MSN UK have dropped Looksmart

Forum Moderators: IanTurner & engine

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MSN UK have dropped Looksmart

How is this affecting you?

Receptional

5:23 pm on Oct 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

So - great changes afoot - and probably a prelude to what the Americans will soon see on MSN.com. Over the next few days the stats will start to show whether your site is Inktomi friendly... but if you were paying Looksmart (or getting there through Zeal) what is the fallout?

Having looked at three busy sites that relied HEAVILY on MSN traffic, there has been damage for me so far today, although it may be that MSN users are home users and start coming out after school and work. If not then the damage for these sites is to have lost 20% of my MSN traffic.

I hope that improves after working hours...

That said, there is no doubt that other sites should do better in the rankings - if not in the stats.

How are you faring? and what ya gonna do about it?

DaveN

5:28 pm on Oct 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

nice

#43 now #1
#45 now #2

I have never really play the looksmart game, but always played Inktomi so thing are happy in the DaveN camp tonight.

what am I doing watching MSN very closely for there next move three maybe six months time.

DaveN

makemetop

5:32 pm on Oct 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

I've gone from having some 1st page listings using LS to having more 1st page listings using INK. So, no downside - yet :)

IanTurner

7:49 pm on Oct 15, 2003 (gmt 0)

I've lost a couple of really nice listings, but overall I think I'll come out on top.

I want to see how the stats pan out over the next few days.

mr_tim

8:05 am on Oct 16, 2003 (gmt 0)

gone up a few and gone down a few so pretty much the same. Should be interesting times ahead :)

Receptional

10:26 am on Oct 20, 2003 (gmt 0)

Few... the Monday figures are in for all sites...

Overall a drop of 0.2% in traffic.

I can live with that.

Terrier

10:35 am on Oct 20, 2003 (gmt 0)

UP from 4 to 1

DaveN

10:37 am on Oct 20, 2003 (gmt 0)

getting some new traffic that we never had before, just one word of caution, MSN will be moving to their own generated results.

DaveN

Smiley

8:44 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Any idea when this will be Dave?

DaveN

8:50 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

there are two camps on this one think the msn spider is almost ready and the other which believe that the msn spider has legs but still needs a brain.

I'm in the almost ready camp, we all know what MSN are after!, they will be throwing millions at it to get it working as soon as possible, as soon as I hear anything you guys will be the first to know, then we can set about breaking down their ALGo. ;)

DaveN

Smiley

10:41 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Thanks Dave,

>msn spider has legs but still needs a brain

sounds like my sort of spider, looking forward to when it comes. I wonder if it will be PFI?

engine

11:01 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

>I wonder if it will be PFI

It's likely to be hungry to build a basic index before going down that or any other route.

IanTurner

11:11 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

I'm in the - its a long way from commercial release camp myself, though I will be tracking its progress carefully.

Smiley

11:18 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

>It's likely to be hungry to build a basic index

Which is great news. It's my much hunch that INK will be around to for a while yet. Either way I'm happy.

nicebloke

11:58 am on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Presumably this means they're going to test their new engine in the UK first.

DaveN

12:14 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Presumably this means they're going to test their new engine in the UK first.

I Think so, just can't work out if they will release their spider fed serps or their PFI directory first. ( IMO )

DaveN

[edited by: DaveN at 3:34 pm (utc) on Oct. 21, 2003]

Receptional

12:50 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

My guess would be Directory, as that is easier for them technically and is also the only element missing from the current results.

That said, was in Montreal IMC earlier this year and the "gossip" from the portals I talked to felt that the directory model was dead as a concept. But I guess if it is regionalised, with one entry per region... but that makes it a Yell (which would be frightening if done correctly... very frighteningly expensive!)

Dixon.

DaveN

12:57 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

very frighteningly expensive -- they have money to burn on this believe me on that, just waiting the announcement that they are employing editors ;)

DaveN

Receptional

1:07 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

very frighteningly expensive -- Yes they have money to throw - but I meant very expensive for US! If regionalised PFI listings are offered, then (like Yell) it would be expensive to be listed countrywide. But unlike Yell, they would actually have reach and an intuitive system, which means they will offer much better value than Yell... but a shed load more expensive traffic than LS PFI offered.

Frighteningly expensive for SEMs.

Dixon.

Smiley

2:15 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

>PFI directory first.

Anyone seen or heard about it?

DaveN

3:33 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

PFI directory first.

it's just a gut feeling, it would make very good business sense and easy to implement

DaveN

IanTurner

4:10 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Dave to implement a directory they will need to have some up front content in my opinion, any guesses as to where this might come from ODP? buyout of the Looksmart directories?

DaveN

4:37 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

my first guess was looksmart, then when they kicked them out and then kicked them again when they were down. I thought either MS are try to drive the price right down or it's ODP.

But ODP/Google directory just doesn't fit IMHO, MSN are out hunting big game and G is top of their list, so they need to be better and not a clone.

It is really anyone's guess but I feel ODP, MSN have kicked Looksmart about to much IMO.

DaveN

engine

4:48 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Without being too specific, don't forget, there are other directories out there other than ODP & LS.

There is also the possibility of a UK-only directory, if they've got the freedom.

DaveN

4:52 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

LOL i listed three then changed my post.

But yes there are quite a few.

DaveN

engine

5:03 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

hehehe - you never know, Dave. Imagine what some might do with an injection of cash.

IanTurner

5:03 pm on Oct 21, 2003 (gmt 0)

Personally I don't think they need a PFI directory at all, except perhaps as an addendum to the main listing - perhaps giving a boost to rankings rather than top listings. In which case they could use an amalgamation of a number of diretories as a feed.

Directory usage as per the LS model that MSN was using I think has had its day - in the early days the looksmart listings protected the user from spammy SE listings nowadays the SEs are much better at weeding out that spam and don't need the protection.

yorkcity

2:45 pm on Oct 23, 2003 (gmt 0)

I have found it really interesting to read this thread...

Some of my sites have really suffered because of the loss of Looksmart.

But - I do believe the MSN service is now a better one for users - because so many people had clocked how to make Looksmart work for them on MSN and Inktomi gives out more 'useful' results.

Have MSN deffo got something coming shortly? Or did they just realise they got better results without Looksmart?

Interested to hear what you think.

DaveN

3:02 pm on Oct 23, 2003 (gmt 0)

they just realise they got better results without Looksmart?

MSN said that in the press release, but i think we will see something in the next few months they should start testing data in non competitive areas first then move to a full switch.

DaveN