September 12, 2006

Windows Live: Which Search Engine Will You Use

Why did you start using Google's search engine? Probably like me you heard about it from friends (I used to use Alta Vista), started using it, realized how simple it was and just kept on. Well, Microsoft has officially launched Windows Live and one reason many people are not using it is because it is so new and Microsoft is going to have to do quite a bit to let people know about it.

The Associated Press writes In general, I don't think a lot of consumers outside of computer enthusiasts... are aware of Windows Live or know what it is," said Matt Rosoff, independent researcher with Directions on Microsoft.

The search engine wars are also going to be won differently depending on the user. For "more aware" computer users, we'll go directly to Google, we won't install a Yahoo or Microsoft search/tool bar and etc - for example. Other users, I've seen this myself and Robert Scoble talks about it on Podcast.net in a recent podcast, "The King of Blogging Speaks Out".

He says that many people, and he's so right don't even know what they are doing on the computer. For example, if Yahoo's tool bar is the default search tool, many of them will go to Yahoo to search for Google or vice versa. I've seen many people using Google to go to a web address instead of typing the web address directly into the web address input bar of their web browser.

For small businesses, for now, I'd continue to use Google for search and advertising and each time you make a buy spend some money on Yahoo and Microsoft cost per click searches to see which one gives you the better return.

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