Infoseek and SmartAge Join to Expand Reach of Banner Exchange

Infoseek and SmartAge said they will partner to bring the benefits of banner exchange and Internet search to greater numbers of Web sites.

San Francisco-based SmartAge’s targeted SmartClicks (a banner exchange service for small) technology, coupled with Sunnyvale, CA-based Infoseek’s search engine, positions the new Infoseek Clicks banner exchange to enable Web masters to drive more traffic to their sites for free, the companies said. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.

Under the agreement, all SmartClicks members will also get Infoseek’s Web Kit, an easy way to search-enable their Web sites. Additionally, SmartClicks members will get more advertising exposure.

“This partnership will greatly increase participation in banner exchange, the least expensive, but not yet well known way for small business Web sites to attract visitors,” said Bill Lohse, chief executive officer of SmartAge. “It will promote SmartClicks to the huge number of visitors to the Infoseek site in addition to giving our members a way to add search capabilities usually only found on portals.”

Visitors to the Infoseek site can now register for Infoseek Clicks banner exchange powered by SmartAge’s SmartClicks technology. SmartClicks members visiting the SmartClicks site will also be able to download the Infoseek Web Kit to add to their Web pages starting Sept. 30.

As an incentive to add the Infoseek search bar to their pages, SmartClicks members will receive a credit of 500 free ad banner impressions at the time they download the Web Kit, plus 25 additional credits each time a visitor uses the Infoseek search engine from their site.

“This is a win-win proposition for small business,” said Barak Berkowitz, Infoseek vice president of marketing. “Adding Infoseek Internet search capabilities allows small businesses to increase advertising and deliver an in-demand service to their users.”