Rocketinfo Monetizes RSS Feeds With Kanoodle

[Brett_Tabke]

My personal favorite news engine just signed it's first se deal:

[tmcnet.com...]

...has signed an agreement with Kanoodle, a leading provider of sponsored links for content pages and search results, to embed content targeted advertising into Rocketinfo's search-based RSS newsfeeds.

The placement of content targeted advertising will enable Rocketinfo to begin generating advertising revenue from their popular dynamic key-word based RSS feeds. The Rocketinfo RSS feeds with content targeted ads from Kanoodle can be created using the RocketNews search engine (www.rocketnews.com) and the Rocket RSS Reader (http://reader.rocketinfo.com). The company also plans to integrate Kanoodle ads into the soon-to-be-released Rocket Desktop.

[otc_cmnn]

Why Kanoodle?

Because Overture won't touch them?
Because Google won't touch them?

Even FindWhat is a small step up.

I know pennies a click can turn into millions, but is Kanoodle the first place you turn? or the last?

Don't get me wrong Rocket Info spits out good news, but I just can't get excited about someone teaming up with the third tier.

[paulj]

Hello otc_cmnn,

I wanted to follow up on a few of your comments.

Because Google won't touch them?

I don't know if either Rocketinfo or Google would want to work with each as they are both working in the "search space". Obviously Google is best known for search (especially on the Macro level) and most consumers probably know Rocket for their RSS offerings. However, Rocket does work and earn revenues on the Search side as well (more on the niche or micro level)...and lets face it most companies don't want to rely on the 'competition' for income. For example, MSN is moving away from Overture now that Yahoo bought them and I don't see them going over to Adwords instead.

Because Overture won't touch them?

With all respect to Overture I'm not sure they want to deal with amount of traffic Rocket does right now. I'm still having problems with Overture giving me my daily click reports. The last couple of weeks I have had at least one or two days a week where I can't see yesterdays results (nevermind close to realtime). I personally think they have a few things to work through before they could manage the relationship well enough.

Even FindWhat is a small step up.

I'm curious - What do you base this comment on? I personally consider FindWhat a second tier provider on the same level as Kanoodle.

We'll see if Kanoodle was the right move for them as I'm not sure if Kanoodle can handle the load. They do work with some pretty good news content providers though like USA Today so it may turn out to be a smart fit.

Out of curiousity, I noticed you are representing a company through a NASDAQ OTC symbol in your board name. What's your affiliation with said company and does that have any impact on your comments, being that you are both based in Vancouver, Canada?

[otc_cmnn]

MSN has enough of a user base to justify starting its own PPC program and Billions in the till to bankroll the startup costs.

YHOO/GOOG/MSFT have a long history of working together when the benefits where mutual. They have no fear of working together. Especially when it comes to Micro vs. Macro Niche plays.

In fact as a lower tier search supplier Kanoodle is just as much of a competitor.

MSN is moving away from Overture now that Yahoo bought them and I don't see them going over to Adwords instead.

Though you do see them continuing to use OVTR results as they are making whack loads of cash while they get their own PPC program together. In fact MSN was planning this before the Y! aquisition and in fact was in on the bidding to buy OVTR themselves in order to save a lot of time building a base.

I'd rather see RKTI teaming up with the big boys and getting a share of the bigger average CPC rates (OVTR is averaging .35 while Kanoodle is likely closer to .07 - I am going on my poor memory...)

Overture I'm not sure they want to deal with amount of traffic Rocket does right now

I talk to techies at YHOO/OVTR regularily - they loooove more traffic and can handle whatever you throw at them. They regularily have issues with the click reports end of the equasion but it is EXTREMELY rare that there is a problem on the output end - that is the important end. Trust me, Y!'s tech issues are not a barrier. And there is no way the champs at Kanoodle can compete with Y! when it comes to dealing with massive requirements.

Also the DTC an PMC.overture.com have undergone some overhauls in the past weeks which always causes blips.

I just wonder if RKTI went to the big boys first and couldn't strike a deal? I know a guy who know's the guys at RKTI, I'll ask him. I know from direct experience that OVTR/GOOG want their ads to be indentified and not just mixed in with results so as to appear organic, maybe that was an issue. I also know that OVTR looks for long term exclusive contracts with their providers, possibly another barrier.

I personally consider FindWhat a second tier provider on the same level as Kanoodle

My experience shows slightly better results from FindWhat though they are absolutely both 2nd/3rd tier.

We'll watch and see.

My affiliation with CMNN.OB has no impact on my comments. I thought RKTI.OB was based in Ottawa but looks like they are spreading out. But I/we are not directly affiliated with them in anyway, sadly I have no inside info to leak. I love to see OTC success stories and wish them the best.

These comments come directly out of my own *ss and are not the opinions of my employer blah blah blah standard disclaimer here. This hot air is my own. yadda yadda.