Microsoft Search Closes In to the 10% Market Share Milestone

As far as search face-off is concerned, Microsoft is in a perpetual third place. Google has grown to become synonymous with search and is using its position to fuel the advertising business. Yahoo is fully taking advantage of the brand momentum leveraging a consistent position of runner up on the search market. Microsoft is at a distant third and struggling to catch up.

The Redmond Company has been on a search downslope throughout 2006. The introduction of the Live umbrella brand, including Windows Live Search did little to stir Microsoft's search away from its descendant trajectory. Still Microsoft did manage to revitalize Live Search and MSN Search at the turn of the year. Starting in 2007 the combined market share of Live Search and MSN Search started gathering back the percentages lost the past year.

According to Internet metrics firm Hitwise, Google is continuing to consolidate its position on the search market. Hitwise revealed that, in the US, Google accounted for a total of 64% of all searches in March 2007. "Google's growth shows no signs of slowing" said Bill Tancer, General Manager of global research at Hitwise. "Despite capturing the majority of searches in the U.S., and in light of competitor's improvements, Google's market share of executed searches continues to grow, exceeding 10 percent growth year-over-year".

Hitwise Search Engine Analysis Tool evaluated the results of in excess of 50 search engines. Trailing Google with 64.13% of the search market is Yahoo with 21.26% and Live Search/ MSN with 9.15%. Hitwise underlined the fact that Microsoft has lost search share compared to February 2007 when it accounted for a share of 9.3%.