Adobe, Yahoo! to Push Text-based ads in PDF Files

ads_for_pdf_logo Adobe and Yahoo! have introduced a new service which will allow publishers to insert Yahoo’s contextual advertisements inside Adobe’s portable document format to generate money. Ads will be contextually related to the matter inside the PDF file, when viewed with Adobe Reader or Acrobat Writer.

Text-based ads served by Yahoo! will only be shown in the side panel, outside the actual content region. This ensures that your reading experience isn’t spoilt, but for content publishers it’ll be hard to get clicks on ads which are outside the content region.

ads_for_pdf_sample
Click to enlarge

Currently Ads for PDF is open for only a limited number of qualified publishers. I think it’s a step in the right direction to rescue the ebook business. As a reader, I won’t mind seeing some ads to get the ebook for free. If PDF ads become widely adopted, it might open up a whole new business model for content publishers and stand up as an alternative to subscription based model.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see PDF readers which can block ads in the near future. Can you tolerate ads for free content? Talk through comments.

[Via: Wired Blog]

This post was published by on November 30, 2007

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://marcvz.net/blog Marc

    I’m not going to tolerate Yahoo ads of any kind! The fools put ads INSIDE the email. That is just so wrong. First I thought they would insert ads between PDF paragraphs. Thank goodness it is not so. Yet millions continue to use their services. Speaks volumes about the average IQ on the internet.

  • http://cybersurge.org Michael

    This really will help out the ebook market. I’ve heard a lot of people upset about this but I think that as long as it doesn’t disrupt the content it is just fine.

  • http://www.friendlywebdirectory.com Matik

    Interesting thing.. Why google didn’t do that first?

  • http://www.AceActionFigures.com Matt

    They are really trying to get ads everywhere. I have to agree with you though that the CTR will be low because the reader is going to be more focused on the document. However since it will be something new and different maybe it will attract more clicks.

  • http://www.selbourne.com Selbourne Designing

    An innovative idea, which I see yahoo beating google to it in innovation

  • http://ajaydsouza.com/ Ajay

    I for one don’t like the idea of these ads in my pdf files… but to get a paid pdf for free, then it might be worth it.

  • http://www.games2relax.com Flash Gamer

    Heh everything in monetized these days, how funny.

  • http://www.camerasalesonline.com Buying Cameras

    Quite a good idea from Yahoo. I wonder when Google will do a similar thing

  • http://www.gottapimp.com cool stuff

    I’ve been waiting for them to come out PDF ads. Imagine what the e-book pubs will do with all of this. I can see it now ….huge rush of FREE E-BOOKS. Instead of MFA’s … MF PDF ADS! Should be interesting.