In an attempt to get more users, Microsoft has added SearchPerks to its Live Search service.

But, unless you have Internet Explorer 6.0, you aren’t even able to access the SearchPerks registration form. Yep. In order to test out SearchPerks you need to have IE 6 or higher. That’s a deal breaker right there.

With only a 9% market share compared with Google’s 60%, Microsoft refuses to give up on the search market. And you have to admire that fact – despite the failed Yahoo acquisition (which Google sidled up and snagged), it’s full steam ahead! Microsoft will not quit – but it will pay you to use Live Search.

So what is SearchPerks? Registered users agree to download a usage tracking program and then earn one ticket per every Live Search query (up to 25 tickets per day) until the program ends in April. Users can then redeem their tickets for prizes or donate the rewards to charity.

As interesting as it sounds, the SearchPerks registration page has a bit of a late-night infomercial feel to it. Things like “the sooner you sign up, the more opportunity you have to earn tickets!” are reminiscent of the “act now to receive your second Magic Bullet completely free!” But then again, perks persuade people to buy (or in this case, be bought).

By offering up SearchPerks to attract users, has Microsoft inadvertently proved Google’s strength? The search engine should speak for itself, no gimmicks necessary.

While "Live" search doesn't mean it searches the live web, the results are comparable to a basic google or yahoo search, the Live team has attempted to analyze their users preferences and feedback to create a richer and deeper result list from each query.

As Google, the giant of search engines, had become almost the default tool the public uses to find information on the web, other engines like Explorer are scrambling to attract people back to them.  Paying for clicks is what Microsoft has turned to, and I might just have to venture over to the Explorer icon every once in a while to make a query, get some points, and earn some free goodies.  I can guarantee though, after April 15th (not only tax day, but the end of SearchPerks) I will again be an igoogle-er, surfing with Firefox.  Temporary fixes for Microsoft's impending tank?  Perhaps.  But at least users get free stuff out of it, and what college kid can pass that up?

Diese können ab einer bestimmten Menge dann gegen Musik- Downloads, T-Shirts oder auch Flugmeilen eingelöst werden. Die Online-Suche ist wegen der damit verbundenen lukrativen Werbeeinnahmen hart umkämpft.

Microsofts Suche Live Search verlor allerdings zuletzt in den USA trotz bereits anderer Anreizprogramme gegenüber Google weiter an Boden. Auch in Deutschland hängt Google die Hauptkonkurrenten Microsoft und Yahoo! nach Zahlen des Marktforschers ComScore mit einem Marktanteil von fast 80 Prozent spielend ab.

Der Test des Programms Search Perks (etwa: Such-Belohnungen) solle zunächst bis Mitte April laufen, kündigte Microsoft am Mittwoch (Ortszeit) im Internet an. Pro Tag kann jeder Nutzer maximal 25 Punkte («Tickets») bekommen. Ab 525 Punkte gibt es fünf Songs zum Herunterladen, 1000 Flugmeilen kosten 1800 Punkte. Erst im Mai hatte Microsoft Rabatte für Kunden eingeführt, die über die Suchmaschine des Software-Konzerns Produkte bei bestimmten Händlern finden und kaufen.

Quelle: DPA/Yahoo

But it does make the fight for top of the SERPs a lot more important.

Un "incentivo" ad usare prodotti Microsoft. L'ultima trovata dell'azienda di Redmond sfrutta la formula "ti pago per usare". Microsoft infatti concede dei punti a chi utilizza il software SearchPerks per le proprie ricerche online, in seguito convertibili in premi.

Gli utenti che decidono di scaricare il programma che traccia il loro uso della rete, acquisiscono 1 ticket per ogni interrogazione al motore di ricerca Live Search, al massimo 25 al giorno. L'uso del software richiede un browser Microsoft (Internet Explorer 6.0 o superiore) ed un Pc Windows.

La promozione, attiva dall'Aprile di quest'anno porterà, secondo i responsabili di Live Search ad un cambiamento della percezione degli utenti nei confronti degli strumenti di ricerca Microsoft.

Basterà un programma di incentivi che stimoli l'uso dei prodotti software per cambiare la consapevolezza degli utenti? La sfida a Google, l'ennesima dopo numerosi passi falsi, è rinnovata.

Fonte | CNet

Foto | Flickr

The blog search engine Bloglines gives us biased results, that are personal and give us a glimpse into the basic feel and opinion of the public, whereas the web search (we used Google) simply pulls up all news sources.  Interestingly, there is a link at the bottom of the google results that we can click to view the results of our inquiry in blogs also.

The live web search on bloglines pulls up blogs that are extremely current, showing us blogs posted within the last five minutes.

Depending on what we were looking for in the search, the group mainly decided Google was the best bet for current events, simply because of credibility.  We also pointed out that the news sources would all have the same general facts, so gain additional insight we would peruse the blog searches.

Next we used bloglines and google to search about Scientology.   Blog posts aren't as frequent as the current events, but "not current" in this case means the newest post was up a mere 16 minutes ago.  The posts are hard to categorize, many of them not specific to Scientology, but simply including the concept in the post.  The only category we could generally come up with was "rants on Scientology."  The Google search results are less current and definitely not news, but they are significantly more focused on the subject of Scientology.  While it is interesting to see what peoples opinions and thoughts are on Scientology from Bloglines, we ultimately chose Google again as your primary search choice.  This gives us a more focused result pool, while still providing an array of articles and viewpoints.

To participate, consumers must visit the program website by the end of this year, and download a small application that resides within Internet Explorer. All users get 500 tickets for installing the application, and users would be able to receive a ticket for each time they launch a search query, up to a limit of 25 per day.

Microsoft says consumers would have until April 15 of next year to accumulate as many tickets as they want. Prizes range from five music downloads (from Zune?), to clothing, airline miles, and even Xbox 360 equipment.

Make sure you're using Internet Explorer: the SearchPerks website is not viewable in any other browser, nor is there plug-ins for other browsers. Microsoft is said to have considered supporting Firefox, although it thought there would not be enough interest.

There's other limits too: A user must have Internet Explorer 6 or higher, meaning some users could be shut out. Altogether it looks like more than just an effort to increase its search share: it also looks like an effort to entice users back to the IE fold, and on top of that making sure they have upgraded.

It joins Cashback, another effort by Microsoft to increase its share, and a few other programs which give users the opportunity to get kickbacks for using Live Search. While they seem to sometimes provide a temporary bump, in the end Microsoft's share continues to decrease.

August was no different: comScore indicates that Microsoft's share fell .6 percent from July to 8.3 percent. This was after a temporary bump up in June, which is thought to be due to the Cashback program.

Is outlaying so much money just to gain search share really that worth it? I have to say no. It also can come across as desperate, too. Google hasn't gotten to where it has by being so forward in asking users to search through it, it has let the search engine sell itself.

Microsoft seems to almost be showing a lack of confidence in its product by continually begging people to use it. That's not good, and people know from experience that nine times out of ten when somebody's paying you to use something, its probably not that good.

That's not the message Microsoft wants to be sending.

Die Anmeldung und die Installation ist kinderleicht.

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By Yi-Wyn Yen

It’s been four months since Microsoft introduced its cashback rebate scheme that pays people to use its Internet search service. But Microsoft continues to fall behind Google in search.

On Wednesday, Microsoft (MSFT) plans to unveil a new rewards program to get more consumers searching on the company’s Live Search engine. While a company spokesperson would not discuss details of the latest rewards gimmick, a Microsoft executive says the promotion is designed to generate user loyalty and more searches on Live.

The program gives consumers a discount every time they use Live Search to find and buy a product like a digital camera. The company is banking that as more people spend time on Live, the more advertisers will promote their products, and Microsoft will grab a bigger piece of the paid search market.

So far, cashback does not appear to be helping the company’s search efforts. For the seventh straight month, Google (GOOG) widened the gap with Live Search. The search king extended its lead to 63% in August while Microsoft dropped to 8.3%, according to comScore’s latest monthly report for U.S. traffic. For the first two months of the third quarter, Live Search has lost 12.8% of its traffic from year-ago levels.

A Microsoft executive says comScore’s figures do not accurately reflect how well Live Search is doing. “Those numbers don’t seem right to me. We just had our highest month ever [for unique visitors in August],” says Brad Goldberg, Microsoft’s general manager for search.  “There is always going to be volatility with monthly metrics. Cashback is a long-term bet.”

ComScore’s numbers represent total market share. While Microsoft is steadily losing search traffic share, Live Search continues to gain more users as more people search. Goldberg says the company is pleased with cashback’s progress though he would not reveal the number of transactions made or how many people that have enrolled in the program.

The cashback promotion is part of Microsoft’s broader goal to combat Google’s ever-growing share of the online ad market. The program marks Microsoft’s first major initiative to grow search traffic since the company ended talks with Yahoo (YHOO), the No. 2 search engine that owns roughly a fifth of the U.S. search market.

Goldberg hints that the company plans to offer consumers even more savings leading up to the holiday season. “We look at traffic, different tactics, and ways of execution… and we’ve learned that the higher the rebate [we offer], the better,”  Goldberg says. “I’m not joking. EBay’s a good example. They have a relatively high rebate level in the 20%-30% range and they had a big increase in traffic as a result.”

Analysts say that Microsoft needs more advertisers to join the cashback program to attract more consumers searching on Live. Cashback has enrolled than 700 merchants, including eBay (EBAY), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), and Overstock.com (OSTK).

“Our assessment is that MSFT is gaining supply side traction with advertisers and if that remains sustainable, they should eventually gain traction with end users (traffic) as well,” writes Sandeep Aggarwal, a senior Internet analyst with Collins Stewart, in an e-mail to Fortune.

Microsoft, with its deep pockets, may be committed to cashback for the long haul, but industry observers say the company needs to produce results soon.

Search marketers put a January expiration date on Live’s cashback program. “The whole value of cashback is tied to the retail season,” says John Tawadros, the chief operating officer of search marketing firm iProspect. “I would think advertisers are thinking about it now and looking at adopting cashback to differentiate themselves with the competition. After the holiday season would be a perfect time to assess if this has taken off or not.”

According to commenters in this post on Mini-Microsoft, and subsequently confirmed by Mary Jo Foley, Ballmer told employees that he would stay on as head of the company until Live Search's market share bests Google's.

The comment is almost unbelievable on its face. Does Ballmer really think that Microsoft will be able to turn its search fortunes around? As it stands right now, the company is going the wrong way. Web analytics firm comScore posted numbers Thursday that showed Live Search continues to lose share in the US.

For August, Microsoft garnered a 8.3 percent share, down .6 percent, while Google gained over 1 percent to finish with 63 percent of the market. Its share of queries also took a hit, down 7 percent over the previous month to 977 million. This marks the first time since May that the company has fallen below a billion queries, and follows a period where Microsoft had shown some growth.

I just cannot see at this point any viable way -- short of monopolistic behavior -- that will allow Microsoft to come anywhere close to equaling Google's share of the market, much less surpass it. Maybe the Justice Department's new-found interest in Google's advertising practices and the threat of antitrust action may help Microsoft out, but I doubt it will do much.

Maybe the answer to whether we should really believe that Ballmer means what he says lies in understanding the man himself. Those who have watched him all know that he's been known to make some pretty crazy statements, and his enthusiasm has been known to get the best of him at times, so maybe its best to keep in mind that this may be one of those cases. You never know, however.

Windows Live was announced on November 1, 2005. Several Windows Live properties were rebranded and enhanced from Microsoft's MSN set of products and services. However, MSN still exists alongside Windows Live as a means of delivering programmed content (as opposed to customized content and communications). Although the new branding might suggest closer technical ties to the Microsoft Windows operating system and services, the two are available separately. Microsoft said that Windows Live "is a way to extend the Windows user experience". However, some Web browser based Windows Live applications are available outside of Windows, and Windows doesn't include Windows Live applications either. Windows Vista does, however, provide a link in its user interface to download Windows Live Messenger.

Some released Windows Live services and programs include the Live Search search engine, the Windows Live Messenger instant messaging client, the Windows Live Hotmail webmail service, the Windows Live OneCare computer security service, and Windows Live Spaces.

Besides Windows Live, which is mainly aimed at individuals, there are some other Web properties from Microsoft that are branded as "Live": Microsoft Office Live for small businesses, the Xbox Live multiplayer gaming and content delivery system for Xbox and Xbox 360, and the Games for Windows - LIVE multiplayer gaming service for Microsoft Windows.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They almost have the attitude that they just have Live Search ads because they have to as it will generate a sale or lead here or there. Microsoft knows it's search product is not where it should be and therefore does not see the revenue that Google and Yahoo! enjoys. So why not add a fourth placement above the organic results and hope that more clicks are generated.

The basic idea is that you have access to WebDiet™ on your phone and you can us GPS to locate restaurant near you.  The program searches these restaurants and creates a healthy meal plan based upon your diet requirements.  You can even place your order on your phone if you are on the go. 

I believe that this is a crazy, but great idea.  Who would have ever thought that GPS and Dieting would go together?  I know that I will not be using it because I am not the dieting type.  However, I use Live Search on a regular basis from my phone to locate restaurants near my location.  I believe that WebDiet™ could be big.  This just goes to show you that using GIS and GPS can go as far as your imagination will allow.

Check it out and form your own opinion....WebDiet™

And yet for the past year and a half, with a new management in place, and new organizational connections with Windows, the utter mess that had plagued Windows Live was slowly but surely being cleaned up.  Some services were shut down (Expo, Favorites), others were relegated back to MSN (Live Search), and still others were just kind of forgotten (remember the rogue little service called Windows Live Barcode?).  Now, with the advent of Wave 3, for the first time, Windows Live should have a coherent structure and a coherent face.

And done right, Windows Live is and can be a compelling set of services.  No one else offers anything so complete, with common storage, common contacts, a common interface, and a common user experience on the desktop or online, all accessed by a single sign-on.  And no one else will offer such a complete range of products, for both the web and desktop: Mail, Messenger, Calendar, Events and Groups, Photos and Movie Maker, Spaces, and storage through SkyDrive, all managed by a single sign on and a single contact list, with granular permission controls.

Add Live Mesh into the mix, where all of these services are synchronized across your devices and the promise of Windows Live, and software plus services, becomes even more compelling.  For the first time in three years, we’re about to see the promise of what Windows Live should have been all along (and granted, three years ago that wouldn’t have been possible, even with a better message).

But the problem with Windows Live has always been more than the technology.  Microsoft has an image problem, and there is a section of the tech-savvy population that would do almost anything rather than use Windows, or Microsoft.  Soon, we hear, Microsoft will attempt to work on that, with $300 million in advertising about to be spent on image. 

While it would be foolish to expect an image that has developed over years of poor decisions, under-handed and monopolistic practices, and just plain bad management to change overnight, there may be no better time than the present to begin to move Microsoft into an era of software plus services.  Apple, who has always seemed to have a golden touch, has been beset recently with a number of glitches and gaffes, and the shine may be wearing off the apple a bit. 

Google faces its own challenges, and has yet to find a product other than Adsense that makes any money.  And of course the early adopters are the ones who are most likely to steer clear of Microsoft, and the most vocal.  If next year Microsoft cleans up its image, puts a better face on Windows 7, and offers some great choices to users of Windows Live all easily accessible from Windows 7, will the clamor to move away from Microsoft be as strong?

Of course image comes from much more than marketing.  After “the Scoble years”, where we caught a glimpse of what it meant to be Microsoft, it’s back to business as usual, and the only speak is corporate-speak.  The only thing Microsoft employees seem to blog about anymore is their vacations, and that’s telling.  There are exceptions, of course, but after the $300 million runs out, we’ll be right back with the same old monolith.  Microsoft simply can’t change its image unless it changes its culture, and so far there isn’t much indication of that.

A big question remaining for Windows Live is whether users really want or need a single all encompassing service, handled by a single and all encompassing provider.  The truth is it’s not that hard to take the best of a number of different services and mash them up together,  and the truth is that Windows Live is not the best in breed in a number of the services it offers, including the current state of photo sharing, blogging and even mail, if you’re a GMail fan.

Open ID, while it hasn’t caught on yet, may provide similar functions to a single sign-on, and any new service without an API isn’t worth launching.  While the new management has worked hard to get the “trains to run on time”, the truth is that while the Windows Live train was off the tracks the rest of the world may have moved on to automobiles.  Why wait for the next train (especially one that refuses to publish a timetable) when you can just get in the car and go?

We expect Windows Live to provide a better set of services with Wave 3 than it has up to this point, by far.  We’re excited about what we’re hearing, glad to hear that the last three years seems will soon be behind us.  However Microsoft is still too late to market, too insulated from the world, and too short on features to really compete in an agile, lightweight, fast-paced world.  We hope that having cleaned up the mess, the work can really begin.

-Alex

Microsoft però era interessata solo a Ciao, perciò si è già accordata con un altro acquirente, forse la stessa Quadrangle, per rivendere tutto quanto della Greenfield non è legato a Ciao.

Perché Microsoft si tanto impegnata per avere Ciao? Innanzi tutto per cercare di radicarsi in Europa sfruttando la popolarità, la credibilità e la fedeltà degli utenti di Ciao. Questo sito infatti registra oltre 25 milioni di visitatori al mese e ha un archivio con oltre 5 milioni di recensioni. Proprio grazie a queste recensioni Microsoft avrà a disposizione contenuto di qualità da integrare in Live Search, che mira a diventare uno punto di riferimento per la ricerca dei prodotti da acquistare e della relativa comparazione dei prezzi.

L'acquisizione di Ciao da parte di Microsoft può essere stata motivata dalla necessità di riproporre lo schema motore di ricerca/shopping network già attuato da Google e da Yahoo!, rispettivamente con Product Search e Kelkoo, ma è interessante vedere che l'ennesimo gigante punti sui social network. Adesso restiamo in attesa di vedere i riflessi che il cambio di proprietà apporterà a Ciao.com: riuscirà Microsoft a capitalizzare le potenzialità di questo network così ben radicato e molto frequentato e a far dimenticare i suoi frequentatori chi è ora il padrone delle loro recensioni?

La penetració de Microsoft al mercat de les cerques per Internet és d'un 2 per cent a Europa, mentre que Google compta amb el 79 per cent. La companyia es troba per darrere de Yahoo, eBay i Yandex (Rússia).

"L'equip de Ciao compte amb una apassionant comunitat de consumidors basada en la tecnologia intuïtiva i en les relacions de mercadeig extensiu que creem podrà beneficiar enormement a la plataforma Microsoft Live Search", va comentar el vicepresident de Windows i serveis en línia de Microsoft, Tami Reller.

Ciao.com dóna consells de compra, sobretot sobre productes electrònics, i anima els usuaris a unir-se a una xarxa de botigues especialitzades. Els seus ingressos els obté del comerç electrònic, de les referències de mercadeig i venda d'anuncis.

Font: grupoinformatico

Como era previsible, esta iniciativa no va a convertir a Microsoft en el nuevo líder del mercado. Así lo han posteado Erick Schonfeld en este post bajo el título Microsoft’s Live Search Cashback Scheme Fails To Move The Market Share Needle, llegando a la clara conclusión de que en el mercado de busquedas en internet no se puede comprar con dinero sino que hay que saber ganarselo.

Después de su lanzamiento, Microsoft logró un crecimiento inicial notable, pasando de una cuota de mercado de busquedas en internet en US del 8,5 % en mayo al 9,2% en junio. Pero en Julio, su cuota volvió a bajar situandose en el 8,9%, según datos de Comscore. Aunque es pronto parece que esta estrategia no está siendo tampoco muy eficaz.

Durante el mismo periodo el mercado estadounidense presento las siguientes cifras para sus máximos rivales, Google y Yahoo:

U.S. Search Market Share
———-May, 2008——June, 2008—–July, 2008
Google——-61.8%———61.5%———-61.9%
Yahoo——-20.6%———-20.9%———-20.5%

CONCLUSIÓN: Los dos grandes líderes del sector disfrutan de posiciones estables y consolidadas, dificilmente arrebatables por otro competidor que no innove en la experiencia de busqueda de los usuarios. Con estas cuotas de mercado, los posibles pactos entre Yahoo y Google constituyen de por sí acuerdos de monopolio, dada la escasa fuerza competitiva del resto de empresas como Microsoft, AOL,...

Los datos anuales desde Julio de 2007 a julio de 2008 tampoco son nada positivos para Microsoft, como se puede observar en los datos de la siguiente tabla:

En resumen, como se previa, Microsoft no va a lograr alcanzar un gran éxito con iniciativas de este tipo, basada más en una compensación económica a los consumidores en lugar de una verdadera mejora de los sistemas de busqueda actuales y la utilidad de sus resultados. A los consumidores de información nos gusta un pequeño premio en forma de dinero, pero por encima de eso lo que más deseamos cuando tecleamos una palabra en un buscador es que nuestras busquedas nos lleven a aquello que deseamos, que nos lleven a aquello que nos interesa en un determinado momento, para un determinado fin,...

Para ello los buscadores deberán arrojar resultados cada vez más especificos y relevantes, e incluso ordenables según criterios más amplios en el futuro. Microsoft debería centrarse en mejorar el funcionamiento de LIVE SEARCH por encima del de sus competidores directos, es decir, la forma en que maneja cantidades cada día más inmensas de datos y ordenarlas según criterios lógicos que nos sean cada día más útiles a los usuarios. No os parece.

Greenfield Online, which also owns an Internet survey business, will be split up by Microsoft. The software giant (statement) said it will keep Ciao and sell off a Web survey business. Microsoft added that it has already found buyer for Greenfield’s survey business. What’s odd is that much of Greenfield’s revenue came from the survey business. For the six months ended June 30, Greenfield had revenue of $66.9 million and its North American survey business accounted for $33.7 million of that sum. Ciao’s comparison shopping business accounted for $22.5 million with a survey business at Ciao bringing in sales of $15.5 million. Indeed, Greenfield’s ticker was “SRVY,” which indicates surveys were the identity of the company. Greenfield had a profit of $1.97 million for the six months ended June 30, according to SEC filings.

Ciao has about 26.5 million unique users a month across seven countries. Microsoft said the deal is a “a further milestone investment in Europe” for the company and Ciao’s technology will be integrated into Live Search.

Greenfield Online had announced a deal to be acquired by Quadrangle Group, but canceled the deal to merge with Microsoft. Greenfield Online will pay Quadrangle a $5 million breakup fee.

-Alex