16 March 2007

Microsoft announces "financial incentives" for Live Search users

Microsoft has announced that it is to offer "financial incentives" to large businesses which encourage their employees to use its Live Search engine.

The company is testing the programme with "a select number of enterprise customers based on the number of web search queries conducted by their employees via Live Search", a Microsoft statement said.

In return, the software giant will provide businesses with "service or training credits". The project will also supply feedback on using Live Search for business.

Analysts said that the project was a shrewd move to capitalise on its massive and loyal software client base but that it could backfire if Live Search failed to compete on the levels of service expected.

"Ultimately you have to compete at the product level," Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Intelligence told Infoworld. "The product has to stand on its own merits.

"There's a fairly high risk this will not succeed at the grassroots level, because they're using a top-to-bottom approach here."

Microsoft also announced this week that it would raise the profile of its remote-hosted software as a service Live package, including Live Search, by signing an agreement with PC maker Lenovo to install it on its computers.

"As search evolves into more of a productivity tool, and revenue sharing becomes more commonplace across the industry, we are engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships to more easily enable customers to choose Live Search," said Microsoft.

Home | Careers | RSS | Contact Us | Newsletter

International sites: