WillC7

September Search Share: Google Grows, Yahoo and Bing Decline

I think that while this is certainly disappointing for the folks at Microsoft, it had to be sort of expected. With the back-to-school season back in full effect lots of those users go back to what they know - which is obviously Google. I think the hope was that some of those users would have been converted in the summer with the huge marketing push. If they have anything left, another decent push to grab the attention of the in-school crowd might not be a terrible idea because from what I've gathered people are actually reacting positively to Bing.
Microsoft needs to continue to showcasing its newest additions and changes to separate itself from Google so people will want to actually try it out. Another month of this will cause Microsoft to re-evaluate things I bet, even though word got back the Bing is actually increasing its search ads. This should be a big month.
ezanga.com

July Search: Bing Continues to Gain Share

So, basically Bing and Ask were the two searches that gained this month. The .3 percent increase may not be "impressive" but I think when only Ask grew during that same span, it still has to be viewed in a positive light. Google lost nearly the same amount of share from last month, so something must be going right in Microsoft's upward battle - they are going up, after all. The slight decrease in sponsored clicks should be a worry though, especially after a promising increase in June.

I'm really curious to see what the numbers look like with the expected back-to-school traffic increase. If Bing can gain ground (and sustain) during that time, it could be a pretty big deal that shows it has legs to make long-term noise.

I'd also like to see what new engines emerge over the autumn. I'd like to see if Ask can make a bid at a gain or if some of these niche searches find a role in students searches. Even to see an engine like eZanga.com can increase its profile in the broad scope would be a great thing.

Bing Gives Microsoft Slight Boost in June Search Rankings

I think Microsoft would have had to expect a rise in the rankings with the big month they had in rolling out Bing. I don't know if a "slight boost" is what they were looking for or if it's a welcome development since the industry took a downturn as a whole. I'm curious to see what the July numbers look like because the hype has not gone down since the initial media push and Bing is still fresh on everyone's mind. Plus, the possibility of the Microsoft/Yahoo deal should close the gap barring something going terribly wrong. hopefully the pairing can add some new and exciting perspective to search.
Those interested in discovering new things in search should check out eZanga.com and test the metasearch engine out.

June Search: Bing Was a Bright Spot

I'm not ask skeptical as most people when it comes to Bing. I think that this will play out a bit differently than Ask, because Microsoft has the resources to keep it from sliding too far away from the competition. The advertising had a lot to do with the success this past month, that can not be denied. But most people have been pleasantly surprised by the results that Bing has produced so the product is actually legit and the people in charge seem to be set in making sure they keep with the latest technologies and trends.
Still, it's going to be a while before they catch up to Google. Google would actually have to decline or remain stagnant for a few years to have the gap closed considerably. It makes for an interesting time in the industry.
eZanga.com

Bing's Paid Clicks Up 8% - Has Microsoft Cracked the Search Nut?

For the most part, it seems as though Microsoft went through with the suggestions you made months ago. Obviously, the re-branding of the search was huge in leaving behind the past failures of Live, etc. Number one is ultimately what is putting Bing on the right road to being a online advertising player for years to come.
Bing has created a positive and effective user experience for its users and they are responding by going back and continuing to use it. Otherwise, the near 100 million dollars spend on their own ads would be a waste if they can not retain users.
The deals with Dell and Java and the like are continued steps in a positive direction towards putting Microsoft where it could be based on its overwhelming resources. There are also smaller-tier search engines that are perfecting search and online advertising in their own way such as eZanga, which continues to grow and improve its online services. It's worth checking out at eZanga.com

Bing Could Ding Yahoo, Not Just Google

I agree on what was said above in that there is very little differentiation in the big search engines to really make a decision based solely on results. It's been proven that all of the search sites have their good and bad searches, depending on what the user is looking for at a given time. It's beginning to come down to strictly the users personal preference in something maybe unrelated to the actual search. Maybe people like the home background photos of Bing, maybe people want to see their news before they search so they go to Yahoo. There are so many different types of search solutions out there now with niche searches, meta searches, answer sites...it's taken a life of its own. In the end, I think there will just be multiple entities out there and no one company will win this "battle". For another search experience, check out eZanga.com and see why this upstart engine is making waves.