Comscore, that globally respected tallier of digital measurements and analytics, recently released data on the UK’s content reach landscape for the year ending 2014. The results are interesting by themselves but what they speak of in terms of a larger global head-to-head for industry dominance is what should be motivating investors and tech insiders to purchase ringside tickets for the unfolding competition, and perhaps – even some skin in the game.
Who is King of content distribution
According to the Comscore data dump Taboola has snagged the top slot for content distribution platforms in the UK – for the time being.
As competitive as the content world is itself, the battle of the distribution platforms claiming the best algorithms for serving up relevant content is equally intense, and perhaps more so given the players being far more clearly defined. The makeup of the battleground primarily includes niche services like music distributors such as Soundcloud, and news distributors such as Newsmax looking to limit the scope of their focus and dominate their individual areas.
This compartmentalization allows niche providers the benefit side of the cost/benefit equation to zero in on a specific market and deliver a more onpoint pitch to the decision makers.
However, there are two relative heavyweights (the industry is a little too nascent to call any player a true heavyweight) who are slugging it out for dominance of all content forms on both Web and mobile. they are Taboola and Outbrain.
Both Israeli, by the way.
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Comscore stats for content distributors in the UK
Any recommendations for achieving global domination?
Two years ago it was Outbrain grabbing headlines about fundings and performance milestones reached but this year its been Taboola with a $100M raise as recent as three weeks ago and the possibility of an IPO within the coming year.
The attentive content devourer may sometimes noticed a small note attached to their sessions explaining how a particular piece of content was recommended by engines, Outbrain or Taboola. Generally speaking users will find certain sites tend to credit one or the other. While patrons of Fox News and CNN might find Outbrain dominating the majority of their content options, those favoring USA Today, Huff Post and the BBC will be seeing Taboola more often than not, the latter perhaps explaining Taboola’s current lead in the UK – albeit a small one.
According to Comscore, Taboola has been holding a tenuous lead within her majesty’s kingdom with 56.5% of unique visits to content coming by way of its services while Outbrain trails only slightly behind with 55.8% (Yes, you read it correctly.Clearly there’s some overlap).
In the States Taboola’s lead is decidedly larger, garnering 86.2% to Outbrain’s 73.8%.
A billion kinds of ugly
Taboola is already publicly teasing the idea of an IPO at a $1B valuation. Rumors have Outbrain doing the same for a similar amount behind closed doors.
With these two players hovering in and around the 50% reach mark and the Big Data recommendation era only just getting underway, both Taboola’s and Outbrain’s recommendation engines should be serving up articles on themselves, and any developments thereof, to all members of the tech and investment communities – as this saga has all the elements to shape up into a region by region, billion dollar slugfest.
Just to give you an idea of what we’re talking about here: Run a quick Google search for Taboola and the number one result you get back (ad obviously) is for Outbrain. Taboola’s number two.
Any recommendations for a good pizza, maybe some popcorn? Because this looks like it’s gonna be good.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ Hand with boxing glove from laptop computer