Six Apart Launches Ad Network, Moves Into Services

six-aprt-logo.pngSix apart is launching an advertising network for blogs and will begin offering professional services (design, implementation, development, optimization) after acquiring New York based creative agency Apperceptive (this was correctly guessed by Cameron Barret in a Friday post (see comment 156) asking for readers to tell us who they thought Six Apart acquired).

Advertising Network – Six Apart Media

The company is now competing with Federated Media Publishing, Glam, the upcoming Technorati ad network and a number of others to get bloggers to join their network.

Six Apart has long sold advertising for itself on its network of free blogs on LiveJournal (before it was sold) and Vox. CEO Chris Alden says they have significant experience in grouping like-blogs and selling to large advertisers. The only difference now is that they will partner with the blog publisher and share revenue. They are partnering with Adify to provide back end admin infrastructure for publishers (accounts, payouts, etc.).

Six Apart says they’ve been able to group blogs and sell advertising to big brands (HP, MSN, Universal, among others), something that is hard to do without big name publishers. They think they can create a high value ad network for the masses. Currently, sites like FM and Glam provide high value advertisers but only to top sites. If Six Apart can deliver those kinds of advertisers, and the rates they pay, to millions of small blogs, they may have a hit on their hands.

There is no requirement that the blogs be using a Six Apart blogging platform. If you can add advertisements to your blog, you can join the network. Six Apart Media is led by David Tokheim.

Blog Services – Six Apart Services

Six Apart will also begin selling services to blogs for a fee. The core services will be offered by the Apperceptive team in New York, and include site design, back end development, search engine optimization and other services. These services are aimed at larger publishers that can pay, and will also be provided free or at a discount to members of the advertising network. The site isn’t neglecting their smaller customers though, and is also launching consulting services that are designed to help all bloggers maximize their marketing impact.

Six Apart Services is led by Marissa Levinson and David Jacobs.