IDG expands online ad network

International Data Group (IDG) has expanded the presence of its international online ad network, called IDG TechNetwork, to India. IDG publishes various technology related magazines such as PC World, ChannelWorld and CIO in India.

India is the first market in Asia where IDG has started offering its ad network services to websites and advertisers. Earlier, IDG TechNetwork was present only in the US and the UK markets, where it has tied up with about 150 websites spanning across business technology, consumer technology, digital entertainment and video games worldwide.

Patrick J McGovern, founder and chairperson, IDG, revealed that if things go well in India, China will be the next stop.

The company plans to rope in 35-40 websites offering content related to computers, telecom, online gaming and digital entertainment in the next six months. Blogs which are publishing technology related content and have more than 40,000 unique visitors every month may also be included in the network.

The company plans to earn 10 per cent of IDG TechNetwork's worldwide revenue from the Indian market by 2010 and 25 per cent by 2015. IDG TechNetwork generated $12 million revenue from its US and UK markets in 2008 and it expects to clock about $18 million by the end of 2009.

Similar to other ad networks, IDG TechNetwork will offer various advertising solutions such as online banner, video, rich-media and pure text based advertising options to marketers.

McGovern expects that lead based online advertising campaigns will be more popular in the time of economic slowdown.

International Data Group (IDG) is a technology, media, events and research company. It publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers such as CIO, CSO, Computerworld,

ChannelWorld, GamePro, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World and PC World.

IDG also owns more than 450 websites worldwide, spanning business technology, consumer technology, digital entertainment and video games.