• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 22, 2014

Technology and science publisher TechMedia Network is expanding its lead-generation business with the acquisition of BuyerZone. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Per the deal, TMN -- parent to Laptop magazine, Space.com, and Tom’s Hardware -- is getting BuyerZone’s marketplace of more than 1 million registered buyers and around 8,500 sellers across various product and service categories from digital copiers to security systems.

TMN CEO Greg Mason said BuyerZone is not the company’s first foray into lead generation. On the contrary, “our existing reviews platform, TopTenReviews, has been extremely successful in facilitating connections between in-market buyers and sellers,” Mason said on Wednesday.

BuyerZone is no small win for TMN.

This year, the publisher said it expects revenue growth to exceed 20%, while BuyerZone will account for upwards of 25% of the combined company’s revenue.

Like most online media companies, TMN continues to pursue new business opportunities and revenue models. Late last year, the company added a native ad offering to all of its owned-and-operated sites, including partner sites. TMN also built a content discovery platform to recommend native ads, based on consumer behavior patterns. 

Around since 1992, BuyerZone sellers include ADT Security Services, Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. and Ricoh Americas Corp.

TMN investors include ABS Capital Partners, Village Ventures and Highway 12 Ventures, which most recently pumped $33 million in the media company in 2011.