SEO Search Engine Optimization

Microsoft recently released the details of BrowseRank, its new Internet browsing algorithm developed to compete with and eventually surpass Google's PageRank.

Instead of measuring the links to and from a specific page, BrowseRank calculates how often users visit the  web site and for how long. Microsoft believes that this will give Internet browsers, and not web site developers, more control over page relevancy, thus leading to a more democratic Internet environment.

Search engine success is all about Rank, and Microsoft is a distant third in the search engine race, uncharted waters for a company so used to dominating the computer industry. Microsoft is struggling to remain a player in the search world, looking over Yahoo's shoulder while trying to catch sight of the unchallenged search star, Google, the undisputed Internet Search King. As of June 2008, Google accounted for an amazing 70% of all U.S. browser searches, which is up 6% from the previous year. Yahoo came in second, way behind, with a 20% share, while MSN had just over 5% percent, only just ahead of ask.com in third place.

Microsoft have been trying to attain a share of the search advertising market by offering cash back to browsers who searched for and purchased products or services through Live Search. Many search professionals took this as Microsoft ridiculing the notion that the search engine with the most relevant results will have the most success. They assumed Microsoft thought they could buy browsers away from Google. It seems, that even though money talks, browsers still want the best search results.

Next, Microsoft purchased the semantic search engine Powerset, which tries to understand the full meanings of phrases typed in to there search box. Google still bases its results on individual words, rather than trying to understand their meaning. Powerset is however, limited to searches within Wikipedia, and search professionals wonder whether this technology will ever be used within a major search engine (although its iPhone application has been applauded). Regardless, Microsoft has been doing all its talking with its wallet (consider its failed acquisition of Yahoo) with very little innovation coming from within the company itself.

And now BrowseRank, a collaborative effort from Microsoft's own researchers and scientists from various Asian universities. Seeing as PageRank is at the heart of Google's success, it was obvious that Microsoft had to tackle this algorithm head on if it ever wanted to seriously compete with the reigning Search giant.

Your Microsoft BrowseRank comments are welcome....