DoubleClick

JotSpot became Google Sites, Writely became Google Docs, Picasa might become Google Photos. And as of this week, DoubleClick's Performics affiliate ad network has become the Google Affiliate Network as part of Google's $3.1 billion acquisition of the ad firm. The premise remains the same: publishers get a commission when someone not only clicks on their ad, but then goes on to buy something.

Right now, per TechCrunch, some of the big advertisers include Target, Verizon, and Barnes & Noble.

DoubleClick acquired Performics in 2004 for $58 million; the search advertising start-up had been around since 1998.… Read more

If anyone had any remaining doubts that Rep. Joe Barton has it in for Google, fresh evidence arrived in the mail Wednesday.

The Texas Republican sent a letter to Google on Wednesday with 15 interrogatories, mostly demanding answers about how it will merge its operations and procedures with DoubleClick. As an example, one interrogatory says "please identify the data that will be merged, including, but not limited to, cookie data."

Another demanded information about filtering out cross-side scripting attacks from search results. The letter asks for a response by June 6.

This follows two more letters that Barton … Read more

According to an article in the Financial Times today, Google has reneged on a commitment to improve the way it manages consumer data in light of its DoubleClick acquisition. There are compelling reasons for Google's delay, as Eric Schmidt points out in the article, but there are even more compelling concerns that demand immediate action.

European regulators cut Google some slack based on its word that it was going to immediately look into ways to boost privacy. A year into that pledge, Google has done little, by its own admission:

The issue came to the fore last April with Google's announced plan to buy DoubleClick, an Internet company which delivers many of the ads consumers see online and which plants many of the cookies that sit on personal computers. The combination of Google's records of a consumer's Internet searches with DoubleClick's information from cookies prompted complaints that one company would hold extensive data about a large proportion of the world's Internet users.… Read more

Now that Google has acquired DoubleClick--the display advertising feather in its proverbial cap--it's time to see if the hat fits.

The $3.1 billion acquisition, which finally closed last week upon European regulator approval, gives Google a much needed boost in the market for display advertising.

Google hasn't offered many clues as to what its plans are with DoubleClick, other than to hint at layoffs. But Google pundits and executives at small ad outfits do have concerns and plenty of opinions about what the search king should do.

Google's AdSense serves up pay-per-click text ads to Web … Read more

Google says "gadgets" and DoubleClick says "widgets."

Semantics is probably the last thing on Google's mind right now as it starts integrating DoubleClick and its online ad technologies into its business. But it's something they'll have to figure out, nonetheless.

Google's new DoubleClick business, a recent acquisition following U.S. and European regulator scrutiny, announced on Monday that it is adding rich media widget ads to the repertoire of online advertising types it serves up to customers.

Widget ads aim to be interactive and clever enough to entice Web surfers to grab … Read more

Now that the Google-DoubleClick deal has been approved by European lawmakers, the online giant has finally taken control over one of the most important display advertising firms in the world. And while some are calling this a great day for Google, I'm not so quick to agree.

What, exactly, makes this such a great day for Google? Is it because it can solidify its position as the world's premier online ad firm? If so, I thought it already was: Google's total share of online advertising revenue before the DoubleClick deal was over 60 percent and no company was even close. If it wasn't that, was it because Google finally had a leg up in the display ad business where it has floundered for years? Possibly. But considering that DoubleClick only generated about $365 million in revenue last year, I just don't think this is a major step forward for the company.

I simply don't know how anyone can say the Google-DoubleClick deal was good for Sergey, Larry, and Eric. And if you look at the numbers and what Google is actually adding in this deal, it looks even worse.

If you ask me, Google made a mistake.… Read more

Google may cut its workforce as it integrates online ad firm DoubleClick into its operations, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt warned in a blog posting after the acquisition was approved by the European Commission on Tuesday.

"As with most mergers, there may be reductions in headcount. We expect these to take place in the U.S. and possibly in other regions as well," he wrote. The process of determining the right staffing levels in the U.S. is expected to be completed in the U.S. by early April, and could take longer for offices outside the country, … Read more

Updated on March 11 at 8:52 a.m.

European antitrust regulators on Tuesday approved Google's $3.1 billion merger with DoubleClick, paving the way for a blockbuster deal in Internet search and publisher-based advertising tools.

Approval by the European Commission, which came without conditions, had largely been expected to occur this week. The Commission's announcement comes three weeks before its April 2 deadline, in which it had to determine whether to nix the deal.

With the Commission's decision in place, Google announced on Tuesday that it has formally closed its merger with DoubleClick.

"We are … Read more

European regulators are planning to grant approval for Google's proposed $3.1 billion takeover of DoubleClick, possibly on March 11, according to a Bloomberg report.

And that would be approval without conditions, three sources familiar with the matter told the news service.

Google was given the go-ahead by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in December, but has been waiting for European regulators to act.