Google Ad boom sparks next NetSuite-Salesforce spat

The market for applications serving the booming Google AdWords industry is hotting up with two software as a service rivals - NetSuite and Salesforce.com - showing their hands just a day apart.

Yesterday Salesforce.com announced the purchase of AdWord revenue-tracking app Kieden and today NetSuite announced the roll out of its own Keyword Marketing Module.

The twin moves show the popularity of Google AdWords and the fact the ability to closely monitor the impact and success of ad campaigns is a growing concern for businesses looking for more bang for their marketing buck.

The similarity of the launches is also likely to spark a further war of words between two of the driving forces behind the on-demand CRM boom.

NetSuite denied its own announcement, just a day after Salesforce.com's, smacks of "me too", adding its in-house developed application had been in the pipeline for some time.

A NetSuite spokeswoman said: "We obviously didn't write this code overnight, and we have released announcements about our earlier versions of this technology last year."

Renewing hostilities between the two CRM sparring partners, the spokeswoman added: "Salesforce.com's acquisition is an attempt to catch up with NetSuite in this space."

However, Steve Garnett, Salesforce.com's European president, told silicon.com: "I don't think we've been focused at all on what NetSuite has been doing."

NetSuite claims a number of differences, most notably the fact its system is free to existing customers while Salesforce.com will charge $300 for the Kieden tool.

Salesforce.com's Garnett said: "The Kieden product is available on AppExchange and can be trialled for free. I would encourage our customers and NetSuite's customers to try it and they can be the judge. We're not the cheapest but I believe we do deliver value for money."