fernandejackson: Facebook, Microsoft reportedly talking ad network deal

Photo: Vicki Thompson

If Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook picks up Microsoft's Atlas Solutions, it could strengthen the social media company's position against rival Google.

Facebook and Microsoft are getting serious in talks to launch an ad network that could spell trouble for Google, according to Business Insider.

BI cites sources who say Facebook wants Microsoft?s ad product Atlas Solutions, a major component of the $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive that Microsoft made in 2007. If this acquisition goes through, it could place Facebook right into the mix with third-party websites ? competing with Google?s DoubleClick.

Microsoft has quietly been searching for viable buyers for several years but Facebook looks like a likely winner as it has been grappling with how to become a player in the ad world.

Around the same time that Microsoft picked up Atlas Solutions, Google spent $3 billion to buy its own ad-serving product, DoubleClick.

Although Microsoft picked up Atlas Solutions for $6 billion, BI sources expect the price to be a far cry from that number. One source stated the highest bid before Facebook entered into negotiations with Microsoft was $30 million.

Facebook?s interest in the ad space is more than just staying flexible and diversifying; the social network giant has access to a billion individuals? personal data and can leverage that for extremely acutely-targeted ads and demographic details within. There would still be a few roadblocks to navigate including building the technology to merge its data and platform with the ad product and a few new privacy policies to allow the content use, but Facebook clearly has the manpower and money to get it done.