Yahoo Strikes Deal To Run Contextual AdSense Ads From Google

Yahoo has announced that it will be working with Google. No, not on search-triggered advertising, Bing is still Yahoo’s exclusive partner there; but, Google will non-exclusively provide contextual ads that will appear throughout Yahoo’s properties and certain co-branded sites. The ads will come through AdSense for Content, with mobile ads provided by AdMob.

In a blog post announcing the global relationship, Yahoo said, “By adding Google to our list of world-class contextual ads partners, we’ll be able to expand our network, which means we can serve users with ads that are even more meaningful.”

Yahoo already displays contextual advertising as part of Bing’s content network, and last September, it announced a deal to open its own contextual advertising network in partnership with Bing and Media.net.

Given CEO Marissa Mayer’s relationship with the folks at Google, and the fact that she recently poached former Googler Henrique de Castro to be her chief operating officer, it’s not a huge surprise to see Yahoo working with Google. Still, Microsoft probably isn’t thrilled, given the move indicates some insufficiency of the Bing alliance — which hasn’t delivered the hoped-for results to Yahoo.

Speculation as to whether a more comprehensive tie-up between Yahoo and Google is in store will no doubt abound. The Bing deal for algorithmic and paid search isn’t set to expire until 2019. News of the new Yahoo/Google relationship was first reported by AllThingsD.

About The Author

Pamela Parker

Pamela Parker is Research Director at Third Door Media's Content Studio, where she produces MarTech Intelligence Reports and other in-depth content for digital marketers in conjunction with Search Engine Land and MarTech. Prior to taking on this role at TDM, she served as Content Manager, Senior Editor and Executive Features Editor. Parker is a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since its beginning. She's a former managing editor of ClickZ and has also worked on the business side helping independent publishers monetize their sites at Federated Media Publishing. Parker earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.