Microsoft to Purchase Supplier of Web Publishing Services

Microsoft did not say what it would pay for Rapt, a privately held company based in San Francisco.

Rapt’s software and consulting services help Web site publishers tweak how they package and price display-ad space.

Scott Howe, a general manager in Microsoft’s advertiser and publisher solutions group, said Rapt’s system was similar to the one that airlines use to set ticket prices and track available seats.

Microsoft plans to add Rapt’s programs to the Web publisher tools that it gained when it acquired aQuantive last year for $6 billion.

Microsoft has bought several companies to fill out its digital ad offerings, including AdECN, a stock market-like exchange where networks representing Web sites buy and sell ad space, and Massive, which inserts ads into video games.

Display advertising has not gotten as much attention, in part because of Google’s ability to turn search queries into billions of dollars in revenue.

 

Thanks for the update.