March 14, 2008 7:20 AM PDT

Microsoft gets Rapt up in advertising management software

Posted by Dawn Kawamoto

Microsoft on Friday announced that it has acquired Rapt, an advertising management software and services company.

Under the deal, whose terms were not disclosed, Rapt's software and services will be folded into Microsoft's Atlas Publisher Suite, which is part of its Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group.

Rapt's software and services are designed to aid online publishers with improving their ability to price, forecast and deliver ads. Microsoft plans to use Rapt's pricing analytics, inventory management, and business intelligence software on top of its Atlas ad-serving platform, thereby bolstering its presence among online publishers.

"With this acquisition, we are uniquely positioned to help publishers succeed on all fronts. Our end-to-end solutions will include work flow tools, ad package and delivery, turnkey distribution, content partnerships, and yield management and optimization," Brian McAndrews, senior vice president of Microsoft's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group, said in a statement.

In addition to Microsoft, Rapt's client list includes Yahoo--a prime buyout target of the Redmond giant. Maybe the software giant can ultimately double down on its advertising efforts.