bing.com

Without much fanfare (outside technology circles), Microsoft launched bing.com, their new search engine designed to help people make better decisions. I know I can sure use the help at times.

It’s no secret that Microsoft wanted to increase its position in the online search world. Just think back to last year’s Yahoo! drama. So, it should come as no surprise that they moved forward with their own online property.

Launched on May 28, 2009 (deployed worldwide on June 3), bing.com is dubbed as a ‘Decision Engine’, as opposed to a search engine. Interesting positioning indeed, and in some ways quite ingenious as it helps to focus on what users do online. 

First, we surfed. Then, we searched. Now, we decide. Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports stating that users (consumers and business) use the Internet to research items so they can make more informed purchase decisions, whether online or in-store. I know I do this as well.

But, regardless of my thoughts on their positioning, it’s time to focus on the real questions at hand: 

Does it really work better than the rest? 

It’s still pretty early, but some prelim tests (very informal) performed by yours truly seems to suggest it’s results are comparable with Google and Yahoo!.

Will online users switch, or at least incorporate bing.com into their search mix? 

Good question. I know in the past, I used to use a number engines in my quest for information, but lately, I’ve been using one. But understanding that bing.com focuses on four key vertical areas (making a purchase decision, planning a trip, researching a health condition or finding a local business), I might be inclined to try. Though I’m iffy on this right now. 

The user experience seems to be similar to the others. But, they have included an additional navigation feature on the left side of each page that offers helpful search options for the user. Plus, each search result is categorized on the page so finding the right type of info is, I must say, easier.

Can marketers gain advantage using this tool over its established competitors? 

Another good question. I can’t help but think of the saying, “If you build it, they will come.”  Let’s face it, if people come, then marketers will incorporate bing.com into their search marketing and SEO (search engine optimization) mix. Without a doubt. Moreover, since it’s focused on purchase related decisions it certainly lends itself well to advertising efforts. In fact, there are already sponsored sites (akin to Google Adwords) at the top and sides of each results page.

But I must admit, although I checked out the back-end admin (adCenter) for marketers to use to manage their ads, I didn’t spend a lot of time playing around with it, let alone create a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad campaign. Like its competitors, it was easy-to-use and offers the right type of intelligence we need to continually improve our work. They do offer case studies to review as well.

I’m always amazed at the incredible pace of change technology has brought to our marketing lives. Since I started using Yahoo! In the mid/late 90s, I’ve had the chance to see search engines, and marketing tactics using them, evolve over time. It’ll be interesting to see the type of response Microsoft’s entry will garner from the big players. At the end of the day, if we all can make one better decision a day, then it must have some value.

At this time, I would like to ask for your thoughts on bing.com. Will you use it? Do you like it better? Have you already created a campaign?

- editor

Social Networking Forecast: Success can depend on your Circle of Friends

A recent report by eMarketer suggests that US social networking ad spending will fall by 3% to US$1.14 billion in 2009 from US$1.18 billion in 2008. Significant if one considers that year-over-year spending grew by an estimated 33% in 2008 and 129% in 2007. 

The major culprit for the overall decrease? MySpace. Due to a drop in recent traffic figures, eMarketer predicts revenue for MySpace to drop 15% this year to US$495 million compared to an estimated $585 million in 2008. However, there is some positive news out of this as Facebook is expected to increase its ad revenue to about US$230 million, a 9.5% over 2008. 

So, what does this mean to marketers? Two things:

First, not all social networking sites are created equal. Investing in a social networking ad campaign requires careful planning on targeting the right audiences, which means putting in the time to carefully weigh out your options and prioritize your dollars. Basic marketing fundamentals, I know. But it’s easy to get caught up in the social media frenzy and target sites based on their overall member numbers without looking deeper at the quality and relevancy of their demographics in regard to your objectives. 

Ask yourself, “Which site has the right members (demo + size) for our campaign?”; “Which site offers the right ad formats and placements to help deliver better results?”; “Are there case studies available (from the site itself or from customers)?” 

Second, now that social networking has been the buzz for a few years, people are getting savvy in creating and delivering their messages. Everyone understands that social networking sites are based on creating and maintaining friendships. No arguing that point. But it’s a key one to remember. For like all friendships, they take time to develop and nurture. Which means that most marketers who are successfully leveraging these sites are putting in time and resources into building lasting, interactive relationships with members based on trust and two-way communication. Rather than relying on ads (which still work for various types of campaigns), marketers are including social media relations in their strategy* and allocating budgets for people (in-house or outsourced) to manage these activities. 

Case in point, eMarketer mentions a survey by Forrester Research, which found that 54% of marketers plan to increase their investment in social media in 2009. So, although ad spending will decrease by 3% this year, marketers are still looking to increase their overall investment… interesting. This certainly highlights the importance of including social media relations initiatives, above and beyond ads, as part of your overall social networking strategy.

So, whether you’re new to social networking or a veteran looking to enhance your programs, keep in mind the old adage they say in the investment world, “the trend is your friend.”  And in this case, invest in your ‘friends’ wisely.

* Through an informal survey amongst some colleagues, it's interesting to note that there are mixed opinions on which strategy social media relations falls under: online marketing or public relations. Of course, diehards will support the notion that it's in a league of its own... regardless, this raises an important issue of budgeting and resource allocation. Time will tell.

- editor