Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

tophtucker — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:58:13 GMT

No, the Search Builder is still there (thankfully), only it has been renamed "Advanced" and, inexplicably, it's not on the front page. You have to do a search, then look below the tabs.

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

Colin Walker — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:44:48 GMT

I agree that the missing features should be re-instated.

Am I going blind or did the Search Builder also disappear from the MSN beta days?

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

diditcom — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:19:35 GMT

Cone on. MSFT needs a verb as a search URL. You have to fight twice as hard to become the default in an influencer's volcabularly without being a verb like Xerox or Google.

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

tophtucker — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 05:48:49 GMT

I agree with HellsChicken - I miss some of the features of the original Live Search. That kind of thing is exactly what they need to differentiate themselves.

As for marketing, the name might be another problem. I agree with Weinberg re: "Say Live.com in your ads, leave out Microsoft, and I guarantee they become more effective." Also, it may be worthwhile to make clear that much of MSN - Hotmail, Messenger, Search, etc. - has become Windows Live. I think a lot more people know what MSN is than what Windows Live is.

Google Answers closes, only 800 users

Main — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 02:51:42 GMT

Straight from the Google blog is the new that Google Answers is closing down , with the acceptance of

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

HellsChicken — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 23:20:01 GMT

I have to agree with edb4. When I really need to find something, it's Google. Live search is usually only my backup for if I can't find something on Google, and then I usually don't find it with Live either.

With regards to the "looking cheap" comment in the blog, I actually quite agree. Back when Live first changed from their dynamic feel (infinite scroll bar, adjustable information size, etc..) I had asked why this happened, and either I missed the answer or the Live team just avoided the whole issue. But those features were perhaps the one thing that really set it apart from Google and made it look better and more modern/hi-tech, rather than the cheap look it has now.

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

Colin Walker — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:26:16 GMT

I agree that the sheer depth of search available via Live is not yet up to the benchmark set by Google but now I'm running Vista I'm trying to use Live more often.

What's curious, however, is that in the past couple of months the number of referrals coming to my blog from searches has shifted. Previously, Google used to win hands down but now almost twice as many referrals are coming from Live.

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

edb4 — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:25:51 GMT

I think that the major reason is that the quality of the results is not as good as Google's. I'd love to just use Live, but unfortunately, when I "really" need to find something I need to use Google. The quality of the results are not where they need to be yet. For example: For any college student, if you search for "chauvenet criterion", Google's second result is the one you need, and Google gives a lot of importance to pages that have the keywords that you search for in the page title. I never use Yahoo, but even their second result is the best. I consider that Yahoo's search is a lot better than Live's also (and the rating clearly shows that).

If Live could beat the quaility of the Google's results, then I think that people would recommend it to others, and would use it all the time. The current feeling to me is that Live Search is not Good Enough, and if I need something fast I better use what is currently the best out there.

Hopefully, the quality will improve soon, and then more marketing along with user's evangelism will increase the ratings.

Right now, even if somebody sees a an ad on TV and give it a try, I am sure that they will agree with me and realize that the quality of the results is not the best out there and use Google.

The key to beat Google, is do something BETTER. Create a search engine that everybody would be like WOW!, people would tell people about it, and the number of users would increase very fast, but you need to put a GREAT product out there.

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

BV2312 — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:49:59 GMT

what about doing live search vs google? like coca cola vs pepsi in the 1980's but live search needs to be better on paper - still room for improvement within their algorithium!

re: Why MSN (Live) Search is losing share: the blog conversation

bf1977 — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:06:42 GMT

It has that to revert the situation and to make a strong marketing

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