Nielsen Online yesterday released its rankings of U.S. search share for September. Overall search increased 9.4 percent year over year to 8.1 billion searches. Google had year over year growth of 20.8 percent and received 59.7 percent of searches. Yahoo! had a year over year increase of 1.5 percent and received 18.1 percent of searches. Microsoft had a year over year increase of 7.1 percent and received 11.8 percent of searches.
Category: Microsoft
Microsoft Plans 3 New Research Labs Focused on Internet Search
Microsoft plans to open three new research labs in Europe that will be focused on Internet search according a article by the New York Times. The labs will in be London, Munich, and near Paris and will employ several hundred people. At news conference Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that the labs would work on improving on existing search technology and work on new types of search, including searches from mobile devices and searches involving pictures and video.
Microsoft Launches New Rewards Program for Live Search
Microsoft has launched a new rewards program for Live Search according to a article by CNET News. The program, called SearchPerks, gives “tickets” to users of Microsoft’s Live Search search engine that can be redeemed for prizes or a donation to a charity. For each search a participant in the program receives one ticket, with a maximum of 25 per day. Participants receive 500 tickets for signing up for the program. The prize that can redeemed for the lowest amount of tickets is a ringtone for 105 tickets and the prize require the most amount of ticket is a Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows for 5500 tickets. The program is schedule to run through April 15, 2009, allowing a participant to accrue a maximum of 5425 tickets, falling short of what would be required for the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. The program is limited to up to one million U.S. residents and requires using Internet Explorer 6 or above, the Windows operating system, and installing a toolbar. Microsoft has run a number of programs tied to using Live Search including Live Search Club, Search and Give, and Live Search Cashback.
August U.S. Search Share Results
Nielsen Online today released it rankings of U.S. search share for August. Overall search decreased 7.7 percent year over year to 7.2 billion searches. Google had year over year growth of 3.1 percent and received 60 percent of searches. Yahoo! had a year over year decline of 16.5 percent and received 18.1 percent of searches. Microsoft had a year over year decline of 23.8 percent and received 10.7 percent of searches.
Microsoft Signs First Partner for U.S. Expansion of Mobile Ad Network
Microsoft has signed it first U.S. partner for it’s mobile ad network ScreenTonic according to an article by Adweek. The deal with CNBC expands on a deal reached in December to sell as on CNBC.com. ScreenTonic, which Microsoft purchased in May 2007, has so far been focused on the European market. Brian Arbogast, corporate vice president of mobile services at Microsoft, told Adweek that “the company is working to build an extensive mobile network that mirrors its approach online, where the firm has concentrated on sewing up deals with big-name publishers such as CNBC, Facebook and Digg.” The U.S. ad network will show standard banner ads at first, with more advance options including video possible in the future.
Microsoft Restarts Talks Over Disposal of Avenue A/Razorfish
According to AdAge, Microsoft has restarted talks with advertising agency WPP to get rid of Avenue A/Razorfish. Microsoft acquired Avenue A/Razorfish as part of is deal for aQuantive that was completed in august of last year. The contemplated deal would swap Avenue A/Razorfish for WPP subsidiary 24/7 Real Media’s publisher ad-serving tool Open AdStream and cash.
July U.S. Search Share Results
Nielsen Online today released it rankings of U.S. search share for July. Overall search grew 3 percent year over year to 8 billion searches. Google had year over year growth of 16 percent and received 60.2 percent of searches. Yahoo! had a year over year decline of 11 percent and received 17.4 percent of searches. Microsoft had a year over year decline of 10 percent and received 11.9 percent of searches.
June U.S. Search Share Results
Nielsen Online released it rankings of U.S. search share for June on Friday. Overall search grew 6.3 percent year over year to 7.9 billion searches. Google had year over year growth of 19 percent and received 59 percent of searches. Yahoo! had a year over year decline of 12.4 percent and received 16.6 percent of searches. Microsoft had a year over year growth of 12.5 percent and received 14.1 percent of searches.
Microsoft Testing Expanded Publisher Advertising Network
Microsoft has started a pilot program to expand its adCenter contextual advertising network, similar to Google’s AdSense and Yahoo’s publisher network, to smaller publishers. Microsoft told CNET News the program began earlier this year and that “Microsoft’s self-serve advertising offering for publishers is still under development and is currently in a private pilot phase, being tested by select publishers who met the participation requirement.” Microsoft already places contextual advertising on large publishers including the Wall Street Journal and Rodale.