MSN UK Filters Looksmart trusted feed

MSN drops LS and LS trusted feed Inktomi

[DaveN]

Looks like MSN have applied filters to remove all looksmart and trusted feed in Inktomi, can we confirm this.

DaveN

[jetboy_70]

Looksmart's gone from where I'm sitting.

[trillianjedi]

Not 100% sure what to look for, or if LookSmart includes Zeal, but I still see our Zeal listing at search.msn.com.

TJ

[DaveN]

ok looksmart trusted feed shows up in the pure search pure search [search.positiontech.com] enter a keyword and mouse over the url's you are looking for something like :

ht*p://redirect-west.inktomi.com/click?u=http://www.looksmart.com/og/ or looklistings

now do the same search at MSN UK

DaveN

[trillianjedi]

Thanks Dave.

Yes, it's gone.

TJ

[DaveN]

This is really bad for looksmart and such a bold move by MSN.

The Inktomi contract is almost most worthless to them now, I only hope they can pull something out of the fire fast, or I will be able to afford to buy them ;)

DaveN

[trillianjedi]

Have MS hinted at also using a directory or are they going just pure search?

TJ

[NFFC]

I'm still seing looklistings.

[IanTurner]

Agreed LS has gone.

Not sure whether to crack open a bottle or to cry in me beer.

From the way I look at it LS is dead in the UK without MSN.co.uk, following the loss of the BT deal earlier in the year direct LS traffic disappeared, now all the indirect traffic is gone too.

[DaveN]

I had just been re-educated on looksmart UK i feel sorry for those guys, could be MSN just testing of course

DaveN

[Bobby_Davro]

So, to summarise, Looksmart UK actually still have:

A PPC system that has been set up and used previously.
A distance between themselves and LS US.
Some credibility for not switching to entirely PPC.
An OK directory.
Access to Wisenut backfill.
Cash in the bank.

All they are really missing is traffic. They could certainly offer as much as Webfinder, Overture or Espotting, with the advantage of NOT having to use Inktomi backfill. This is one of Mirago's strengths - they have their own backfill.

With so many UK affiliates now dependent upon the Espotting/Overture/Inktomi combination, I am sure that there will be some market for alternative providers, although probably not a big share.

[Smiley]

>Not sure whether to crack open a bottle or to cry in me beer.

Every change in this game provides an opportunity, moving on fast is always essential

[Receptional]

Why of why does this game not settle down?

I guess knowledge is everything, but the resources needed to react get larger every time. Explain THIS to your clients and watch them glaze over...

Dixon.

[trillianjedi]

moving on fast is always essential

Any suggestions Smiley?

TJ

[DaveN]

trillianjedi, rewind the clock back two months and start optimising for INK. [webmasterworld.com...]

DaveN

[makemetop]

I can still see some feed data in MSN UK from both L$.com and via UK LookListings. They seem to be pushed down a bit though.

I'm pretty pleased over this, though. I thought I did OK with LS UK - but I seem to be doing OK with INK on MSN UK (for the moment).

[trillianjedi]

Thanks Dave, I'm already optimised for Ink pretty well.

Was just curious if there was anything else I've missed. Also curious as to whether or not MSN will have a directory of some sort?

TJ

[caine]

[webmasterworld.com...]

Dave,

posted about it last week. I noticed that there was filtering of .co.uk and UK ip hosted websites, within inktomi feeds to MSN.com

Can confirm on MSN.co.uk dropping the LS listings. Though not msn.com

[Receptional]

I would expect the .com to follow in January - from what I heard the contracts were a bit different.

[DaveN]

Ok I have been digging yet again, makemetop can you see if the listing you are seeing are also Ink PFI. It's seems to take priority in the MSN filters.

so if you where in LS trusted feed and Ink's PFI you still get listed but as a natural listing if that makes sense, no LS weight.

DaveN

[makemetop]

>also Ink PFI...

Yes, that's it.

[martinibuster]

Hey caine that's an interesting observation. There was mention of a geo-targetting glitch in the recent Inktomi Algo Change Thread [webmasterworld.com]. It was also reported that, "Inktomi is investigating unintended rank changes from recent portal configuration updates for relevance improvement."

msn.co.uk - LS = relevance improvement?

[Receptional]

msn.co.uk - LS = relevance improvement?

No... all my sites did well in LS, and naturally they were incredibly relevent so it has to be worse now :)

Truthfully - a search with zero human edited directory results is likely to be filled with flaws at least short term - albeit the way the world is turning. I guess the Overture listings are human edited, but that's not quite the same thing.

Dixon.

[martinibuster]

msn felt that the results were more relevant. I don't agree with that either, but I'm an interested party.

Truthfully - a search with zero human edited directory results is likely to be filled with flaws at least short term

If it's any consolation, Inktomi also uses human editors as part of it's websearch 9 technology.

[DaveN]

They are much more relevant now ;)

DaveN

[markus007]

The results are relevant when i'm #1 :)

[madmatt69]

So that's what's going on!

I was wondering why my MSN referals have dropped by more than half :(

[dawlish]

Slightly misleading, particularly if anyone has submitted in the past couple of days "Submit-A-Site results will not receive inclusion in MSN search results from January 2004"

[submit.looksmart.co.uk...]

Submit a site link still shows at [uk.search.msn.com...]

[caine]

I don't think LS or Ink have anything to do with what is going on, as i haven't experienced any changes with other partners.

This is MSN. in all its glory winding up for the big new shinny SE and by the looks of it their own Directory. I wonder how long it will take to suss the algo?

[martinibuster]

It may have to include Inktomi at some point if they are stripping the LS feed from it. Inktomi's so-called

Portal configuration update.