Blogads is an online ad network based in Carrboro, North Carolina that provides advertising services to both bloggers and advertisers. Blogads was founded in August 2002 by parent company Pressflex LLC and its CEO Henry Copeland.[1]
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After its founding in August 2002, Blogads pursued clients within the burgeoning political blog scene in the run-up to the 2004 Presidential Elections and assembled a network of over 500 bloggers, including many influential political bloggers. Despite questions as to whether or not blog advertising, and Blogads' model specifically, could withstand a drop in readership after the elections, blog advertising, and Blogads with it, has flourished, particularly with an influx in money from the 2008 election cycle.[2][3] During the time period between the presidential election cycles, Blogads used its increased market influence to attract bloggers from outside the political realm to include blogs about video games, sports, food,[4] beauty,[5] and celebrities.[6] Blogads also provides ad services to video bloggers, as YouTube and video podcasting encourage a rise in the movement.[7]
Blogads administers a network of bloggers that elect to make advertising space available on their sites. These blogs are placed into categories based on their content. Blogads points advertisers towards these targeted networks, while also providing detailed market analysis and advice.[8]
Acceptance into Blogads as bloggers requires an invitation from a blogger currently selling advertising space with Blogads, and a viable amount of web traffic to ensure sufficient revenue. Advertising does not require an invitation.[9]
Blogads provides advertising to many high-traffic blogs, including Daily Kos, Perez Hilton, Cute Overload, Wonkette, Dlisted, Go Fug Yourself, Atrios, Talking Points Memo, Americablog, Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake, Political Wire, and Outside the Beltway.
As the Blogads Networks groups similar blogs and encourages existing clients to reach out to other like-minded bloggers, some networks have grown to prominence supported by Blogads-based ad revenue. Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas has stated that "Blogads has been perhaps the single most important component to the rise of the liberal blogosphere."[10]