MSN/Windows Live Search drops 8% in the year

Today sees the publication of a new Nielson NetRatings report (PDF) on the US search share rankings. There are few surprises concerning when it comes to the top 2 performers – Google 49.6%, 23% growth and Yahoo 23.9%, 30% growth. What is surprising is the bad performance of MSN/Windows Live Search, dropping 8% in the year, giving a total share of 8.8% of US searches.

While it could be argued that the advances Windows Live Search has made will have only been noticed by users in the last few months, it shows how difficult the fight for search share has now become for Microsoft. Out of the top 10 search providers in the US, MSN/Windows Live Search was the only one to suffer a decline in share, a statistic that tells its own story.

I’d like to think this is the beginning of a comeback however there is still not enough incentive for users to switch from their established search engine to Windows Live Search. Perhaps the integration in IE7 will help somewhat, but as the first-run experience allows users to choose what search engine they use, this is unlikely to be the magic bullet that is needed.

Comments

  • http://khristopherr.spaces.live.com Khristopher

    innovation is what’s needed. something new, not just copying features that other companies already have and make it prettier or change it up and make it slightly different. it’s gotta be something altogether NEW and bold and exciting to attract people.

    that’s why google is where it’s at because they did something different with search and look what it’s done for them…
    the problem with microsoft is they are not nearly innovative enough!
    so many times i show people windows live products and they say “ya such and such already has that or does that, windows live just makes it look nicer”
    and that is not enough to attract people.
    if windows live spaces did something really extraordinary that was really really cool that is not offered anywhere else it would attract a lot of people, but it doesn’t that’s why it’s not taking off like myspace and probably never will.

    pesronally i use windows live search and i love it, but to be honest it doesn’t do a lot of stuff that google doesn’t already do…

  • bf1977

    That the bad news for we fans of the MSN/Windows Live Search. I wait that it improves the performance of the MSN/Windows Live Search´.

  • bf1977

    I agree to phunky To innovate is necessary!
    One search better that the Google? I find that the Microsoft is capable to make better, I do not know because not yet it obtained to make this.
    Orkut, the Windows Live Spaces can arrive to be better that the Orkut if the Microsoft to want or then to launch a new product. A functionality that the Orkut not yet probably has and will not have, that the usuary can place a video of youtube or another site of videos in its profile.
    Messenger? I do not see another one better that the Windows Live Messenger. ;)

    Capacity the Microsoft has, looks at the Windows Live Mail, already perceived people who use the Gmail and adored the Live Mail. It looks at the WLMD that wonderful software. Capacity the Microsoft has, goes to wait that everything goes to give certain