Skimlinks, the Leader in Content Monetization, Launches the Innovative Editorial Tool SkimKit

SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Skimlinks, the content monetization service already on more than a half million sites worldwide, today announced the launch of SkimKit, a new tool that helps online publishers create even more valuable content.

At a time when online publishers have watched advertising revenue steadily decline, Skimlinks is helping blogs, newspapers, content networks and forums monetize their content in a new way, seamlessly and ethically. Skimlinks helps website publishers by automatically turning normal retailer links in their editorial content into affiliate links. Each time a user clicks through and makes a purchase, the website earns a commission from the retailer. The service is ideal for publishers lacking the resources or capacity to harness affiliate marketing as a revenue source, in a market that industry analysts predict will grow to $4 billion in the U.S. by 2014.

To help publishers earn even more revenue from their content, Skimlinks has today launched the SkimKit: a desktop tool that empowers editors and bloggers to easily produce revenue-generating content in a way that distances them from the commercial side of the process. SkimKit offers a live, searchable database of millions of products from Skimlinks' merchants. The tool lets publishers research, find and link to products they are writing about, with immediate access to deeplinks and image URLs. SkimKit also features a service that creates shortened, monetized links for use in Twitter and email newsletters, turning a means of communication into a potential revenue source.

While SkimKit makes the creation of content more efficient for publishers, it is also more lucrative: If a publisher chooses to feature a product found in the tool, they earn a commission on the sale.

"Skimlinks gives publishers a way to generate revenue streams beyond banner ads and text ad units by making the most of the commercial value of the content they are already writing," said Alicia Navarro, CEO and co-founder of Skimlinks. "SkimKit makes it even easier by allowing editors and bloggers to actively play a role in the monetization process without feeling any impact on their integrity or impartiality, as they are still writing about the kinds of products and retailers they normally write about."

"SkimKit places the content and the commercial opportunity together," said Paul Hood, Head of Digital for Mirror.co.uk, and Skimlinks publisher. "The editors have complete control over the content that they're selecting and the commercial happens automatically. We're not missing any opportunities."

Designed as an add-on that optimizes Skimlinks technology, SkimKit is available for free to Skimlinks publishers.

About the CEO

CEO Alicia Navarro is one of the few female tech entrepreneurs, having launched Skimbit.com in Australia before heading to Europe to immerse herself in the world of tech startups. She quickly adapted the business to launch Skimlinks.com, where she's realizing a vision of seeing online publishers rewarded for the role they play in informing purchase decisions, by removing the technical and administrative hurdles that hinder would-be affiliates. Alicia has worked for more than 10 years in Internet applications and in designing and launching mobile and Internet-based applications in Australia and the UK.

About Skimlinks

Skimbit Ltd launched Skimlinks in December 2008. The service helps online publishers monetize their content by automating the process of creating and maintaining affiliate links, and provides publishers with tools to more easily link to relevant retailers and brands. Skimlinks helps thousands of websites worldwide focus on creating quality content while earning commissions from over 7,000 merchants across 22 affiliate networks. Skimlinks is used on a half million websites worldwide, including Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Time Out North America, Mirror.co.uk, AVForums.com and Future Publishing UK. The company has offices in London and has received funding from Sussex Place Ventures, Nesta and the Accelerator Group.

SOURCE Skimlinks