Microsoft offers $1m MSN Search prize

Turning to bribery to take on Google?
William Eazel, vnunet.com 20 Feb 2006

Microsoft is offering web users the chance to get their hands on $1m worth of prizes in return for using its MSN Search website.

In what seems like a frantic bid to get users to switch from arch-rival Google, the software giant has launched a three-month promotion around MSNSearchandWin.

"We are hopeful that once people give it a shot they will want to come back again and again," said Lisa Gurry, director of marketing at MSN Search.

According to Nielsen//NetRatings, MSN's search engine ranks third behind Google and Yahoo. MSN had 10.9 per cent of web searches in December 2005, down from 14 per cent in December 2004.

The business model of using incentives to attract web searchers is not new. For one Google-partnered site, Blingo.com, giving away prizes to web search users is the entire business structure.

Blingo receives revenue from Google for referring web search users to its results. The company takes some of that revenue and dispenses prizes to users who access Google via the site.

:source: Source: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/21...-prize-bonanza

What's bad is that MSN could very well be a better search engine but people are so used to Google that it may be hard for some to switch.

It might be a fanboy thing.

ya i hate any other layout besides google. I just cant find anything becuase im so used to google.

Bill Gates wants to pay ya to play with his child :dry: That's one ugly kid.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Busyman

What's bad is that MSN could very well be a better search engine......

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ummm.....nah :P

and don't throw the fanboy shit at me,
I use YAHOO! and Google

interesting.....
I put a search query in all three engines (google, yahoo, msn)

"html help" results:

• google.......1,610,000,000
• msn..............465,456,889
• yahoo...........371,000,000

"adobe cs keygen" results:

• google.......1,950,000
• yahoo...........733,000
• msn................33,269

"tera patrick" resluts:

• google......3,220,000
• yahoo.......2,300,000
• msn.............620,298

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fkdup74

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Busyman

What's bad is that MSN could very well be a better search engine......

---

ummm.....nah :P

and don't throw the fanboy shit at me,
I use YAHOO! and Google

interesting.....
I put a search query in all three engines (google, yahoo, msn)

"html help" results:

• google.......1,610,000,000
• msn..............465,456,889
• yahoo...........371,000,000

"adobe cs keygen" results:

• google.......1,950,000
• yahoo...........733,000
• msn................33,269

"tera patrick" resluts:

• google......3,220,000
• yahoo.......2,300,000
• msn.............620,298

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When Google first came out, it's biggest selling point was the relevence of results, not necessarily just the quantity. I wonder if that's still the case? :unsure:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fkdup74

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Busyman

What's bad is that MSN could very well be a better search engine......

---

ummm.....nah :P

and don't throw the fanboy shit at me,

---

At you? I wasn't.:unsure:

I only use Google. I'm just used to it and I have Google stock.

Fanboy of Google I am. :yoda:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Busyman

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fkdup74

ummm.....nah :P

and don't throw the fanboy shit at me,

---

At you? I wasn't.:unsure:

I only use Google. I'm just used to it and I have Google stock.

Fanboy of Google I am. :yoda:

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that was a "just in case" comment :P

I think its a good idea but the site really is not known. To hard to attract people unless they hear a lot of people winning and using it.