MSN said to be launching Thursday

So why the fuss if it's just an update to the existing engine?

It's not going to be any more competitive if the results aren't any better.

 

I'm not really sure what you mean l0cke, can you point an article out that backs that statement up?

Everything I've read makes it seem like the techpreview is being released.

 

Then what's the difference? Are you sure of this?

 

Check this article out: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/zd/20041109/tc_zd/138971
"MSN plans to run its search-engine beta site concurrently with its existing MSN Search site until the technology is ready for a full launch, sources said."

I'm getting mixed ideas from the articles I've read, but this one clearly states it is not a full release.

For more articles on the release I have a MSN news page (RSS from Yahoo) setup here: http://www.seogeeks.com/o/msn-news.php.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6447048/
I believe the preview that a few people here have been playing with may be what is being "Plugged" into MSN. Take a look at the the above news article from MSNBC (a Microsoft owned company).

 

Right, so we ARE going to see the techpreview results then?????????

 

I suppose we will find out tomorrow.

 

To be fair, when have M$ ever lauched anything low key. Esp on a project this big.

 

No. 1 software company expected to release its long-awaited Web search service Thursday.
November 10, 2004: 6:31 AM EST

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. will launch its long-promised Internet search engine Thursday, competing directly with market leader Google Inc., sources close to the company said.

Earlier Tuesday, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer told shareholders at the company's annual meeting Microsoft would beat Google's technology and double its advertising revenue in the next five years.




http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/10/technology/msft_search.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

Sorry, wasn't completely awake this morning . I saw an article on slashdot that linked to this: http://news.com.com/MSN+launches+revamped+search+engine/2100-1032_3-5254083.html

What I didn't realize is that article is dated June 30, 2004.

 

I do...

Microsoft has a full history of using online marketing to push new products and services.

For instance, when the MSN Toolbar was released, there was an ad on every single page of about.com informing us of this incredible new plugin for your browser.

They will no doubt be advertising the fact all over their site too...

This is where marketing will prove incredibly interesting to watch.

 

How many domestic users have toolbars installed?

Valid points though.

I guess this is all dependant upon the results returned by MSN.

I do think that marketing and brand awareness will play a huge part in this though, at least to get initial uses of the service from people, then it will be down to the results to make people stay.

 

one thing i notice with techpreview is that it changes its ranking very fast. Last week one of my site ranks in top 5 but today it only ranks 24

 

Most people that use MSN are those who are not very computer literate. MSN is their default homepage due to ie default or software from their ISP. You would be suprised how many people do not even know how to enter a URL.

Microsoft's search will become much more important in the future when the start integrating a pre-installed search bar into Longhorn and such.

 

I agree, there is a huge segment of internet "users" out there who have no clue what they are doing and their default home page is probably MSN. Look at AOL, I never understood why anyone would want to use that junk, but millions of people do....and I know a bunch. I don't think they are going to take over tomorrow, but I am sure they will hype it up pretty good.

All I know is, I hope to see search.msn.com in my logs more come Thursday.

 

If you come up great in Google...you will probably say the MSN has poor search results. If you come up favorably in MSN, you will probably say the search results are superior to Googles. I think MSN search results are far superior to Googles . Go figure.

OK, I admit I do better in MSN. But... so radically different (but not bad in Google) that there must be two very different ranking criteria. If Microsoft were to pull off a coup and knock off Google as the #1 Search (marketing can do that), boy will SEO change. Will backlinks be so important (they are not on the NEW MSN), will PR mean much or anything...etc? Unfortunately, keyword spammers still prosper in both Google and the NEW MSN.

Before any of you Google-only fans say NEVER as far as MSN knocking them off the number #1 spot...let me just quote or paraphrase a line from the movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley" where Steve Jobs says to Bill Gates in an angry tone (about their operating system) "We are better than you", says Jobs...and Bill Gates says "You don't get it, Steve..that doesn't matter". Microsoft certainly has the money and products to leverage.

I hope both do well and others too...Yahoo, Teoma. Its a shame so many sites have to funnel through such a small space.

jocknotech

 

I'm not convinced.....

The beta version is VERY slow and on a search for:

andalucia accommodation

You get:

This site is temporarily unavailable, please check back soon.
Didn't get the results you expected? Help us improve.

Hmmmmm not even I would release a beta version if it doesn't even do the things it is meant to.

Mind you the msn bot has been going mad on my sites, so you just never know.


Ian

 

The beta version is apalling.
When searching for my keywords, the serps are dominated by affilate codes.
Not to mention that my main site is indexed with 800 pages, mostly weird cgi pages, the real content is not visible.

I'm glad this just is a beta, more work obvioulsy needs to be done.