The partnership that has Microsoft, AOL and Yahoo cross-selling display ads on the other sites is now open for business and up and running, according to a blog post from Microsoft.

The relationship, which first came to light in September of last year, is partly a reaction to Google’s increasing dominance in the display ad universe. Google overtook Yahoo in display market share for the first time last year, according to IDC. Facebook, too, has become — and is growing even greater — a major threat in the display category.

Microsoft says its Microsoft Media Network (powered by the Microsoft Advertising Exchange), AOL’s Advertising.com and Yahoo! Network Plus are now leveraging real-time bidding to offer ad opportunities across all of the networks’ premium owned and operated display inventory.

The idea for all involved will be to benefit sales-wise by being able to offer greater scale and reach — and present an attractive alternative to Google and Facebook — even if the inventory is on competitors’ sites. From a publisher perspective, they’re hoping to get rid of more inventory at premium prices, rather than letting them go to an ad network.

Related Topics: Channel: Display Advertising | Display Advertising | Google: Display Advertising | Microsoft | Top News | Yahoo

About The Author: Pamela Parker is executive features editor of Marketing Land and a contributing editor for Search Engine Land. She’s a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since 1998, including a stint as managing editor of ClickZ. She’s also worked to help monetize independent publishers’ sites at Federated Media Publishing. She blogs about media and marketing at The River and about cooking, gardening and parenthood at Free Range. See more articles by Pamela Parker

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