Advertising solutions firm Marimedia has acquired performance marketing tech company AreaOne for $17m (£11m) in cash and shares as part of the companys push into the mobile marketing space.

The combined company will be renamed Taptica, which is currently Marimedias mobile focused unit, and will invest more heavily in mobile marketing and social media network solutions.

AreaOne is an accredited Facebook Marketing Partner, and the addition of its technology will create a single platform that optimises marketing campaigns for advertisers across mobile and social media channels.

AreaOnes capability to manage bid optimisation and budget optimisation across social media channels in a cost-effective manner will prove a key advantage for advertisers, particularly when linked with Tapticas big data solutions.

The acquisition also provides Marimedia with an initial entry point into China and the Asian market, which the company intends to leverage to accelerate its expansion globally.

“This acquisition significantly accelerates our stated strategy of transitioning to a mobile offering,” said Hagai Tal, CEO of Marimedia. “By adding established social media marketing capabilities to our existing big data expertise, we are investing in the growth of the combined business and ensuring that we can keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital media market in which we operate.

“We are excited to welcome the AreaOne team, which allows the expansion of our market and geographic presence and further increases our competitive position in the industry.”