Xing Adds Ads

Popular business network Xing will start to incorporate targeted online adverstisment onto its platform before the end of the year as announced on a press release issued today. The initial rollout will be as unobstrusive as possible and only affect selective sections of the service as the existing user base might react sensitive to ads. The volume will be increased and refined as members get used to these ads over the course of the next year.

Xing has 139 million PIs/m so this will give them a strong second revenue stream in addition to their existing model which is mostly based on Premium memberships. About 12% of their 4 million users are premium members paying 6 euros a month. In Q2 2007 Xing generated revenues of about 4.29 million euros.

As well as allowing us to make pricing flexible and presenting new opportunities for cooperation, the introduction of brand new income sources means that we can offer even more functionality for basic and Premium Members

says CEO Lars Hinrichs.

(This article originally was written for blognation Germany. Since blognation is gone I have reposted it here)