AOL might still be trying to figure out how it can stay in business, but that isn’t stopping the company from adding content partners in an effort to attract more users to its sites. AOL has announced new content partnerships with real estate listing service Move Inc., Everyday Health, and Sporting News. Although no financial details of the arrangements were revealed, AOL plans to put content from the new parters front-and-center.
“AOL will be doubling down on our strategy in 2011,” said AOL chair and CEO Tim Armstrong, in a statement. “As part of that effort, we will be partnering with companies in areas that add strength to the consumer experience and drive profitability for AOL. The three deals we are announcing today universally improve AOL and allow us to build for the future.”
Under the deal, Everyday Health will become AOL’s primary site for health and wellness information, taking over for the existing AOL Health. Similarly, Sporting News will handle duties as AOL’s main sports site in the United States, taking over for FanHouse.com—although AOL does plan to relaunch Sporting News and incorporate the FanHouse brand into it. AOL also plans to integrate up-to-date property listings from Move Inc. into its product offerings, along with information about schools, neighborhoods, and property records, enabling real estate professionals to get more visibility through AOL Real Estate’s “millions of users.”
AOL has been in the process of converting itself into a content-based business that earns its revenue through online advertising; recent high-profile acquisitions have included the controversial blog TechCrunch, along with firms like Brizzly, 5min, and Unblab, while divesting itself from social network Bebo after a high-profile acquisition in 2008.
