Web.com acquires Acquisio

Web.com, a leading global provider of Internet Services and online marketing solutions for small businesses has acquired the assets of Acquisio, a leading local business software provider for online advertising management.

Acquisio brings to the table a data science tools platform that increasingly focuses on artificial intelligence and automation.  The platform will be added to Web.com’s other products, which now include templated websites, SEO and domain names.  The transaction price was not announced, although Acquisio has been known to be shopping itself for some time.

The company has invested heavily in technology that helps agencies scale SMB accounts by automating campaigns on major ad platforms, including Google AdWords, Facebook Ads and Bing Ads, and reducing cost per click. Acquisio also brings a healthy number of small and independent agency accounts to the fold. The Montreal headquarters office itself is seen as an asset, as Montreal is emerging as a software hub that specializes in AI.

While Web.com is still known primarily as a provider of inexpensive, templated Web sites, the company has invested heavily in technology companies to expand its offerings and revenue in recent years. These include Yodle in mid-2016, which it acquired for $320 Million and Network Solutions Inc. in mid-2011, which it acquired for $405 Million. Yodle provided programmatic advertising, SEO and CRM solutions for larger SMBs and franchises, while Network Solutions largely provides domain services.