As well as providing the usual MSN search results that use the same ranking algorithm as its predecessor live.com, Bing provides another search feature.
By locating the mouse to the right of the Bing search results, a window can be displayed that provides additional content from the listed website. This can include any relevant links on the page which can be clicked via the Bing window without the need to visit the website.
On testing Bing for common car insurance related keywords, the new Bing window does appear to enhance searches, helping users to focus their search more efficiently.
It is only as good as the search results generated, however, wherein, of course, lies the main reason why Google need not be too worried about the impact Bing will have on its market share.
So will Bing increase MSN's share of the search market? Quite probably, but largely only in the short-term unless Bing becomes able to generate results nearing the utility of Google which it currently does not and could not achieve without multi-billion investment in data storage capacity and algorithmic expertise.
Interestingly, visits to our website from Bing have already increased and our site navigation data would suggest that people are clicking on links presented in the new Bing window.
So people seem to like it. But will it change people's search choices in the longer term? Not significantly unless MSN invests much more in its search operation and produces a service that can realistically compete with Google. A merger with Yahoo!, although a step in the right direction, would not be enough.
That said, Bing could perhaps double MSN's current 2% UK market share as this new search utility is certainly useful. This outcome, if not what MSN may have hoped for, is still an impressive result.
It is also worth remembering that websites achieve high search ranks for popular keywords through their own manipulations and to achieve this with Google requires established networks which smaller providers cannot match. MSN helps to 'level the playing field' for good services such as this site that struggle to compete with their giant rivals on Google. That has to benefit the end user given that biggest is not always best.
