It's About Times: Ask.com Bolsters SEO Capabilities

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The New York Times has unloaded About.com, its south-headed search engine optimization ("SEO") investment, to Barry Diller's IAC/InterActive Corp. for $300 million in cash, The Wall St. Journal reported today.

The Times doled out $410 million in 2005 to acquire About.com, but took a $195 million write-down on its investment last month. IAC also owns  the Ask.com SEO, and outbid SEO Answers.com, which offered $270 million to the Times earlier this month, according to the Journal story. Ask draws 87 million unique monthly visitors, compared to About's 52 million, comScore indicates (way more than "TUOL", but who's counting?).