Microsoft > Microsoft: Marketing
Sep. 5, 2008 at 8:21am by Barry Schwartz
I Don't Get The Microsoft TV Ad But I Like It
Everyone is talking about the new Microsoft TV ad featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. paidContent.org called the ad pretty pathetic, Sam Diaz didn't get it, nor did I. TechCrunch got word from Microsoft that the ad is triggered to "engage consumers" and "spark conversation," which I guess it is...
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Aug. 4, 2008 at 3:10pm by Barry Schwartz
Live Search Promoting Again, This Time With "Cashback Back-to-School Deals"
Microsoft has announced a "back-to-school" promotion for using Live Search through the Live Search cashback portal. The promotion adds up to "double the cashback rewards on millions of products from hundreds of participating retailers." Example promotions include 36-percent off select shoes at Foot Locker, 18-percent off on Lenovo ThinkPad, and...
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Jun. 7, 2008 at 2:47pm by Greg Sterling
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer Discusses The Future Of Media, The Company's Strategy, And Expresses Mystification Over What Google's Doing In Mobile
"We didn't get to paid search first, and it turns out that's the best part of the market," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told Washington Post Editors as part of a meeting that explored a range of topics. Among other things, Ballmer discussed Microsoft's strategy and mission statement, why it aspires...
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Jun. 6, 2008 at 10:30am by Danny Sullivan
Hey Firefox - Let Us Pick Our Own Search Engine!
So Firefox 3 has a new release candidate making news, suggesting that the browser is nearly done. May I suggest that the browser is nowhere near being done until the Mozilla Foundation drops its favoritism to Google and allow users to pick their own default search engine? And that...
See Related Stories In: Google: Marketing, Google: Partnerships, Microsoft: Internet Explorer, Microsoft: Marketing, Microsoft: Partnerships, Toolbars & Add-Ons: Firefox Browser
Jun. 4, 2008 at 1:02pm by Barry Schwartz
Microsoft Launches "Search And Give" Charity For Searching
The Live Search Blog announced the new launch of Search and Give. When you search on Search and Give, Microsoft will donate a penny each time you use that page to search the Web. Microsoft will donate up to 500 searches per person per month. There are over 1 million...
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May. 21, 2008 at 2:48pm by Danny Sullivan
Hey Microsoft: Bribing Searchers Is Fine; Frustrating Them Is Not!
I've got no problem if Microsoft wants to "bribe" searchers to use its search engine. Even Google has done the same. But the Live Search Cashback program rolled out today seems a pretty inept way to do it, far more likely to disappoint and frustrate than woo searchers....
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May. 21, 2008 at 1:30pm by Greg Sterling
Microsoft "Cashback" Program Aims To Lure Commercial Shoppers With Rebates, Marketers With CPA Model
Microsoft has invested heavily in Live Search and seen its search relevance and results improve but so far not its market share. The company believes its core search results are as good as what you'll find on Google or Yahoo. But its share is flat-to-declining, depending on which of the...
See Related Stories In: Microsoft: Live Search, Microsoft: Marketing, Search Engines: Shopping Search Engines
May. 21, 2008 at 9:56am by Barry Schwartz
Playing With Live Search Cashback
Microsoft launched Live Search Cashback and Greg will have a more detailed post on his pre-briefing. But I wanted to take you through the experience of using Cashback as a searcher. It has been a rainy week here in New York, and I figured I would start my search and...
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May. 21, 2008 at 7:39am by Greg Sterling
Microsoft Introduces "Cashback" For Products
Microsoft has introduced a new program called "Cashback" on Live Search. We were thoroughly briefed and are currently under embargo about some details of the program. But, as others are reporting, it's now live and you can investigate it from a consumer experience perspective. It also has advertiser aspects and...
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May. 13, 2008 at 6:40am by Danny Sullivan
Funny Microsoft Live Search TV Ads That Should Be Aired
Two weeks ago, I attended a Microsoft event in London to talk about its progress in search. One of the highlights were these fake, hokey TV ads they showed us in between breaks. I loved them. They're especially funny if you know Britain, but anyone should get a chuckle out...
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May. 2, 2008 at 10:14am by Danny Sullivan
Indiana Jones Search: Indy Meets Microsoft Live Search
For over a year, Microsoft has been experimenting with games to help build its search marketshare. Yesterday, I learned of one that certainly caught my eye: Indiana Jones Search....
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Feb. 22, 2008 at 9:13am by Barry Schwartz
Microsoft Launches Search Prizes With Virgin In UK: Big Snap Search
Microsoft runs prize campaign for Live Search users from NewMediaAge reports that Microsoft is running another search and win promotion. This time the contest is based in the UK, in partnership with Virgin. It is named the Big Snap Search. Users can go to bigsnapsearch.com and search. At the top...
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Jan. 24, 2008 at 10:30am by Greg Sterling
Politically Tinged Promotion For Live Search
Microsoft has launched another would-be viral online campaign for Live Search that conceptually mimics the earlier Ms. Dewey campaign but is politically themed for the election year. The site is called Left vs. Right and (probably) takes its inspiration from the old Saturday Night Live skit point/counterpoint, featuring Dan Ackroyd...
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Nov. 16, 2007 at 9:15am by Barry Schwartz
Live Search Webmaster Center Blog Now Open For Business
Microsoft announced the launch of the new Live Search Webmaster Center Blog. The Live Search Webmaster Team promises to use the blog to communicate: New tools and features available to webmasters Search engine optimization tips A method of open communication with SEOs and Webmasters...
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Nov. 9, 2007 at 8:54am by Barry Schwartz
Microsoft Tries Search & Win Again?
Is Live Search bringing back the search and win "Live Search Trial Program?" A Marketwatch article suggests so, even though the page is invalid. Microsoft did run this program back in August. In addition, it has also run the Live Search Club program....
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Oct. 15, 2007 at 8:22am by Greg Sterling
Comparing Annual Ad Spending From Google, Yahoo, And Microsoft
This Associated Press article chronicles how Google has been able to build a multi-billion dollar consumer brand largely without advertising. That's the part everybody knows. But the article also compares the annual ad spending of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and eBay. It points out that when Google does buy any advertising,...
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Sep. 19, 2007 at 9:56am by Danny Sullivan
Live.com Gets New Home Page Ahead Of "Searchification" Next Week
Next week, Microsoft takes a page from the Google Searchology Day book and is planning a special day of its own to talk about its search efforts. Called Searchification, Microsoft has invited a number of bloggers and journalists for the event next week, on September 26. But Microsoft apparently can't...
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Jul. 13, 2007 at 2:03pm by Danny Sullivan
Microsoft On Search Gains & Live Search Club
Earlier this week, Microsoft got some positive news about its search share growing thanks to a Live Search Club program it started in May. But then came the criticisms. Was the traffic just off people using robots to win prizes? Nope, says Microsoft. I had a short talk with the...
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Jul. 10, 2007 at 10:56am by Danny Sullivan
Compete: Microsoft Gaining Searches; Live Search Club Giveaway Working?
Compete is out with its latest search marketshare report for June 2007, showing that MSN/Windows Live Search has posted a dramatic rise since last month. This appears to be do to the Live Search Club promotion that's going on. Below, a look at the trend, a history of how giveaways...
See Related Stories In: Business Issues: General, Microsoft: Live Search, Microsoft: Marketing, Stats: Compete, Stats: Popularity
May. 16, 2007 at 8:21am by Barry Schwartz
Microsoft Launches Live Search Club While Closing Start.com
The LiveSide Blog reports that Microsoft has launched a new site named Live Search Club, where you can play games to earn rewards. Some of the prizes you can win include ringtones, earphones, T-shirts, Microsoft Office, Xbox and many other prizes....
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Feb. 1, 2007 at 9:41am by Barry Schwartz
Aussies Turn Out For Battle Of Sydney; Google Gets Shot Down
Australia Day was last week. For the occasion, both Google and Microsoft both planned to do flyovers to snap imagery of the Sydney landscape and actual Sydney residents (Sydneysiders) for the event - ultimately to be used in Google Earth, Google Maps and Microsoft Live Local (Virtual Earth). However, Google's...
