MSN extends INK deal to Dec 2005!

[MakeMeTop]

Inktomi, in their latest SEC filing http://biz.yahoo.com/e/030214/inkt10-q.html

have revealed that MSN, this month extended their deal for web search with Inktomi until December 2005 :D

Oh, happy days are here again :)

Imagine - both MSN and Yahoo :cheers:

[ihelpyou]

This makes you wonder if MSN knew about the Yahoo deal before they went forward? Did MSN renew the contract before the Yahoo/INk deal or after it?

[MakeMeTop]

They renewed the agreement this month, Doug. Of course they knew about the Yahoo deal.

More likely this was done as a result of the Overture/AV deal.

[excell]

All this big search company buyout is quite interesting.. could it be that we will only have 1 or 2 worthwhile SEs left at the end of the day.. I mean where folks go to search?

[markymark]

Excellent news - and just a little bit surprising. I've got a feeling this is going to be a great year for SEO.

[Dave-O]

I have not got Inktomi figured out at all, and it might actually matter in the coming weeks and months.

I am top 10 for my major search term in Google, MSN (via Zeal/Looksmart), alltheweb, etc.

...but I stink in Ink! Using the Pure Search and Hotbot I am at #75 for the same term! Ouch.

Normally I wouldn't care, because I'm already getting good visibility in MSN through Zeal/Looksmart, but now I'm worrying about how Yahoo might use Ink in the near future, and now MSN has re-signed.

Here are some quick facts:

- PR6 (hopefully PR7 after the next dance)

- PFI via positiontech since last June for 3 pages, including the homepage.

- Ink is crawling and including my other non-PFI pages.

Any clues or suggestions? Ink doesn't appear to like something I'm doing or not doing, but I have no idea what it might be.

[Cavemptr]

This makes absolutely no sense to me. If I was Yahoo, I'd use Inktomi to provide MSN with the most irrelevant and spammy SERPs possible. Make MSN search so bad no one would ever want to use it.

[MakeMeTop]

>This makes absolutely no sense to me.

Oh, it makes a lot of sense. Everyone was expecting a great divide - in which case Google would conquer.

There is a saying in war that your enemies enemy is your friend - so you form an alliance with your enemy to defeat your mutual enemy. Makes a lot of sense to form a 'Grand Alliance' to beat back the common foe - and keep the upstarts out of the ring!

Interesting times :)

[Matt B]

Originally posted by MakeMeTop
There is a saying in war that your enemies enemy is your friend

I just never thought MSN would be happy paying Yahoo for results. It doesn't seem to fit the Micro$oft mentality.

It is definitely not over yet . . . .

[Mertu]

Originally posted by Cavemptr
Make MSN search so bad no one would ever want to use it.

But there's a question. How many people actually seek out MSN to do a search?
(As opposed to those who end up using it basically by default because it's the default search in IE and MSN is their default homepage that they never changed... Or people checking to see where their sites come up because so many people use MSN by default.)

[markymark]

I don't think it matters, Mertu. It's not our job to try to influence where people search. The fact is - MSN delivers large quantities of traffic and they will be using Inktomi up until the end of 2005. All that matters is that we as SEOs and webmasters harness that traffic.

[Kal]

Wowsie! This was the last thing I expected to wake up to. Does this industry keep us on our toes or what? I'll be VERY interested to see Danny's take on this. But I agree with Barry, it appears to be a "keep your enemy's closer" type of strategy. Great news for Ink/Yahoo :). Now glad I submitted lots of URL's to Ink Paid Inclusion yesterday.

<added>I wonder if MSN will use the Yahoo/Ink deal to squeeze out their partnership with LookSmart? Could be a nail in LS' coffin</added>

[Matt B]

Originally posted by Kal
<added>I wonder if MSN will use the Yahoo/Ink deal to squeeze out their partnership with LookSmart? Could be a nail in LS' coffin</added>

Now that's some good analysis, Kal. How better to get more money out of L$, or just buy them outright?

[Kal]

Originally posted by SEO Guy
How better to get more money out of L$, or just buy them outright? You could be on the right track there. Esp with LS' own comment "The Yahoo! deal makes LookSmart prime for partnership (or the picking!)" as per our interview (http://www.high-search-engine-ranking.com/InterviewWithDakotaSullivanofLookSmart.htm) with them :eek:. This year seems to have had the most incredible number of search engine soap opera plot twists ever!

[Advisor]

Originally posted by Cavemptr
This makes absolutely no sense to me. If I was Yahoo, I'd use Inktomi to provide MSN with the most irrelevant and spammy SERPs possible. Make MSN search so bad no one would ever want to use it. :green: And that's the one thing that makes sense to me out of all of this!

Perhaps that's Yahoo's plan all along. They have no intention of using Ink! hahaha...they're just gonna supply MSN with even worse crap than they have now, while Yahoo continues to have great results with Google.

Brilliant! :cheers:

Jill

[Kal]

:uplaugh: That makes Yahoo the "Stefano D'Miro", MSN the "Hope" and Inktomi the "Bo" of Days of Our Search Lives.

[Advisor]

Just received the following kinda interesting email from Peter Gorman at FAST Search:Hi Jill -

I am contacting you to clear up some misconceptions that are starting to appear in other media outlets regarding Microsoft's (MSN) contract extension with Inktomi for search services.
This deal is probably structured very similarly to the non-exclusive contract renewal Yahoo and Google announced before Yahoo bought Inktomi.

In Inktomi's recently filed 10-Q report, it states: "In February 2003, Microsoft extended its agreement with us [Inktomi] to provide Web search services through December, 2005." This does not mean any search service is out of consideration. It's important to understand that this deal is most likely structured so that MSN can use anybody else at any time at their own discretion, and that Inktomi can be terminated on short notice.

This is one of the few viable short-term options for MSN at this point, as it secures them a backup solution while their long-term strategy is determined. Without this MSN could risk being without a search solution in the short-term if INKT/YHOO terminates, or if Yahoo discontinues Inktomi search services. Additionally, switching to another search provider would take months, and controlling their own search solution would take even longer, therefore MSN must have a stable solution in the mean time.

The simplest solution appears to simply stick with the incumbent vendor (Inktomi/Yahoo) until they have made up their minds.

Please contact me if you would like additional commentary on this contract extension from John M. Lervik, CEO of FAST. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Peter Gorman
Director, Corp Communications
Fast Search & Transfer (FAST)
Home office: 978-276-1584
peter.gorman@fastsearch.com
Sounds mostly like FAST's own speculation, but it seems we shouldn't count FAST out just yet as a potential partner for MSN.

Jill

[Kal]

Hmmm the plot thickens... thanks for sharing Jill.

[MakeMeTop]

>contact me if you would like additional commentary on this contract extension from John M. Lervik, CEO of FAST.

That is an extremely strange thing to say! Why is the CEO of FAST wanting to talk about this contract extension? Is this all some sort of sideways spin with all the parties involved trying to confuse everyone? Are we all being set-up to take our eye off what is really happening?

Well, if that is what is going on - it's working :)

And, even stranger, why has there been no comment anywhere from either MSN or INKT? It is unlike them to wait until this sort of deal is announced through places like here.

[searchenginemarketing4u]

Yes, I would have thought that Ink would have at least issued a press release.

[Advisor]

Agree, Barry! I thought that was very strange too.

J

[Kal]

I think the deal extension was just part of their Feb 14 filing to the Securities Exchange - no major announcement was made because it is a non-exclusive deal and could possibly wind up when the Yahoo/Ink deal finalizes in April. After thinking about it a little more, that's my guess anyway. I still think that LookSmart's future depends on MSN and what they decide to do in April.

[Webmaster T]

[i]The fact is - MSN delivers large quantities of traffic and they will be using Inktomi up until the end of 2005. All that matters is that we as SEOs and webmasters harness that traffic.
Above may be why the CEO of Fast made a comment. Part of my strategy is to keep a close eye on this stuff for future. Perhaps the Fast guy wanted to kind of put a possibility out there and people start hedging their bets.

I was looking at the report that mentions the extension and I kinda' got the feeling that Inky were edgy about having most of their eggs in the MSN basket. The fact that it isn't a case of being tied to them is significant. Look at what Yahoo! did within 6 months of announcing the Google deal. It looks to me like those are not the kinds of agreements you want too many of or your constantly a nervous Nellie.

It does, to some degree, seem that the big ones use the fact that the smaller guys are so dependent on them to their advantage. As I understand it Yahoo! got a sweet heart deal with OV probably because of the Google-AOL deal and OV just couldn't afford to loose, so they low balled.

IMHO, Fast has to get some N Am major other than Lycos in its stable or it's prgram will be regarded somewhat as AV is now. Not sure how popular AlltheWeb is but I know all the sites I watch
closely they aren't sending a lot our way, but then I tune/optimize to google and pretty well ignore the rest. Works well on most but not so well on AlltheWeb. I have yet to figure out their backlink algo. Seems closer to AV then Google. "community" doesn't seem to be a big factor. It seems a link is just a link with seemingly no HUB factor for outbound.

[Gregsta]

Does any one reckon that an MSN/Yahoo/Inktomi partnership will be enough to give Google a run for their money?