East Ventures add its investment portfolio. Now, the chosen startup is the idblogNetwork. It is a familiar name for you, isn’t it? idblogNetwork is the one and only advertising network service for blog in Indonesia in which the members are selectively chosen. Five thousands and forty three blogger has registered and there are still 6000 blogger waiting for confirmation. idblogNetwork is a favorite startup and owned by favorite founder (Kukuh TW) selected by DailySocial readers 2010.
Based on the press release, the funding (the amount is undisclosed) will be used by idblogNetwork to add the quantity and quality of the human resource, infrastructure, new digital technology improvement, products and services innovation, also to support some activities dealing with blogger in Indonesia.
Willson Cuaca from East Ventures stated that his company invests on idblogNetwork is not based on certain business area. The decision was made based on product, team, and potency of this startup. However, the most important thing, according to Willson, is the startup initiators should recognize East Ventures value when the company gives the investment.
After the investment of East Ventures, two co-founders of idblogNetwork, Kukuh TW and Mubarika Darmayanti, will stay on director position and control the IDBlogNetwork operational- as Technical Director and Business Director. Meanwhile, another co-founder, Mochamad Farid decided to resign. It is not mentioned that East Ventures as investor will place their people to the board of direction.
We got the chance to communicate via email with two co-founders of idblogNetwork. Kukuh TW and Mubarika Darmayanti, and asked some questions about the business future of idblogNetork business. When I asked about the competition with other competitor or the big player(s) like Google Adsense. Kukuh answered that they are not directly in competition, and believe that the players of this industry are completing each other.
Now, they are focusing on blue ocean strategy and trying to avoid red ocean. Mubarika added that if they dive in the blue ocean then it changes to be red ocean, idblognetwork will grow organically and create new products and services in line with the growth of blogger activities in Indonesia. Mubarika also stated that personal approach done to their blogger partners is for supporting the high quality content as what the advertisers want.
About the business has been focused to provide advertising space for a variety of blogs, both Kukuh and Mubarika said that advertisers – which is actually a huge variety of brands – even a new sensation, rather than onlineadvertising in major media. Various KPIs can actually fulfilled a campaignby advertising on blogs
Kukuh and Mubarika also explained about their business which is focusing on giving advertisement spot for the advertisers on many blogs, both Kukuh and Mubarika said that advertisers – which most of them are big brands – feels a new sensation, rather than advertise in major online media. Various KPIs can actually fulfilled a campaignby advertising on blogs. As return, bloggers get benefit. It is informed that some bloggers got bigger earning from this than from their main job.
The last question is about the new model of advertisement scheme. Mubarika stated that the investment from East Ventures give chance for idblognetwork to develop some new schemes. However, she didn’t mention the detail about the scheme. Surely, I hope that between the new methods they prepare, there will be premium advertisement service for qualified blogger. It will be a breakthrough to bring blog as high as big online media. Besides that, Kukuh also stated that idblogNetwork will always support some activities dealing with blogger – as they did on bloglicious.
To wrap up, we want to say congratulation to idblognetwork for the investment and good luck for its business model.