Responsys Buys NetAcumen

Online marketing technology firm Responsys aims to help clients better understand and market to their customers, through the purchase of Web metrics firm NetAcumen.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The purchase combines Palo Alto, Calif.-based Responsys’ email and Web site marketing services with Burlingame, Calif.-based NetAcumen’s traffic analytics practice. As a result of the merger, Responsys clients should be able to develop extensive consumer profiles through NetAcumen’s technology, for use in personalizing site design and targeting email campaigns.

In addition to beefing up its capabilities, Responsys also nabs NetAcumen customers, including Nortel, LowerMyBills, and Blue Pumpkin Software.

Responsys said it expects to roll out a new version of its Interact service by second quarter, incorporating NetAcumen’s services (which will cease to exist as a separate brand).

The news comes as a host of other firms also are seeking to offer better ways for marketers to track multi-channel consumer activity. DoubleClick earlier this week unveiled a new service for clients, allowing them to track and analyze the on- and offline purchasing activities of households contained in its Abacus database.

Other players, like Tacoda Systems and Advertising.com, also offer tools for cross-channel profiling and marketing. CRM giant PeopleSoft recently joined the fray as well, with the purchase of marketing automation software firm Annuncio.

Such efforts, players say, reflect greater concerns about better coordinating online marketing campaigns — and hence, budgets.

“Enterprises have spent billions of dollars on systems that teach them about their online customers’ preferences. They’ve spent billions more on Web sites and email campaigns that are supposed to provide a personalized dialogue with customers,” said Responsys chief executive George Wiedemann. “But guess what — until today, these systems haven’t talked to each other.”