SigEx Telecom : Can you dig the Digg- Microsoft deal?by Ana Maria Ciobanu

According to Kevin Rose on the Digg blog, the popular user-driven news site has just signed a three-year exclusive ad deal with Microsoft: "We’ve signed on Microsoft as our new partner to sell and serve the ads on Digg. It’s a deal similar to the one Facebook signed with Microsoft last year." If the deal is similar to the Facebook deal then this means Digg is getting a guarantee, and Microsoft will be losing money. At least that's what Michael Arrington writes on TechCrunch. Google won't be hurt from this deal as it is one of the actors from the market that embraced Web 2.0. Microsoft has avoided the whole “web 2.0″ madness till now and they will most likely wait till things are more clear. They will probably do one good move and become a major player in that field. The best option would probably be acquiring Yahoo, because this would bring them a strong place in search,online ads and social networking sites. The press release from Microsoft gives us more information than the Digg blog about this deal. It announces that "the two companies will collaborate to bring relevant advertising to the more than 17 million unique monthly visitors to Digg, an innovative Web site that harnesses the collective wisdom of the world’s online audience to prioritize the overwhelming amount of content available on the Web" Digg users, a tough public for the market and pretty much anti Microsoft seem to salute this initiative and applaud the disappearance of the annoying flying monkey ads or Snorg girls hanging around the screens. Digg is a spectacular brand and has a very interesting audience, only time will tell us if this deal is also good for Microsoft. Maybe it already is good because they signed it before Google did.

related story: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2007/tc20070725_537497.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_businessweek+exclusives

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.