MSN's Social Search Play - Non-Algorithmic? + Eurekster Partnership?
Interesting Business Week article on MSN's entry into the social search space...

"The feature will let users direct questions to a specific universe, such as a group of friends, rather than to get automated lists of results from a generic search engine."

It sounds pretty non-algorithmic, more like an email blast to your group of friends... And how WOULD it be more effective than just sending a blast?

On monetizing social search: "Yahoo's research shows that people typically use social-network search to find e-commerce opportunities. "These are transactional queries," says Horowitz. "These searches are monetizable." That means advertisers may pay more to have their ads associated with searches that have a social component."

Also from the article... "Microsoft is in talks to buy or forge a partnership with two-year-old startup Eurekster.com, specializing in social-network search, BusinessWeek Online has learned from people familiar with the matter."

Very VERY interesting, eh Steve?

How can marketers prepare for social and community search? Read my recent article: Changes in SERPs Display and Relevance Measures Will Fuse Organic SEM and PR.

Or listen to me speak on social search at the Social Search Roundtable.

Or give me a call (office) 919-433-3139 (cell) 919-696-4225. Or email: selowdown@gmail.com.

This weekend I'll be in Asheville with the lady and her daughter. Should be a gorgeous weekend! I'll try not to think too much about MSN's entry into social search until Monday ;)
Garrett French - MarketSmart Interactive | permalink | +marktd |