Father O'Neill's ducks go quack quack quack
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Skype sells out with an advertising launch
VOICE OVER IP OUTFIT Skype has sold out by launching advertising on its service today.
Skype makes most of its money from call subscriptions and call credit, but that is set to change with the opening of the chat and Voice over IP (VoIP) calling service to advertising.
The company boasts an average monthly user population of 145 million customers, according to figures from the fourth quarter of 2010. At peak times it has as many as 29 million users online at one time, which is a big audience for companies that want to flog their products.
It will achieve its advertising goals with the help of dedicated advertising firms. Meebo will sell ads in the US, Ad2One will handle adverts in the UK, and Ströer Interactive will manage ads in Germany.
The ads can also be shared from Skype to users' Facebook or Twitter accounts, as if there wasn't enough advertising on social notworking sites.
Skype is hoping not to be too intrusive with its ads, which could see people leaving the service for an ad-free rival. A policy of one brand per day might strike a balance by bringing in additional revenue while avoiding drowning users in ads. All of the ads can also be closed.
Some big advertisers have already signed up for advertising with Skype, including Groupon, Nokia, Visa and Universal Pictures. µ
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Yes, Skype is slowly but surely beginning to frustrate and irritate me as well, especially that popup from Skype advertising Skypeout etc. every time you start up Skype.
Maybe it's time that we start evaluating alternatives like:
ooVoo
http://www.oovoo.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OoVoo
...these ads are the visual kind and not audio adverts before I make my VOIP calls. I'd leave in a shot and have some serious words with my mobile network Three (free skype to skype).
I wonder if they will start reading/listening to my conversations and sending targeted ads??
Whoa! Where did those adds come from?