AOL Buys Video-Content Marketplace Vidible -- Update

By Josh Beckerman 

AOL Inc. has purchased Vidible Inc., a marketplace for online video content that connects content providers and publishers in need of video.

Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Bellevue, Wash.-based Vidible has more than 300,000 videos in areas such as news, viral content, how-to videos and technology. The company's investors include IDG Ventures, Greycroft Partners and New York Times Co. Vidible confirmed last January that it raised $3.35 million of Series A financing.

AOL and rival Yahoo Inc. have bulked up their video efforts. In 2013, AOL bought Web video-exchange companyAdap.tv, which has helped to grow AOL's advertising revenue. Last month, Yahoo agreed to buy video-advertising platform BrightRoll Inc. for about $640 million in cash.

AOL said Vidible will "seamlessly plug into AOL's monetization platforms, including ONE by AOL."

This year AOL also purchased Convertro, a big-data tool for online marketers, and Web personalization service Gravity.

AOL, once synonymous with consumer Internet connections, has sought to become more of a digital-content platform and creator under Chief Executive Tim Armstrong.

In November, the company said advertising strength drove a 12% increase in third-quarter revenue.

Write to Josh Beckerman at [e-mail]

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