What is MSN's new search strategy?
As the calendar year of 2003 draws to a close, a few major shake-ups took place in the search engine world. Most notable was Google's radical re-indexing a month ago, which resulted in howls of dismay across many industries.
However, another major change is in the works, and although it has been overshadowed by the new Google ranking algorithm, this change will affect the fortunes of many internet businesses. For anyone who gets good MSN search traffic (more reliable for site owners than Google, being a paid submission through LookSmart which you have more control over), the future of MSN search is a source of much anxiety. And the future of this popular search seems to me to be up in the air on almost every level.
1. MSN chose not to renew their contract with LookSmart, and therefore, MSN will no longer be using LookSmart directory results for their primary search results after the first of the year.
Although early speculation was rampant, there has been little or no information beyond the initial comments that MSN was developing their own search function, and would be implementing it beginning in 2004. There is no hint of a change to come... except at the bottom of the search results page, where I found the following link:
MSN Search is hiring! Learn about job opportunities.
This link contains high-level programming and project management jobs, all related to search engine algorithms, testing, etc. I have no idea how long that link has been present; it would seem pretty late in the day to be looking for programmers! MSN has already discontinued using LookSmart on their UK site, and rumor has it their new algorithm is through beta testing. This would be reassuring except that absolutely no hints have leaked out about the new algorithm, how it will function or when it will be done, at least not that I've been able to track down. If the new algorithm is supposed to debut within days, I would have expected more buzz by now. Hopefully the new algorithm will be ready when needed, and will return the kind of relevant results that have made MSN one of the most popular search engines. Otherwise, what will MSN do? Work out some sort of temporary arrangement with LookSmart? Default to web pages results? Pull in another set of search results?
2. MSN currently uses sponsored listings from Overture, owned by its two major competitors, Yahoo! and Google.
Overture indisputably rules the PPC world at this point, so there is good motivation to keep using them, at least for now. But if MSN doesn't flinch from creating a program that will be "indexing the entire internet and returning best-of-class results to search queries", then they might have their own PPC search engine in mind for the future as well. And it doesn't make good business sense to keep paying your competitors if you can do it yourself.
3. MSN has used Inktomi for their web pages results, after the directory listings.
Although results still appear, "Inktomi" is not listed explicitly as the provider. Inktomi was recently purchased by Yahoo!, so the same arguments apply here as above.
FINAL ANALYSIS: MSN is playing this one pretty close to the chest. However, they are definitely creating their own new search algorithm, which is planned to be highly automated. If the new algorithm works as planned, and MSN is able to hold onto their share of the internet search market, then I think it cannot be long before their other partnerships are also re-examined.
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