Repositioning Looms for Microsoft Web Search

April 27, 2009

I think Microsoft’s approach to Web search is intriguing. The company has been working to close the gap between its Web search system and Google’s. The effort has been underway for a number of years. The article “Microsoft Preparing to Launch Kumo on June 2nd?here suggested a major repositioning is coming down the trail. The article said:

Despite the fact that we still don’t know what the actual rebrand name is going to be, there is going to be something big happening on June 2nd at SMX Advanced 2009 in Seattle. One of our forum members recently visited Microsoft’s campus and noted that there were LCD TV’s displaying a countdown with a preview of codename Kumo. From what we’ve calculated the countdown is right on target with the keynote session at SMX Advanced 2009 featuring Microsoft’s Online Services Division, Dr. Qi Lu. This is the first time that Dr. Qi Lu has given a presentation to the search marketing community since joining Microsoft, and given the fact that Microsoft is counting down to his keynote there is surely going to be a big announcement.

My poking around revealed that a change is indeed coming. The information I have seen suggested that the new approach is * away * from Web search toward the more challenging delivery of an * experience *. I am not sure what this means, but my thought is that if you can’t win at Web search, just reposition your service, declare a victory, and move on.

Stephen Arnold, April 27, 2009

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