Search Results Evolving

In July 2004, algorithmic results on MSN Search will gain more prominence and be more clearly separated from paid results.

The top illustration shows results for a search on “auto insurance” conducted in Mar. 2004. Results are listed in several categories, such as “Featured Sites” and “Sponsored Sites,” delineated by small gray text labels. Featured Sites includes MSN advertisers, such as GEICO and Progressive Insurance, and sites selected by MSN editors, such as MSN Money. Sponsored Sites consists of paid listings provided by Overture (owned by Yahoo). Sponsored Sites can appear in two places-below Featured Sites and/or in a box in the upper-right corner (this illustration shows the latter). A third category, Web Pages, consists primarily of algorithmic results provided by Inktomi (also owned by Yahoo) and is not visible in this picture because of the prominence of the paid listings.

The bottom illustration shows results for the same search conducted on beta.search.msn.com, which shows the planned July 2004 redesign. Listings purchased by MSN advertisers will be redesignated as Sponsored Sites, limited to three per results page, and appear at the top of each page in a box with a different-colored background. Listings provided by Overture will also be called Sponsored Sites and may appear in the top box, as well as in their own boxes running down the right side of the page. Algorithmic results will be listed in order of relevance in the middle of the page, and some of these results will always appear above the fold.