Microsoft Video Hyperlink Innovation

Yet again Microsoft is too busy trying to come up wit the coolest marketing innovation to worry about trying to build up market share by getting real search volumes. It seems like they are trying to build the best search engine for advertisers to play with; with adLabs and now the Video Hyperlink capabilities. But nobody is using MSN for search - well, only 10% of people. And honestly, the embedded advertising in videos or the new social video sharing is really only cool to advertisers, people might get a kick out of it, but it isn't cool enough to get the masses off of YouTube.

I like all of Microsoft's API tools - they are vastly more innovative than alot of the other engine's tools in development, but for right now, I'm using them as an instrument for tweaking my Google and Yahoo! campaigns. Because no matter what I do, I can't seem to get enough action in MSN. My CTR and conversions are great, but my impressions suck in comparison to the other engines strictly because of available volume.

These tools have the advertsier in me excited, but the consumer in me is pretty dulled by the whole thing. I can't help but feel like a frosted shredded wheat commercial.

You know that Microsoft is obviously worried about being number three in what seems to be a 2 man race, but why then are they focusing all their R&D efforts on the advertisers and not the consumers - it's basic marketing gone backwards - for god's sake, give us poepl willing to buy and we'll advertise anywhere, cool tools or not.

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