Deal strengthens the platform's lead generation and social media monetization capabilities, empowering small businesses to convert followers into customers and accelerate their growth

Constant Contact, a leading digital marketing and automation platform, has announced its acquisition of Txtify Technologies, a company specializing in mobile-first lead generation through customized microsites and surveys. This strategic acquisition enhances Constant Contact's offerings by providing small businesses (SMBs) with innovative tools designed to grow their customer base and convert social media and digital engagement into valuable customer relationships.

Empowering Small Businesses

The acquisition will significantly benefit Constant Contact's SMB customers by enabling them to create mobile-optimized, branded lead generation forms within minutes—no coding or web development experience required. With user-friendly design tools and high-performing templates, SMBs can swiftly capture contact information from social media followers, fostering deeper connections through owned channels like email and SMS marketing. This capability to quickly turn social media interactions into qualified leads is a powerful addition to Constant Contact's marketing platform.

According to Constant Contact's Small Business Now report, 60% of small businesses rely on social media as their primary channel for customer engagement. However, many face challenges in converting likes, comments, shares, and followers into actual customers, with over half of surveyed SMBs identifying social media as an area needing the most support.

A Strategic Move for Growth

"The profile of today's small business has changed, and many now launch and grow their brand on social media before they build a website or create their first email campaign," stated Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact. "Our acquisition of Txtify Technologies allows us to deliver value to mobile-first and social-first entrepreneurs by empowering them to own their audience on social media and convert followers into a marketing list. This is a strategic step forward in our mission to innovate on behalf of SMBs and equip them with the tools necessary for growth."

Collaborative Future

"We are thrilled to bring our powerful lead generation technology to a wider audience as part of Constant Contact's platform," said John Stewart, co-founder and CEO of Txtify Technologies. "Our mission has always been to simplify and scale lead capture and conversion for small businesses, and by joining Constant Contact, I am confident we will help even more SMBs grow and succeed."

As part of this transaction, Stewart and Txtify Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Eric Dewhirst will join Constant Contact, playing a crucial role in integrating the acquired technology into the existing platform. The combination of Txtify's technology with Constant Contact's robust marketing capabilities—like email, SMS, social media ads, and event management—will empower SMBs to grow their contact lists rapidly, gain better insights into their audience, drive more revenue, and directly correlate social media activity with business outcomes.

ScoreApp, a leading platform for interactive quizzes and surveys, is excited to announce its acquisition of Bucket.io, a prominent US-based marketing funnel software company recognized for its innovative lead generation and customer engagement tools. This acquisition represents a significant advancement in ScoreApp's mission to broaden its capabilities and provide businesses with a comprehensive suite of tools aimed at enhancing their marketing strategies.

Enhanced Customer Experiences

The integration of Bucket.io’s advanced marketing funnel technology with ScoreApp’s interactive quiz and survey platform will empower businesses to create more personalized and engaging customer experiences. By combining forces, ScoreApp intends to offer users an all-in-one solution for capturing leads, nurturing prospects, and converting them into loyal customers.

Daniel Priestley and Steven Oddy, Co-Founders of ScoreApp, shared their enthusiasm for the acquisition: “We are thrilled to welcome Bucket.io into the ScoreApp family. Their expertise in building high-converting marketing funnels perfectly complements our mission to help businesses connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Together, we will set new standards for customer engagement and lead generation.”

Strategic Leadership and Integration

As part of the acquisition, Ryan Levesque, co-founder of Bucket.io, will join the ScoreApp board as a Strategic Advisor, Brand Ambassador, and shareholder, bringing his extensive expertise to drive the company’s growth and innovation further. ScoreApp plans to integrate Bucket.io’s features into its platform, enabling users to design and deploy sophisticated marketing funnels alongside their existing quizzes and surveys. This combined offering will allow businesses to streamline their marketing efforts, improve conversion rates, and gain deeper insights into customer behavior.

Bucket.io, co-founded by Ryan Levesque and Richard Cussons, has positioned itself as a leader in the marketing technology sector, serving thousands of entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide. The company has received accolades for its innovative approach to lead generation and has been featured on the Inc. 5000 list three times.

Ryan Levesque expressed his excitement for the future: “Joining forces with ScoreApp is a fantastic opportunity to bring even more value to our customers. Our shared vision of helping businesses thrive through interactive marketing will drive innovation and deliver unparalleled results for our users.”

Commitment to Customers

Both ScoreApp and Bucket.io are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition for existing customers. The two companies will continue to provide support and updates throughout the integration process, ensuring users can fully leverage the enhanced capabilities of the combined platform.

With this acquisition, HubSpot expands commerce capabilities for subscription billing and quote-to-cash automation to help customers close deals faster

HubSpot, Inc., the customer platform designed for scaling businesses, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Cacheflow, a leading B2B subscription billing management and configure, price, quote (CPQ) solution. This strategic acquisition aims to enhance HubSpot's Commerce Hub by integrating robust subscription billing management and CPQ tools.

Strengthening Commerce Hub

Since launching Commerce Hub in 2023, HubSpot has processed over $1 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). The addition of Cacheflow will further enhance the Commerce Hub, particularly improving the customer experience in the buying process. This acquisition is expected to simplify the quote-to-cash process and accelerate revenue collection, making HubSpot's commerce offerings more accessible to a broader range of businesses.

Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot, stated, "We've seen strong year-over-year growth with Commerce Hub, which gives our customers an easy way to manage payments and unify their customer and transaction data. With Cacheflow, we're doubling down on our vision for commerce by addressing two important areas of the buying experience: subscription billing and configure, price, quote (CPQ). Cacheflow is a leader in this space and has helped companies automate the purchase process to capture revenue faster. We're excited about the impact they will have on customers of Commerce Hub."

Cacheflow’s Innovative Solutions

Cacheflow simplifies B2B software selling and buying through its billing and subscription management solutions. Their user-friendly, connected platform automates the SaaS sales flow process without the need for coding. Customers can easily configure quotes, close deals with interactive links, and manage upsells and renewals.

Sarika Garg, Co-Founder of Cacheflow, remarked, “We made it our mission to reimagine the old CPQ and billing space, helping businesses automate revenue management, shorten the sales cycle, and get paid fast. We believe deeply in the power of our solution and are thrilled to join HubSpot and the Commerce Hub team.”

Future Outlook

Upon completion of the transaction, Cacheflow will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of HubSpot, further solidifying HubSpot's commitment to enhancing its commerce offerings.

Forward-looking statements: This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect HubSpot's current views regarding plans, intentions, expectations, strategies, and prospects. Actual results may vary significantly due to various risks and factors, including those outlined in HubSpot's SEC filings. HubSpot assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as new information becomes available.

Fully compliant UCaaS solution, Global RingEX Select™, backed by certifications from DoT & TRAI, now available across India via new PAN-India license

RingCX™ native contact center brings robust omnichannel and AI-powered capabilities to agents/supervisors for enhanced customer experiences

RingCentral Inc., a global leader in AI-powered business communications, has announced its receipt of a PAN-India license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). This milestone allows RingCentral to operate across all 22 telecommunications circles in India, positioning itself as the first cloud provider to offer fully-compliant Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions in the region.

1. Global RingEX Select:

   • Connects multinational organizations with their India branch offices.
   • Facilitates seamless communication and collaboration through messaging, video, and phone services.

2. RingCX:

   • A user-friendly omnichannel contact center solution.
   • Provides personalized, high-quality customer experiences.

3. Combined Benefits:

   • Together, Global RingEX Select and RingCX enhance customer service and optimize workforce collaboration.

Insights from Leadership

• Sathesh Murthy, SVP of Engineering and GM India:
  • Highlights the significance of the PAN-India license as a transformative opportunity for RingCentral.
  • Emphasizes the reliability and security of their cloud solutions for multinational organizations.

Customer Testimonials

• Philippe Bourdon, CIO at Mastech Digital:
  • Shares the challenges faced with previous providers and praises the peace of mind that comes with RingCentral’s compliant solutions.
  • Notes the rapid deployment of services, enhancing communication within 10 days.

Transformative Value of UCaaS and CCaaS

• Streamlined Workflows: Reduces technology overhead and enhances operational efficiency.
• Consistent Customer Experience: Improves engagement strategies across all communication touchpoints.

Key Benefits

• Fully Compliant Cloud Phone: The first global cloud phone service in India, certified by DoT and TRAI.
• Reliable Service: Offers 99.999% uptime with top-tier security.
• Native Omnichannel Experience: Enables seamless customer interactions across various channels.
• AI-Powered Customer Engagement: Enhances agent performance through real-time guidance and automated monitoring.

RingCentral’s expansion into India marks a significant advancement in global communication capabilities, aligning with the country's digital transformation initiatives. With its innovative cloud solutions, businesses of all sizes can enhance their communication and customer engagement strategies effectively.

Advertible, the leading native-as-a-service platform, has announced a significant leadership transition with the appointment of Co-Founder and COO Priti Ohri as its new Chief Executive Officer. This change marks a pivotal moment in Advertible's journey toward redefining native advertising within the programmatic ecosystem.

• New Leadership: Priti Ohri succeeds Tom Anderson, who played a crucial role in launching Advertible’s innovative platform and establishing key partnerships with Tier 1 Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs).
• Industry Recognition: During Anderson's tenure, Advertible received an honorable mention for “Best Industry Startup” at the 2024 AdExchanger Awards.
• Priti Ohri's Background:
  • Over 20 years of experience in adtech, media, and retail.
  • Recognized as one of the Top Women in Media and Ad Tech by Ad Monsters & AdExchanger.
  • Co-founded DesiUS, a community for South Asians in adtech, promoting diversity and opportunity in the industry.

Priti Ohri's Vision for Advertible

• Gratitude for Leadership: Ohri expressed her appreciation for Tom Anderson's contributions in steering Advertible to its current position.
• Evolving Native Advertising: Ohri emphasizes the rapid evolution of native advertising and Advertible’s unique position to lead this transformation.
• Focus on Innovation: With a commitment to delivering impactful results, Ohri plans to push boundaries and enhance the platform's capabilities.

Advertible’s Native-as-a-Service Platform

• Meeting Demand: The platform is designed to address the increasing demand for native advertising, which offers higher engagement and profitability than traditional formats.
• Cutting-Edge Tools: Incorporating AI-driven placement design, Advertible empowers SSPs to unlock new revenue streams and optimize ad performance.

Commitment to the Future

• Navigating Change: This leadership change highlights Advertible's commitment to innovation, especially as the digital advertising landscape moves towards a cookieless future.
• Positioned for Growth: Under Ohri's leadership, Advertible is set to lead the next phase of innovation in native ads, ensuring that SSPs of all sizes can seize emerging growth opportunities.

Priti Ohri's appointment as CEO of Advertible marks a transformative moment for the company and the native advertising industry. With her extensive experience and visionary approach, Advertible is well-positioned to continue its trajectory of success and innovation, adapting to the evolving needs of the digital advertising ecosystem.

Continues global launch of Smart Holdout Groups, its patent-pending measurement solution, to help marketers get the full picture of omnichannel campaign impact

Blis, the leader in geo-powered advertising technology, has announced the global release of its innovative measurement solution, Smart Holdout Groups. This patent-pending, privacy-first framework connects reporting across previously siloed channels, such as Digital Out of Home (DOOH), Audio, and Connected TV (CTV). Marketers can now assess omnichannel campaign impact more effectively, moving beyond disconnected metrics to what truly matters.

• Industry Recognition:

  • Already being utilized by brands like Bloomingdale's and UKTV Play.
  • Shortlisted for multiple awards, including two Digiday Technology Awards for Best Measurement Solution and a Mediapost OMMA Award.
  • Nominations for The Drum Awards, highlighting campaigns with DC Lottery and UKTV Play.

• Innovative Measurement Framework:

  • Designed to address traditional measurement challenges in a privacy-centric environment.
  • Developed without relying on cookies or IDs, ensuring compliance with consumer preferences.

• User Testimonials:

  • Amy Fox, Chief Product Officer: Highlights Blis’ commitment to solving measurement issues in an evolving landscape, emphasizing that traditional measurement approaches are outdated.
  • Hamid Habib, MD of Havas Entertainment UK: Praises Smart Holdout Groups for providing accurate, insightful measurements that can enhance planning and media mix modeling.

How Smart Holdout Groups Works

• Cookie-Free Measurement:

  • Enables marketers to measure critical outcomes such as sales lift, store visit lift, and brand lift across all programmatic channels.
  • Moves beyond proxy metrics, offering a clear view of advertising effectiveness.

• Geo-Based A/B Testing:

  • Automatically creates statistically robust A/B holdout groups based on zip code or postal district.
  • Utilizes machine learning to ensure both exposed and controlled groups contain similar audience profiles.

• Granular Geographic Approach:

  • Unlike traditional methods that rely on larger geographic areas, Smart Holdout Groups provides more precise audience comparisons.
  • Offers advertisers enhanced accuracy with zip code-level analysis, avoiding skewed results caused by differing behaviors in broader regions.

Blis' Growth Acceleration

• Leadership Expansion:
  • The launch comes as Blis experiences growth, appointing ad-tech veteran Alex Boras as US President and Steve Tschosik as Regional Vice President for the Midwest.
• Record Growth in the UK:
  • Achieved a remarkable 90% year-on-year revenue growth and over 20% increase in team size in the region.

The introduction of Smart Holdout Groups by Blis represents a significant advancement in omnichannel measurement, empowering marketers to gain accurate insights into their campaigns while adhering to privacy standards. With innovative technology and a strong leadership team, Blis is well-equipped to navigate the evolving advertising landscape and drive future growth.

Advanced offering brings unparalleled monetization and streaming capabilities across CTV and OLV for broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers

JW Player (JWP), a premier video streaming and data insights platform, has announced its merger with Connatix, a leading solution for video delivery and monetization. This strategic alliance forms JWP Connatix, establishing the industry's most comprehensive independent video technology and monetization platform for broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers.

The Context of the Merger

• Transformational Changes in Digital Video:

  • The digital video landscape is rapidly evolving as consumers increasingly opt for Connected TV (CTV) and streaming services, leading to significant shifts in global advertising expenditure.
  • By 2024, global CTV ad revenue is expected to exceed $30 billion, with the top ten streaming services approaching 1 billion subscribers.

• Adapting to Viewer Expectations:

  • Publishers, broadcasters, and advertisers must innovate their video strategies to align with changing viewer habits and business requirements.

Statements from Leadership

• David Kashak, Co-founder and CEO of Connatix:

  • Emphasized the need for media companies to adopt innovative solutions for audience engagement and revenue optimization across diverse monetization models, including advertising, subscriptions, and commerce.
  • Highlighted that JWP Connatix is positioned to meet these demands by leveraging premium video technology and monetization experiences.

• Dave Otten, CEO and Co-Founder of JWP:

  • Expressed enthusiasm about the merger, noting that the complementary strengths of both companies will enhance their market offering.
  • Stressed the importance of combining their teams' expertise to shape the future of digital video.

Key Benefits of JWP Connatix

• Global Reach and Reliable Scale:

  • Streams 7 billion minutes of video-on-demand (VOD) and live content to over 1 billion unique users across all screens globally.

• Hybrid Monetization Models:

  • Supports diverse business models—subscription, advertising, and e-commerce—leveraging insights from content and audience data to maximize revenue.

• Unique Insights for Optimized Outcomes:

  • Utilizes AI to analyze trillions of contextual, consumption, and monetization data signals, enhancing audience engagement with targeted content and ads.

• Single End-to-End Platform for OLV and CTV:

  • Provides a streamlined video management platform that enables various monetization opportunities across content, commerce, and creative endeavors.

Future Outlook

• Leadership Structure:

  • Following the merger, Dave Otten will serve as CEO of the newly formed company, while David Kashak will take on the role of Chairman.

• Headquarters and Offices:

  • JWP Connatix will be headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in London, Cluj-Napoca, Eindhoven, Skopje, and Tel Aviv.

The merger of JW Player and Connatix to form JWP Connatix heralds a new era in digital video technology. By unifying their strengths, the combined company is poised to enhance the video experience for broadcasters, publishers, and advertisers, ultimately reshaping the future of the digital video landscape.

Zoom’s AI Companion custom add-on triggers actionable workflows in ServiceNow Now Assist to keep projects moving forward

At Zoom’s annual partner and customer event, Zoomtopia 2024, ServiceNow and Zoom announced an expanded strategic alliance aimed at enhancing collaboration and productivity across enterprises. This partnership will integrate their generative AI technologies ServiceNow Now Assist and Zoom AI Companion in the first half of 2025, enabling advanced workflow automation for tasks and activities across both platforms.

Meeting the Demand for AI Tools

• Rising Demand for AI:

  • Organizations increasingly seek AI tools that enhance productivity and facilitate seamless project management across critical business applications.
  • According to Gartner®, 92% of employees express a desire for AI to assist with administrative tasks and summarize information effectively.

• Streamlining Processes:

  • The new integration of GenAI aims to expedite and streamline workflows, allowing employees to maintain momentum in their projects.

Leadership Insights

• Bill McDermott, Chairman and CEO of ServiceNow:

  • Emphasized that CEOs are transitioning from mere fascination with AI to implementing AI-led business strategies for significant operational improvements.
  • Highlighted the integration's goal of transforming conversation into immediate action, saving time, and reallocating resources to focus on critical tasks.

• Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom:

  • Noted the collaboration enhances user experiences across both platforms through GenAI capabilities and embedded user interfaces.
  • Stressed the integration’s potential to elevate productivity by minimizing administrative time and streamlining workflows.

Enhancing Efficiency with Generative AI

• Seamless Information Flow:

  • The integration aims to create a smooth exchange of information during team collaborations.
  • For instance, during virtual meetings, the Zoom AI Companion will summarize and transcribe discussions, turning actionable items into tasks linked to ServiceNow workflows.

• Post-Meeting Automation:

  • After meetings, the AI Companion will collaborate with Now Assist for Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) to initiate the appropriate workflows.
  • This includes automatically creating tickets, assigning tasks to team members, and sending email notifications to attendees with insights and summaries of deliverables.

Expanding the ServiceNow-Zoom Partnership

• Transforming Conversations into Actionable Data:
  • This integration builds on the existing partnership, taking unstructured conversations and converting them into structured data connected to intelligent workflows.

The expanded alliance between ServiceNow and Zoom, highlighted at Zoomtopia 2024, marks a significant step toward leveraging generative AI to enhance collaboration and productivity in the enterprise space. With this integration, organizations can look forward to streamlined workflows, improved task management, and an overall boost in efficiency, paving the way for a new era of intelligent work environments.