Skype has recently introduced a new service which will help advertisers to gain more customers.
In keeping with the basic concept of Skype, which has always been to allow users to make phone calls at no or minimal costs, this new service will allow users to call advertisers for free. The advertisers in turn will also be charged at very nominal rates.
The service has been called Click & Call Advertising With Skype.
Advertisers who choose to use the service will get their phone number highlighted wherever it is displayed online, with a blue button, saying “Free Call”.
If any user clicks on the button, the Skype software is activated and the user is automatically connected to the advertiser for free. The new service is based on technology by Marchex.
Skype’s Director of Advertising, Andy Sims says, “Working together with Marchex, our objective for Click & Call Advertising with Skype supported by Marchex is to deliver a performance advertising tool that turns the Web surfing behavior of Skype users into calls to advertisers.”
Marchex COO Pete Christothoulou says, “Today, we are seeing a shift in the way consumers find phone numbers, the way they place calls and how those calls are paid for. As a result, coupling Skype’s reach with Marchex’s call advertising technology, sales team and service, we believe we can offer a high quality solution to large and small advertisers.”
