Is MSN Dropping Looksmart?

[Lingerboy]

Looks like Looksmart is missing from these results...

[beta.search.msn.com...]

Pure Ink SERPS

[jeremy goodrich]

It would make sense if the customer base from Ink XML CPC got big enough - after all, those fees are .15 cents cpc, just like the LS ones.

Though that would put MSN further into working with Yahoo...the decisions makes a lot of sense, really.

If they go that far, though - why / when will MSN just offer a XML program for themselves? After all, they have a lot of reach, and they would control a fair market share.

Then they wouldn't have to split the revenue with anybody either...

[Lingerboy]

Maybe a MNS/Yahoo/Overture combo to wage war on Google? Now that would be a fight worth watching.

[Shak]

I was under the impression than MSN/Looksmart had been courting heavily lately, and were heading towards the bedroom last I looked.

Looksmart is DEAD without MSN....

Shak

[jeremy goodrich]

Their agreement expires in Dec 2003.

If they do plan on getting something together to replace /and or change their SERP's, now would be the time to start preparing before the holiday season in the states.

To me, the numbers just don't add up, since LS is a fixed price offering, any of the XML providers could replace it for the same revenue share.

Overture - now that they are offering a combined algorithmic product - may make even more sense as a strategic partner for them so they can monetize on an 'open ended fee' at the top - and then the same revenue split all the way down the page that they get now.

And, to make it easier, only one business partner to work with - Overture has the best (or 2nd best?) international distribution among the PPCs, with Google being the only one that has similar reach.

[martinibuster]

Looksmart's CFO just resigned [prnewswire.com] from Looksmart, for family reasons, and to pursue other interests. She also sold off a huge amount of stock in February.

Somewhat related to the topic of this thread...

[percentages]

MSN's beta search seems to have been down for the last 12 hours at least. I even tried the IP that it used to be on, and the overseas versions....all to no avail:(

Can anyone else get to it?

[Lingerboy]

Nope. It's down alright. Maybe they read this string and decided it shouldn't be public info just yet.

[steveb]

Or maybe the point of putting it up has been met. Even if they renew with LS, it makes sense from a negotiating perspective to put up pages like this.