What’s Wrong with Microsoft Live Search

Posted on October 27, 2008
Filed Under microsoft | Comments

I got sent a link for Big Snap 2, Microsoft's latest promotion to get people to use Live Search. But let me tell you, they could give a Ferrari to every user and it still wouldn't get people to switch from Google.

Why? Because the most basic relevance for some incredibly popular terms is still awful. Let me give two examples:

  1. Facebook: The first result for this search is… wait for it… Amicus: the trade union! How can that possibly be right? The Facebook homepage is down as position 6. Total crap.
  2. Myspace: The top result for this is web-date.co.uk, a site that's got more spam in it than a Monty Python convention. The Myspace homepage languishes at postion 5. Garbage.

According to Hitwise, Facebook is the #1 search term in the UK; Myspace is #7. How many users are disappointed everyday on Live Search because of this?

Oh mighty gods of Microsoft, please, please, please get this right. Screw your algorithm, hand write these results.

I so want you to do well, as do many others in the SEM community. It's so incredibly important. Then I'll try to win a few John Lewis vouchers.

Agree or disagree with this post, or have something interesting to add? Then leave a comment below!

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Comments to “What’s Wrong with Microsoft Live Search”

  • searchbeest
    Excellent work Mel. Much, much better. I reckon this will get you another 1% market share alone!
  • Now try it! Do you see anything different?
  • searchbeest
    Thanks Mel. I know you're fighting the cause inside Microsoft.

    I use Statcounter btw, simple but effective for my needs.
  • It has been flagged - Jon are you using adCenter Analytics?!

    You should see some improvements in the coming months. We recognise that we should nail these kind of results in the UK.

    Thanks for bringing it up and do keep sending me examples via my blog!
  • searchbeest
    Doesn't look like any of the other examples you cited in your post have changed. Not very encouraging.
  • I'm with you - It's depressing to see.

    I flagged a load of similar results back in January -

    http://www.ppcblog.co.uk/microsoft-live/hey-msn...

    Much the same complaints. Come on Microsoft, you can do better than this.
  • searchbeest
    Judging by the number of visits I've had to this post from Redmond, Mel has already flagged it!
  • Great observations Jon.

    Mel - best get this flagged!!
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