Here is my observations I posted on kblogger at
http://kblogger.com/blog/index.php/weblog/...cyn_commentary/
Microsoft Formally Launches Search Engine: Cyn Commentary
2/1/05
"SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. is formally launching its new Internet search engine, several months after it debuted in test form.
Beginning Tuesday, Microsoft's own search engine will permanently replace the Yahoo search technology that has been used on Microsoft's MSN Web site. But Yahoo's technology will be still be used for the "sponsored" listings that companies pay for, and that appear separately alongside the main search results.
Previously, Microsoft's search system was mainly available on a separate, test site."
And what does this mean...? Absolutely nothing! LOL With Google Stock over 8 times more valuable than Microsoft, there's not much of a market share for MSN to brag about. In fact, they are so late in the search game many find this feeble attempt to compete with Google a last ditch effort before conceding entirely in the search game.
Gates is out in full force promoting the engine - (why they don't hire a model or spokesperson is beyond me - NO ONE can identify with Gates) so I took it for a test drive.
Odd Phrase Matches seem to have a higher chance at a top ten single keyword search. For example a search for 'fetish' returns results for sites like "violence fetish" "sneeze fetish" "zuni Fetish" "rock fetish" even "extraterrestrial sex fetish" LOL This could be an attempt to give less dominance to sex sites in the rankings. IN fact, you wont really find any! A search for "hardcore porn" return "Morality in the Media" in the top ten. And at the bottom.. wouldn't you guess - Holy Moly it's identified as paid finally .... NIGHTSURF
Bah!
Blogs are ranking well. In fact a Sex Blog may be a good gateway domain to promote in MSN that links through to your adult sites.
Actually with the identifying the lack of porn sites and the addition of free access to Encarta encyclopedia - it's obvious MSN is targeting schools, libraries, office environments and other "clean result" search locations.
Not all adult content is blocked. Klixxx and other webmaster sites rank well but you have to be specific. A search for "Adult affiliate programs" does not return your Silvercash, Topbucks, or other programs, rather you get affiliate program directories with adult categories. Resource sites and portals (larger sites) seem to have a better chance in the rankings than single entity domains.
Keyword friendly domains help.
Exact search phrase matches in the title helps.
Meta descriptions are default descriptions for your indexed listing. If no description is found it looks to pull visible text off the page. Different descriptions are pulled to match different keyword phrases in your page to match the searched term. From this you can determine that if you have a text heavy/friendly page, don't use a description tag for a better chance to match exact phrases in the text of your page. If you're page has little or no text on your page, then use a keyword friendly description, helps to match keywords in your domain and title.
Overall, like Google, exact search term phrase matches in the text of your page will help your chances for ranking for that term, even without a keyword friendly domain or title.
Site age and size can help your chances. Optimize a site for MSN and leave it alone. If you don't see it start ranking in 6-8 weeks tweak and keep getting the site linked with sites already indexed, expecially portals.
I'll be writing more as time goes on, these are just inital observations I've commented on. Remember, nothing's writ in stone in SEO so do your own research and uncover your own findings for your own sites and efforts - you know what you've done so sort through it to find the tried and true. Build off of that and never stop promoting!
Submit to MSN Free:
http://beta.search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx?FORM=WSDD2
Since MSN is not exactly a viable search market place for adult, your typical porn site optimization efforts wont work. We either use a mid level promotional domain to gather and sort mainstream traffic and adult buy using sponsors of both, or just keep on submitting and hope some make it through.
Till next time,
Cyndalie