TripAdvisor Taps Travel Ad Network to Rep Graphical Ads

Expedia-owned travel search and directory site TripAdvisor will begin showing banner ads on its site this week, in addition to the site’s current pay-per-click text ads.

Travel-focused ad network and sales representation firm Travel Ad Network (TAN) will sell the ads exclusively. TripAdvisor will continue to sell cost-per-click (CPC) campaigns to existing and new clients via its internal sales force. Only one graphical ad will be shown on each page, either a 728×90 banner or a 300×250 medium rectangle, according to TAN founder and CEO Cree Lawson.

TripAdvisor features user-generated content including travel advice and ratings of hotels and destinations. It is tightly integrated with other Expedia-owned sites, including Expedia.com and Hotels.com.

Lawson characterizes TAN as the “fusion of a rep firm and an ad network,” combining the flexibility and expertise of an ad sales representation agency with the accountability and deliverability of a network. Ads can be purchased as run-of-network or for a specific site.

“We offer more accountable ad sales representation,” Lawson said. Industry-specific expertise, exclusivity, and targeting capabilities set TAN apart from bigger travel sites or ad networks, he said. Targeting options include IP and geo-targeting, and dayparting.

“There are bigger travel audiences online, but we feel we’ve aggregated the best travel planning audience online,” Lawson said.

Lonely Planet, another travel site that had resisted banner ads, last month announced its intentions to begin showing banner ads sold by TAN.