Blog 'influence' tracker BuzzLogic to acquire Activeweave
BuzzLogic, which tracks discussion of clients' companies across blogs and social-media sites and then pinpoints the most influential commenters, has announced plans to acquire software start-up Activeweave for the technology behind a browser plug-in it developed.
That chunk of code is BlogRovr, which produces content from pre-selected "favorite blogs" as Web sites are displayed; if the user loads eBay, for example, a BlogRovr tray within the window might display what tech blogs have been writing about the auction giant recently.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but BuzzLogic's motives were: It wants to apply the BlogRovr technology, which currently monitors about 200,000 blogs, to the services it offers clients in its Conversational Targeting ad program. This BuzzLogic service identifies the most influential bloggers talking about a certain topic to help advertisers figure out where to put their name out. After the acquisition, Activeweave CEO Marc Meyer and Chief Technology Officer Jean Sini will stay on board.
"Activeweave lets (Web users) see the tracks of the people around them, and lets them knowingly lay tracks for others," tech veteran Esther Dyson, an Activeweave investor, explained in a statement from the two companies. "The online world around each user suddenly becomes more relevant and more personal. This acquisition helps BuzzLogic make this dimension available to advertisers."
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
