Microsoft to Demo New Search Technology

Unveiling to be at WSJ tech conference

[Marcia]

Microsoft Expected to Show New Search Engine Next Week [online.wsj.com]

The software giant, these people say, plans to demonstrate its new search engine publicly for the first time at D: All Things Digital, a technology conference in Carlsbad, Calif., put on by the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp...

For months, Microsoft has been testing a prototype of the new search engine, code-named Kumo, with Microsoft employees. The technology is designed to cut down on the length of typical Web searches by grouping the results of a search for, say, a particular model of car into helpful categories like parts, used car listings, online discussion forums and videos showing the vehicle.

I know some folks don't get too excited about MSN search, but I do. They send targeted traffic that converts well when a site ranks.

[edited by: Marcia at 6:15 am (utc) on May 20, 2009]

[blend27]

-- been testing ... with Microsoft employees --

Me wonder what they found... just kidding.

MSNDUDE said he was writing a blog post, [webmasterworld.com...] , this might be related to the 'MSN fakes referrers', who knows.

[MadeWillis]

I know some folks don't get too excited about MSN search, but I do. They send targeted traffic that converts well when a site ranks.

I agree! I get good converting traffic from msn organic search results right now, just not enough traffic. I saw a few screenshots of Kumo and I really liked what I saw. I hope their advertising program improves as well. Can't wait to test it out for myself!

[2clean]

I agree.

[inbound]

I can't wait to see how good their new search is. It seems to me that Microsoft has enough cash to do deals which expose people to their search technology - and if it's good enough they may pick up some percentage points versus Google.

The search products from Microsoft have always delivered great visitors from a ROI point of view, whatever name they have been under - but volume has also always been an issue.

Microsoft have made it clear that search is a major focus area for them, and they are being more open than Google is (as are Yahoo) for developers to innovate on their platform. The webmaster community helped Google get where they are now, and rightly so as they have excellent services, but it's about time we had another provider to get behind that can truly show innovation in search (or at least be as good as Google so we can get some risk mitigation into our SEM/SEO planning).

[travelin cat]

I'm not sure I care about anything they come up with. On the occasion that a serp is identical between G & MSN, MSN brings in about 1-2% of the traffic and those very rarely convert.

[Chico_Loco]

I really want to believe that they've got something truly innovative. However, history would dictate to the contrary.

[shorebreak]

Is Kumo based on technology from MSFT's acquisition of PowerSet?

[Hugene]

What you need to understand is that MSN search might have a good ROI or conversion exactly because it is used by much fewer people: thus lower statistical representation of the general consumer, and I would go as far as stipulating that the average user of MSN is probably less web-savvy than the average user of other search engines, and is thus an easier target. Now, if the popularity of MSN grows, expect your conversions to go down.

[maximillianos]

In regards to conversions, doesn't MS still offer discounts for shopping via their search? Wouldn't that factor into better conversions?

[willybfriendly]

Is Kumo based on technology from MSFT's acquisition of PowerSet?

It has been so reported, although I don't remember the source where I read this...

[hutcheson]

Microsoft has, at least, added a new scatological pejorative to the language:

"Bing it! These search results are pure bing! That binging son of a binger..."

Bing! The possibilities are endless!