Web-Classified Tools Multiply
With publishers racing to maintain their role as leading providers of classified ads, NEXPO vendors offered a dizzying array of Internet products to boost their performance. New software programs accept classified ads over the Internet, help publishers strengthen their branding with World Wide Web sites, automatically code print classifieds for the Internet, and dismember display classifieds to place them in searchable databases on the Internet. And all, of course, claim Year 2000 compliance.
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Baseview Products Inc. introduced AdManagerPro 2.0 for advertising entry, scheduling and billing. |
Among the firms with Internet ad-entry products is WebPub from Nova Publishing Systems Inc. of Auburn, Calif. Running under Windows NT, WebPub accepts electronic ad orders; automatically uploads them to the front-end system; provides product-specific search criteria for auto, real-estate and employment ads; and allows customers to save searches and receive e-mail alerts on relevant ads.
Other Internet ad-entry debuts include IPS AdOnTime from FutureTense of Acton, Mass., and WebRunner from System Integrators Inc. of Sacramento. WebRunner, written in Java, passes information to the host system through SII's Gateway server. Electric Classifieds Inc. introduced Internet Classified Engines, a program with standard HTML tools that allow publishers to tailor their online classified sites.
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Brainworks Software Development Corp. and Edgil Associates Inc. were among those showcasing ad-management software. |
Edgil Associates of North Chelmsford, Mass., demonstrated a prototype of Ads to Go, a Windows NT program that breaks classified display ads into ASCII files for easy searching on the Web. It saves and displays logos, images and graphics as well as text. Ads To Go works with Edgil's WebCentral to build and manage online databases for automotive, real-estate and employment ads, and with The Recruitment Center, an interactive résumé software system. WebCentral users can add or delete ad categories.
Thomson Interactive Media execs claim to be able to get searchable classified and display ads running online in 10 days--even if a paper lacks a Web site. The Stamford, Conn., company's Classified IQ identifies e-mail and URL addresses; makes them hot links; and supports photos, logos and multimedia.
The simple ad-order screen used by customers of Advanced Publishing Technology of Burbank, Calif., accommodates orders for print and online classified ads. The ACT ad program places all ad information into one database and converts print ads to HTML code.