Comments on: Microsoft Offers Cash Back to Searchers, But for How Long? http://bobcaswell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-offers-cash-back-to-searchers-but-for-how-long/ Media consumer, tech enthusiast, and blogger Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Yan http://bobcaswell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-offers-cash-back-to-searchers-but-for-how-long/comment-page-1/#comment-1584 Yan Fri, 23 May 2008 02:54:58 +0000 http://www.techconsumer.com/?p=872#comment-1584 It is no doubt MS will make money with this. They have simply copied the business model from Jellyfish, a startup they acquired last year. That model (profit sharing) is profitable and used by many (eBates, Fatwallet, etc) It is no doubt MS will make money with this. They have simply copied the business model from Jellyfish, a startup they acquired last year. That model (profit sharing) is profitable and used by many (eBates, Fatwallet, etc)

]]> By: Bob Caswell http://bobcaswell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-offers-cash-back-to-searchers-but-for-how-long/comment-page-1/#comment-1582 Bob Caswell Wed, 21 May 2008 15:21:47 +0000 http://www.techconsumer.com/?p=872#comment-1582 Google does this thing by just being Google were it makes you feel like you're getting the best results possible... I mean, it's Google, it has to be the best search option, right? Maybe, but definitely subconsciously for your average searcher. It's true though, Paul, that Google hasn't seemed to do much with search in a while... at least on the surface. I'm sure they'd argue that tons of things are constantly tweaked behind the scenes. But I wouldn't know. Google does this thing by just being Google were it makes you feel like you’re getting the best results possible… I mean, it’s Google, it has to be the best search option, right? Maybe, but definitely subconsciously for your average searcher.

It’s true though, Paul, that Google hasn’t seemed to do much with search in a while… at least on the surface. I’m sure they’d argue that tons of things are constantly tweaked behind the scenes. But I wouldn’t know.

]]> By: Paul Ellis http://bobcaswell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-offers-cash-back-to-searchers-but-for-how-long/comment-page-1/#comment-1583 Paul Ellis Wed, 21 May 2008 14:27:29 +0000 http://www.techconsumer.com/?p=872#comment-1583 Honestly, I bet that retention even after the promotion ends will actually be pretty decent for the people they get to switch. It is easy to switch, but people don't do it that much. That is their whole problem, they need to make people *want* to switch. I have tried to used Microsoft's search sites over the years but always went back to Google (quite quickly might I add), but recently I changed my default search to Live Search, and am still using in a month later. While Google seems to think their search is basically perfect (i.e. they don't see a need to innovate much anymore), Microsoft is working on actually doing something better. Trying to do a completely different type of advertising model may be something that Google ends up copying. Honestly, I bet that retention even after the promotion ends will actually be pretty decent for the people they get to switch. It is easy to switch, but people don’t do it that much. That is their whole problem, they need to make people *want* to switch.

I have tried to used Microsoft’s search sites over the years but always went back to Google (quite quickly might I add), but recently I changed my default search to Live Search, and am still using in a month later. While Google seems to think their search is basically perfect (i.e. they don’t see a need to innovate much anymore), Microsoft is working on actually doing something better. Trying to do a completely different type of advertising model may be something that Google ends up copying.

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