Web 2.0 Architectures

DoubleClick and Google AdSense

Before we compare these two companies, we must point out that DoubleClick has vastly enhanced its platform since it was formed; so much so, in fact, that Google acquired DoubleClick in 2007 to further broaden its media advertising ambitions.^[32] Therefore, instead of specifically illustrating DoubleClick’s original ad model, we’ll illustrate the generic pattern of banner ad impression sales that many online advertising companies used in the late 1990s.

Applicable Web 2.0 Patterns

Watch for illustrations of the following patterns in this discussion:

• Software as a Service (SaaS)

• Mashup

• Rich User Experience

• Semantic Web Grounding

• Asynchronous Particle Update

You can find more information on these patterns in Chapter 7.

Advertising in Context

Banner ad placement originally operated on a simplistic model whereby advertisers purchased banner ads in lots (typically of 1,000 or more), and the banners were then placed on websites. The placement of these banner ads was often billed based solely on impressions, regardless of whether anyone actually clicked on the banners. This online advertising model clearly had room for improvement.

Initially, one of the main issues facing advertisers was the lack of any guarantee that the ads were effective; however, this problem was mitigated by the use of tracking software and new business models that charged based on the number of click-throughs. Another issue concerned the fact that some larger companies offering such services asked ...