PDFs to get contextual ads

The deal offers publishers an opportunity to monetise their PDF files and could provide a sizeable new audience for advertisers - Adobe claims that 90% of PCs have one of its readers.

The contextual, clickable ads will appear in a panel to the right of the content, and will be served dynamically. Yahoo! will sell the placements on a CPC basis, sharing the revenue with Adobe and the publisher.

Users of PDFs could provide a valuable audience for advertisers, according to Adobe’s Rob Tarkoff:

“By partnering with Yahoo! on this innovative advertising service we are creating opportunities for publishers to build new businesses around unique content that previously was just given away or not available to a mass online audience.”

The scheme launches in beta today, with IDG InfoWorld, Wired, Pearson’s Education and Meredith Corporation the first publishers on board.