HT Media partners with Asklaila.com to launch a local search site

The site, Hindustantimes.asklaila.com, will enable users to search for local information related to events, movies and shopping across 12 Indian cities

HT Media has extended its association with local search engine, Asklaila.com, to create a co-branded local information search microsite, available at Hindustantimes.com/events or Hindustantimes.asklaila.com.

The search engine also powers half page listings of local information on art, theatre, music, pubs and restaurants in the HT City supplement on a daily basis.

Speaking to afaqs!, a spokesperson from HT Media says, "Initially, the microsite will have a similar look and feel as that of Asklaila.com. It will enable users to search for local information related to events, movies and shopping across 12 Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and NCR, Goa, Pune, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Jaipur and Coimbatore."

He adds, "Later, the look and feel of the site may change as we have plans to add city specific event news from HindustanTimes.com."

Shriram Adukoorie, co-founder, Asklaila.com, says, "We will benefit from the reach and brand exposure we get through this partnership."

On the business model, the spokesperson adds that HT Media will use banner advertising to earn revenue from the microsite, while Asklaila.com will earn money from the information posted on the site as sponsored ads under its premium listing model.

Under the premium listing model, the search engine offers companies to get their details listed on top of the search result pages.

This is not the first time that HT Media has created an online property in association with an Internet firm.

Recently, it launched HTtweets.com, a news content aggregation website in partnership with Cliqz.com, a Germany based website. In February 2009, it tied up with US based OLX.com to create a classified advertising website called AskHT.com, which is an extension of its print classified advertising business.