Microsoft Soaks Up CNBC.com

Not so long ago they invested heavily in social networking magnet Facebook for the advertising payoff. Now, Microsoft has turned its attention to CNBC.com, nabbing rights to display contextual ads in the United States for the immensely popular news site.

Although exact details of the deal are not available at this time, Microsoft and CNBC are acknowledging that the Redmond-based software giant will take over most of the banner and text advertisements for the page. Jon Tinter, general manager of Microsoft's strategy and business development, is in fact comparing the deal to Microsoft's initiatives with Facebook and bookmark baron Digg.com. (Source: pcworld.com)

"Microsoft is making some significant investments in the ad market and ad technology and a key way we'll generate returns is getting high-quality Web publishers to adopt our technology and platform," Tinter said. (Source: adweek.com)

Microsoft's ad campaign on CNBC.com will begin later this month. The company plans on packaging its advertising sales with MSNMoney, a popular financial news and stock market page.

It's a surprising move, considering NBC Universal's deal with DoubleClick, which was purchased not so long ago by Microsoft web rival Google. However, CNBC, which operates on its own terms, will turn all of that business over to Microsoft. For the record, Google's deal with DoubleClick has yet to be finalized, though the intentions to purchase were announced way back in April.

None of this is all that new for Microsoft, which purchased the digital services of marketing firm aQuantive shortly after word that Google had locked up DoubleClick. Microsoft shelled out $6 billion for that deal, a move that announced its intent to become an aggressive player in the web advertising market.

Despite the software giant's 'shock and awe' ad campaign, investors remain a bit frustrated with progress. Analysts are still critical of the movement's progress, given just an 8 per cent growth for Microsoft's fiscal year, ending June 30.