OpenCandy enables TechSmith to pay-per-successful install instead of by impression, click or download at an 88 percent lower CPA than traditional online marketing channels, including search marketing
SAN DIEGO & OKEMOS, Mich. — OpenCandy, the distribution and monetization platform exclusively for consumer software providers, today announced that TechSmith, the world’s leading provider of screen capture and recording software, is generating new installs for its highly-acclaimed Snagit screen capture application for Windows at an 88 percent lower CPA than traditional online marketing channels. OpenCandy’s flexibility and automated A/B optimization platform has enabled TechSmith to determine the best bids to lower their CPA over time and is also helping them identify which messaging and design resonates most with consumers.
TechSmith creates a suite of products which enables consumers and professionals to capture content from their computer screens, create engaging presentations for diverse audiences and analyze product usability and customer experience. Their flagship screenshot application for Windows users is Snagit, which allows users to capture anything on their computer screen and save it as an image that can be saved or shared with other people.
“We’re always looking for innovative, cost-effective ways to expand our user base and further our leading position in the software space,” said Tom McCallion, vice president of marketing of TechSmith. “Through OpenCandy’s user and partner-friendly distribution platform, we’re able to drive new installs of Snagit eight times more efficiently than through download sites, display or search marketing.” In concept, OpenCandy works like Google AdWords. However, instead of paying for text ads on websites, software advertisers place a bid to be recommended during the installation of other software. Software advertisers looking to cost-effectively acquire new users can pay-per-successful-install via OpenCandy, instead of per impression, click or download through traditional online marketing channels. This, combined with the fact that OpenCandy-powered recommendations are opt-in – meaning users have to consciously choose to install the recommended software – yields advertisers higher-quality, more engaged users at a lower cost.
“The economic ‘correction’ has caused shrewd marketers like TechSmith to focus on the bottom line and we’re happy to be helping our partners stretch their marketing budget while reaching new, engaged users,” said Chester Ng, co-founder and chief business officer of OpenCandy. “The best time to promote and discover software is during the installation process and it’s especially effective if the software being promoted is best-in-class like Snagit.” The OpenCandy platform is the first to provide true transparency, measurability and optimization to software distribution and monetization. OpenCandy is easy for software advertisers to test, as its unique solution eliminates the need to negotiate and integrate individual “software bundling” deals. Instead, OpenCandy allows software providers to focus on product innovation, which is one of the reasons TechSmith began distributing Snagit through OpenCandy’s platform in mid-2009. In 2009 alone, OpenCandy made tens of millions of software recommendations.
About TechSmith Corporation
Founded in 1987, TechSmith Corporation provides practical business and academic software tools and services. TechSmith’s solutions enable users to capture, record and enhance digital content from their computer screens so they can share information and knowledge in compelling multimedia formats, and allow others to observe, analyze and learn from their experiences. TechSmith products are used by 99 percent of the Fortune 500. Visit techsmith.com for more information.
About OpenCandy
OpenCandy is the distribution and monetization platform exclusively for consumer software providers. The Company maximizes value for its partners by delivering compelling recommendations through an exceptional user experience. OpenCandy helps users discover useful applications by powering millions of recommendations during installation of the world’s best software every month. OpenCandy was founded in 2008 by early and founding DivX employees. The company is privately held and funded by Bessemer Venture Partners and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures. Other investors include Joe Kraus of Google Ventures, co-founder of JotSpot and Excite, Jordan Greenhall, former co-founder and CEO of DivX, and Reid Hoffman, co-founder and Executive Chairman of LinkedIn. For more information, visit www.opencandy.com.
TechSmith Media Contact:
Amy Hagerstrom
TechSmith
Phone: (517) 318-2300
Email: a.hagerstrom@techsmith.com
OpenCandy Media Contact:
Brian Merrill
fama PR
Phone: (858) 461-0217
Email: opencandy@famapr.com
Released: February, 11, 2010