Windows Live Search, currently in distant third place, is going final this week. Microsoft is anxious to take on Google and Yahoo mainly because search engine-based advertising is a very lucrative business. So far, to Microsoft"s disappointment, Google"s reign remains stable. Obviously, to get ahead, Microsoft has to do something that Google hasn"t. Although the improvements are notable, this isn"t (yet?) the case.
WLS will be available at MSN.com (by Thursday) and at search.live.com which redirects to live.com, microsoft"s personalized homepage initiative. According to comScore Networks, Microsoft dropped 3% from June 2005, leaving the market leaders at (June 2006):
- Google: 45%
- Yahoo: 29%
- Microsoft: 13%