Bebo, the leading social network site in Ireland and the UK, has signed an exclusive deal with Yahoo for the sale and management of display advertising.
Bebo had previously sold advertising directly and its sales team will now focus on selling sponsorship and other marketing opportunities.
This is the first agreement Yahoo has entered into with a social network. Although it only covers the UK and Ireland, it will be a major boost for the internet company, which has lost ground to Google in recent years and has just undergone a major management reshuffle under new company president Susan Decker.
The deal also covers the creation of a Bebo toolbar for web browsers which will allow users of the site to monitor their network even when they are not on the site. Yahoo Answers, a service whereby users can ask questions of other members of the community, will also be embedded into Bebo.
Bebo has an estimated 11.6 million users each month, according to internet monitoring firm ComScore Media Metrix. It is particularly strong in the 13-year-old to 24-year-old demographic.
