Wibiya — an Israeli company founded in 2008 — was conspicuously absent from both $1.4 billion Conduit’s communications when it was splitting into two in July, and its reverse takeover of Perion in September. At the time of the Wibiya acquisition in 2011, we reported that its toolbars were on around 120,000 sites, reaching some 200 million unique users. Those numbers have grown, but not by much: It’s now used by some 150,000 publishers reaching some 285 million uniques.
Wibiya provides a free, powerful solution that allows publishers to integrate popular web applications directly into their websites via a fully customizable website toolbar.
The Wibiya Bar integrates a variety of free apps, social plugins, games, video & image galleries, and much more, enabling publishers to increase page views, boost user engagement, and promote their content.
Wibiya also gives publishers the power to manage their bar’s performance in real time through the Wibiya user dashboard.
The Wibiya business enabled publishers to integrate toolbars on their websites that let users do things like share links on social networks; translate pages into different languages; or offer free apps, games and video galleries — all in the name of getting users to spend more time on the site.
Both Wibiya letters, to customers and to employees, are below.
Dear employees,
As you know, the decision to separate the company reflects a newly focused objective for Conduit – including a shift in product strategy – which has implications beyond Client Connect. One of those is that maintaining Wibiya as a free-standing business no longer fits where we are headed.
We acquired Wibiya as a complementary solution for our toolbar business; they delivered publisher solutions within a site, while our toolbars did that outside the site. Now that the toolbar business is no longer a focus, it’s clear that Wibiya, as a business unit, lacks a strategic role for us.
However, there is great technology, human experience and capabilities within Wibiya, and we’re in the process of integrating many of these into the existing Conduit businesses. This will enable us to use much of Wibiya’s technology and skills in our existing and planned products. Wibiya is comprised of a strong team of talented individuals from various disciplines and we look forward to finding them exciting positions within Conduit.
We will carefully and thoughtfully wind the brand down between now and the end of this year, as part of our overall preparation for life after the separation.
This decision has not been easy for Wibiya’s founders or myself but as always Dror, Daniel and Avi are true leaders and product visionaries and understand the current situation and where we’re headed. They will remain with us to ensure the process is successful and I personally intend to remain close to them, in active dialogue, as they figure out their plans.
I want to personally thank the Wibiya founders and employees for their contribution to Conduit and look forward to seeing their future efforts come to fruition, whether within Conduit or elsewhere.
Ronen
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