With Looksmart's gone Who's NEW MSN Click-Through?

RE MSN and who do click-through

[ia_dan]

With Looksmart's gone, Who's NEW MSN Click-Through or Directory being done with? Or is this eliminated and just sponsored, featured and web page, results?

THX
Dan

[Imaster]

Perhaps develop an inhouse program in future. Btw, the directory is still accessible via [search.msn.com...] and only browsable.

[Jack_Frost]

Enjoying the free rankings for now, but I agree that MSN will develop their own PPC system or buy someone like FindWhat just o speed them along. They can do whatever the heck they want with all that cash on the balance sheet.

[mquarles]

or buy someone like FindWhat just o speed them along

Interesting possibility. At a market cap of $450MM, it would hardly be a major cash flow drain to a company with over $50BN in cash and growing by $1BN per month. Shoot, they could probably even talk FindWhat into a stock or stock/cash combo deal.

MQ

[martinibuster]

Let's not forget that Microsoft hired away Overture's CTO, Paul Ryan back in late October 2003. The news was buried at the bottom of a Reuters article about MSN splitting up into different segments, something of significance overlooked by the news media.

There's more in the supporter's forum [webmasterworld.com].

It's a strong possibility that he's directing an inhouse PPC solution. They have the minds capable of it, so why not?

[sem4u]

I would say sooner rather than later MSN will have their own in-house PPC engine. At the moment they are paying a percentage per click to Yahoo! via Overture.

[ia_dan]

sem4u wrote:
I would say sooner rather than later MSN will have their own in-house PPC engine. At the moment they are paying a percentage per click to Yahoo! via Overture.
Therfore, if I've got this right, there is no more directory listings? And,who would I contact, overture?, for sponsored and featured now?

THX
[e-mail]

[Receptional]

Ian,

Currently yes - Overture for PPC. Also they are using Inktomi at the moment so you could talk to an overture trusted feed supplier.

Of course, with either you cannot just limit your listings to MSN - they go into all partners.