NovaPortal Offers Pre-Connect Advertising Opportunity

NovaWeb.com introduced a technology that enables ad content to be delivered while users are connecting to the Internet.

The NovaPortal technology, which the company said represents the first time anyone has capitalized on the modem dial-up time, offers a new way for ISPs, PC manufacturers and Internet portal companies to market over the Internet.

Users are captive while the modem is dialing, guaranteeing a 30- to 50-second impression, the company said. The non-invasive technology operates while the computer is logging onto the Internet, when users are typically watching the screen.

“NovaPortal is powerful because it transforms that non-productive time into a productive marketing tool,” said Ron Lambert, director of marketing of NovaWeb.com.

When the user initiates a connection, the user’s modem must connect with the ISP’s modem, a process that can take 30 to 50 seconds. During this time the user is typically presented with a message from the operating system that it is “dialing” or “connecting” with the service.

NovaPortal detects this sequence and presents the user with a new HTML page that can include promotional content. A back-end system continuously verifies and updates the content and an accountability function tracks usage, the company said. Users cannot disable the NovaPortal page, but can close it and revert to the default home page if desired.