OverBlog and Wikio Merge to Create the Leading Social Media Group in Europe
PARIS, September 8, 2010--
- An Ambitious Project
The Wikio group, who operates the social media portal
Wikio.co.uk (http://wikio.co.uk/) and the blog monetisation platform
E-Buzzing, is to merge with OverBlog, Europe's leading blog platform.
A group will for the first time combine a blog network, a news
and blog portal and a monetisation platform that allows advertisers to take
part in the conversations taking place at the heart of the blogosphere and
social networks.
The new Wikio group resulting from this merger will become one
of the most important internet platforms in Europe, a leading social media
reference point, and an important R&D centre for web based content. The group
will employ around 110 co-workers, with a revenue of more than 10 million
euros in 2010.
The Wikio group will reach 26,5 million unique visitors
(Comscore stats).
An experienced team
"Successful start-ups are those who concentrate the best
talents", explains Pierre Chappaz, CEO of the group (and founder of Kelkoo,
one of the biggest European internet success stories). "At Overblog, we have
found a unique group of social web entrepreneurs and experts. Our partnership
was like love at first sight, our areas of expertise are so complementary!"
"Having created, with OverBlog, a product used by more than 10
million French internet users has already been an extraordinary adventure!
This merger is a major change for us since Wikio will allow us to strongly
develop Overblog in six countries and significantly improve the monetisation
of our audience", adds Frédéric Montagnon, co-founder of OverBlog, who will
become Marketing Director of the Wikio group.
"This merger will allow us to offer to our clients the most
powerful social media network in the market to broadcast their videos and
engage in conversation within UK communities", Paul Coggins, UK Managing
Director Ebuzzing.
About the Wikio Group
The Wikio group already has offices in France, Italy and the UK.
E-Buzzing: Europe's leading blog monetisation platform and
distributer of quality content and videos for advertisers
across the internet
Wikio: Leading European social media portal (3 million indexed
sources)
OverBlog: Leading European blog platform
Promodigital: Leading blog monetisation platform in Italy