The biggest problem with contextual advertising is that it relies on a computer to decide which content the ad should appear beside. That alone has provided for gaff after gaff after gaff. While not always the case, contextual advertising is usually site-specific and the site, versus the content, is what is purchased. The ad, then, appears in a contextually relevant position within that site. A new company, Mochila, is changing this model dramatically. The company just announced a content exchange where publishers sell the content they create and buy the content others have created. Unlike wire services that provide content with an annual subscription, Mochila will offer content for individual purchase.
Expanding on this offering, Mochila will announce at ad:tech next week in San Francisco an online ad service that will connect advertising directly to content. Since it has built a content exchange, the company will layer on and attach advertising to that content. Rather than make a contextual ad buy across a site or across a network, advertisers, through Mochila, will by ad space within content relevant to the advertised product and the ad will “follow” the content wherever it travels throughout and beyond the Mochila content exchange.
While proof will come over time, it would seem everyone wins with this scenario. Publisher make money by selling content. Those who need content and supply it to their readers can either buy it or get it for free along with attached ads. And advertiser gain more control over contextual ad placements since they are able to more finitely choose where their ads appear.
