WebProNews

Holiday shopping patterns mean all kinds of businesses can profit from the fourth quarter shopping frenzy. That includes search engines, as Microsoft demonstrated more of its vertical search strategy. You have to fish where the fish swim, and as we noted in October, Microsoft plans to swim in the vertical search market.

Their Live Search blog stated previously that the company would show off expanded results for computers and electronics equipment. Other categories will get this treatment, but for now electronics reigns at Live Search.

Product reviews will be the key to the Live Search vertical strategy with electronics. Search result pages at the Live Search site brings together product information, most-discussed aspects of a product, and the percentage of positive and negative comments made about an item.

These snapshots include user review information, represented graphically. In Live Search's printer example, one can view all of the general comments made about the printer, or look at comments concerning price, print quality, and other topics.

Though Live Search is a general search site, there are plenty of those in the marketplace. Vertical information placement like what Microsoft wants to do with electronics gives their engine something to differentiate it from market leader Google.

The key will be in how well Microsoft can monetize these verticals. Electronics companies are highly competitive, and consumers love their products especially for holiday gifting. It seems like a rich mine to tap for Live Search.

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