Microsoft is acquiring Rapt, a software vendor and consulting firm that helps businesses maximize their yield from online advertising.Rapt, the self-described "Leader in Media Monetization," specializes in helping businesses package and price display ads on their Web sites. Scott Howe, a general manager in Microsoft's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions group, compared the operation to the way airlines track seat purchases and modify pricing accordingly. Microsoft will incorporate Rapt's pricing analytics, inventory management, and business intelligence software into its Atlas ad-serving platform.

"With this acquisition, we are uniquely positioned to help publishers succeed on all fronts. Our end-to-end solutions will include work flow tools, ad package and delivery, turnkey distribution, content partnerships, and yield management and optimization," said Brian McAndrews, senior vice president of Microsoft's Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group.

Microsoft has been a Rapt customer in the past, and Rapt CEO Tom Chavezgoasted that the company's technology helped boost MSN's ad revenue 15 percent to 20 percent. Another Rapt customer: Yahoo.New York Times, CNET News