Internet’s Top Search Engine Offers Affiliate Marketing Program Enabled By Be Free
MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – June 13, 2000 – Be Free, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFRE), the leader in performance marketing, today announced that it is powering the affiliate marketing program for Google, one of the fastest growing search engines on the Web. Google is using Be Free’s LeadRunner(sm) program to drive traffic to its search site, while paying affiliate partners for each search query generated.
Members of Google’s affiliate program will be adding Google’s popular and powerful search technology to their web site. In return, affiliate partners will receive $.03 for each Google search performed. Google affiliates have a full array of benefits, including the freedom to decide where to place the Google search box on their site, the ability to create links to Google without knowing HTML code, and access to online reports that monitor the number of searches its visitors have conducted..
"Be Free’s marketing solution is a very effective way to increase distribution of Google’s search technology, while bolstering name recognition and driving new users to the Google web site," said Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder and president. "Now Google’s award-winning search technology is within grasp of every web site and e-commerce destination by simply signing up via the Be Free-enabled Google affiliate program. Web sites can now earn revenue while providing the Web’s favorite search tool."
"With its powerful search technology and uncluttered style, Google has already begun to lead the search engine market," said Gordon Hoffstein, chairman and CEO of Be Free, Inc. "Through its Be Free-enabled affiliate program, Google’s name and search capabilities are extended directly to its users, which will assist in increasing its market position."
About Performance Marketing Using LeadRunner
LeadRunner(sm) is a performance marketing solution that enables online marketers of all kinds—from content sites and portals to search engines and subscription services—to develop affiliate and e-mail marketing programs using Be Free’s BFAST(sm) and B-INTOUCH(sm) services. Using LeadRunner, companies like Google can promote content, services, subscriptions or tools and pay affiliates a bounty (flat dollar amount) for every lead or click-through they generate. This program brings the power of performance-based affiliate marketing beyond e-commerce, including content and information sites.
About Google
Google exists to provide the world’s best Internet search experience. Google accomplishes this for millions of users daily by delivering a powerful, fast, and easy way to find the most relevant information available. Google’s technological innovations have powered the company to numerous awards, including a 2000 Webby and People’s Voice Award For Best Technical Achievement; "Best Search Engine on the Internet" from Yahoo! Internet Life; "Top Ten Best Cybertech of 1999" by TIME Magazine; "Technical Excellence Award" from PC Magazine; and "Best Search Engine" by The Net. A growing number of companies, including Netscape’s Netcenter, a subsidiary of AOL, Washingtonpost.com, and Red Hat rely on Google to power search on their web sites. A privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., Google’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. For the information you need, visit www.google.com.
About Be Free, Inc.
Be Free, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFRE) is the leader in performance marketing-the next generation of online marketing. Be Free helps its customers build and manage uniquely branded online sales channels, enabling these sites to capture revenue by driving site traffic, generating qualified leads and selling products in context on locations throughout the Web. Be Free’s customers include some of the Internet’s leading merchants, online services and portals such as IBM (NYSE: IBM), America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL), barnesandnoble.com (NASDAQ: BNBN), GoTo.com (NASDAQ: GOTO), Mercata, C|Net (NASDAQ: CNET), Garden.com (NASDAQ: GDEN), PC Connection (NASDAQ: PCCC), Lycos (NASDAQ: LCOS), About.com (NASDAQ: BOUT) and Yahoo!® GeoCities (NASDAQ: YHOO).
Collectively, Be Free’s customers have more than 3.5 million affiliates in their sales channels. Affiliates can enroll in performance marketing programs using Be Free’s technology with a streamlined application form called FastApp, located at www.reporting.net/networks/affiliates/bf_fast_app.
Founded in 1996, Be Free has offices in Marlborough, MA, Pittsburgh, PA, Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, Culver City, CA, Campbell, CA, Austin, TX, Silver Spring, MD, Seattle, WA, New York, NY and Windsor, UK. For more information, visit www.befree.com.
For more information:
Jennifer Roy
Be Free, Inc.
508.480.4039
jroy@befree.com
Trish Gannon or Julie Goldman
Schwartz Communications, Inc.
781.684.0770
befree@schwartz-pr.com
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Statements in this news release about Be Free, Inc. may be considered forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the Company’s current expectations, hopes, beliefs and estimates. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected. Further information about the risk factors that could affect the Company’s performance are contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its S-1 dated November 3, 1999 and March 29, 2000.