
non-members,” said Howard Lefkowitz, EarthLink’s vice president of business
development and Internet marketing.
“GoTo.com’s innovative approach to
delivering quality, relevant search results and introducing consumers to Web
sites will provide our members with the results they’re
looking for.”
EarthLink’s current roster of partners includes: ABCNews.com, Amazon.com,
BigStar.com, CNN, eBay, ESPN.com, E-Stamp, E*Trade, HotBot/Wired Digital,
InfoSpace.com, MarketWatch.com, MBNA, MessageClick, Sprint, Strategy.com,
Travelscape.com, The Weather Channel and Wherehousemusic.com.
EarthLink and ISP MindSpring last month announced plans to
merge.