Microsoft to Sell Search Engine Advertising

Featured article on Bloomberg.com states: Microsoft Corp., which runs the No. 3 U.S. Internet search engine, plans to start a service where clients will pay to be listed alongside its MSN search results, people familiar with the plans said.

The service will be similar to competing programs from Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. Microsoft will announce a pilot program March 16


MSN has a contract to use Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo's paid search service through June 2006.

MSN no longer using Yahoo Search Marketing Solutions or Overture...breach of contract?

I guess that means I have another engine to manage advertising on for 40-50 clients. I wonder ho wlong it will take the ppc bid management software solutions to pick up the new MSN Paid Search Ads as their bundled partners?

Plenty of Room

Yahoo has known that Microsoft was working on a competing product. Chief Executive Officer Terry Semel said at an investor conference in Palm Beach, Florida, March 1 that Microsoft may start its own paid-search advertising business.

``My guess is that at some moment in time there will likely be three networks instead of two,'' Semel said. ``There's plenty of room for three players in search.''

MSN already sells some slots in its search results to companies that advertise elsewhere on its Web sites. The company pays Overture to auction off the right to be listed when a certain keyword is searched. MSN's new service will be similar.

MSN also will provide tools to advertisers to help them determine what search keywords to purchase and what type of ads are best for targeting their customers, one person said. The company wants to be able to sell a variety of different ads and services to customers, the person said.
At the bottom of all this MSN content, there is an ad for:
"Advertisement: Where will the US Dollar go? Special Report From Refcofx.com"

What does the US Dollar have to do with MSN search engine advertising? I think the connection is a bit far-fetched, give me something relevant, content-target me!

MSN Search Launches Viral Campaign Find MSN here