Offerpal Media said today that it will help developers make money from the social games and apps that are distributed on Yahoo’s application platform.
Fremont, Calif.-based Offerpal provides alternative payment systems such as special offers for users who don’t want to or can’t pay for games or the virtual goods in them with credit cards. An offer is an ad that asks for an action, such as signing up for a Netflix subscription, in lieu of a payment.
By providing an offer solution for Yahoo’s platform, Offerpal will let the third-party application developers who publish on Yahoo — which reaches more than 600 million users per month — make more money from their social games or other apps.
Offerpal makes thousands of free trials, discounts, promotions and other currency-based ad offers from brands such as Netflix, Disney, Discovery Card, New York times and DirecTV. Last fall, Offerpal got caught up in allegations of running scam offers in games on Facebook, but it has since said it has become more diligent about weeding out deceptive offers.
By signing up Yahoo, Offerpal moves another step forward in the resuscitating its reputation. Offerpal’s alternative payment options include filling out surveys, watching videos, earning shopping rewards and performing other tasks that can earn users virtual currency, which they can spend inside their games on things such as better weapons.
“We are thrilled to be working with Yahoo! to help developers more easily and effectively monetize their applications on the Yahoo! Application Platform,” said George Garrick, chief executive of Offerpal Media. Offerpal was founded in 2007 and it has 75 employees. It can reach more than 225 million consumers across 2,000 publishers. Investors include Interwest Capital, North Bridge Venture Partners, and D. E. Shaw Ventures.