MSN to go 100% PPC?

Heard a rumour that MSN is to go 100% PPC.

[netnerd]

I have recently heard a rumour that MSN is to do away with unsponsored/paied for listings and become a completely ppc engine.

Is this true?

Will google go this way?

[jeremy goodrich]

Highly doubt MSN would do that. They still need backfill underneath the PPC.

Imho, Inktomi is probably the 2nd best engine behind Google.

>>>Google going this way too

Nope, I would say Google will stay as is. Their search results have gotten them to where they are today - change that, and people will be looking else where for easy access - unbiased information.

[netnerd]

I hope you are right.

I agree that people prefer to see pure results (i.e. not a range of sponsorship). Even if some of these results are put there by SEO experts, then they are still relevant.

Sponsorship will not cover every search so I guess a purely PPC search engine would be no good.

Mind is at rest now!

[skibum]

MSN is almost all PPC already - Overture, LookSmart, and Trusted Feed via Ink.

LS and Ink both say these PPC programs don't affect the results. That is a questionable claim IMO.