Search Engine Optimization News Blog

Not to be outdone by Google, Microsoft is dashing off a flurry of actions designed to boost their own agenda.

Unfortunately, several of them fall fairly flat.

Their $300 million ad campaign is tossing $10 million Jerry Seinfeld’s way - but the Seinfeld / Gates match up comes nowhere near the wry humor of the Mac commercials. Shoe size and adjustment of shorts seems to be the main thrust of the first commercial - we’ll see if they get better or not.

The acquisition of Ciao, a major $486 million dollar chunk of change, is intended to be using the price comparison portal as a launch pad fro Microsoft’s all out offensive into European territory,. The seller, Greenfield Online closed the deal with Microsoft, who plans to integrate Ciao into its Live Search.

Last but not least, their free Windows Live Messaging system which is supposed to offer free video message access between users on a safe and secure bandwidth is not going to be used by as many as they hope .

The stipulation that you must have a Windows Live Login, be using Internet Explorer, and - perhaps most distasteful of all - you have to install Microsoft Silverlight.

This puts a damper on the program which actually has quite a few nice features. You don’t have to download files to play them - the video messages are kept on a secure website for simplicity and ease of use.

You can control who views the messages by locking or unlocking them - thus guaranteeing they are seen only by the recipient if you so choose, and you can even view the occasional video a single time if you don’t receive many or view them repeatedly - without having to have the Windows Live ID.

The service will be officially launched on September 9, but some people are gaining access now to try it out and see how it measures up against other less restrictive sites like EyeJot.