ownerrim - 1:08 pm on Mar 15, 2005 (gmt 0)

even if microsoft offers cheaper ads to advertisers, that won't matter much if advertisers don't find the traffic on msn (as a publisher, even after this recent msn blitz on tv, I don't see my referrals from msn increasing at all). IMO, msn sucks as a search engine and most web users feel the same.

also, if msn promotes a lower cost for advertisers, then wouldn't that equate to lower epc for advertisers? and if that's so, I doubt they'll get many publishers to stick with them. Which means a smaller content network and less traffic for advertisers. again, why would advertisers go for this.

yahoo is in the same position. The balancing act is: luring advertisers while at the same time luring publishers. and that may be easy enough in the beginning. the trick will be keeping both.