With Microsoft desperately trying to move forward in its ever loosing battle to provide the number one search engine it has signed non exclusive deals with both Facebook and Twitter in an attempt to integrate there live feed update services to Bing. Is this a sign of desperation on Microsoft’s part? Trying to cash in on the traffic of social networking sites, or a stroke of genius? Only time will tell. But I doubt that this latest investment in the flailing, floundering search engine Bing will have the guys at Google quivering for too long, not only is the deal not exclusive there is no sign as of yet that it will be lucrative.

So why have Microsoft done this?

Well, to put it simply, Microsoft are failing to keep up with Google and even the lesser used Yahoo, while they may have had the dominance in the internet browser market which more than gently nudges you towards using Bing I might add they haven’t actually managed to convert this into any sort of useful marketing leap.

The other main reason is that they have to get involved in this. Google are in talks with Facebook and Twitter and of course Microsoft cannot afford to fall behind again especially now Google looks set to get another jump on them by indexing AJAX based sites. Google’s index is already staggeringly greater than Microsoft’s and more accurate, thus it works better for users so more people use it, simple really.

The corporate jugernaught that is Microsoft seeks to dominate all things in the computer world and is slipping on many fronts. With apple nipping at Microsoft’s heals and Google trouncing it in the online market they really need to pull something out of the bag and soon lord knows they have the money. So the real question is what the hell is it exactly that Microsoft are playing at? We all saw what happened to Netscape when they took Microsoft on; they were crushed completely and utterly. Though this move will undoubtedly be a bonus to Bing users the real question is, is it a bonus to social network users and is it enough of a bonus to convince people to use Bing. Well I would suggest it is quite unlikely even if they do manage to get it all integrated before Google.

Although social networks do absorb a great detail of our lives has it got to the point where they can be the tipping point in corporate competitions? I doubt it. Let’s just hope that the arrival of windows 7 is well received or the giants may be seeing some dark days in the near future.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites