Microsoft Needs A Search Identity

By WebProNews Staff - Thu, 05/08/2008 - 07:05

MSN, Live, who can keep track?

Too much variation between the company's Live and MSN properties makes it look like the branding professionals had no input into the design.

Creative types may not be great fans of rigid conformity. But the majority of people seem comfortable with universal brands that present a known element no matter where they go. When you look at Microsoft's Live Search and its MSN properties, one sees a passing resemblance, but definitely not a unified brand.

The Live Side blog tossed up some screenshots of the two properties to show the design inconsistencies. "While none of these pages is offensive or poorly designed, is it a common experience?" they asked.

We have to say no, despite the hefty traffic Microsoft's web properties receive. The company has churned through a couple of people over the past three years over its web strategy, but so far no one apparently stood up and said "let's get our branding together."

Live Side cited the varying search buttons, boxes, and backgrounds among the Live and MSN properties as a few examples. Every destination is a little bit different. There's no consistency.

ReadWriteWeb noted the persistent brand confusion goes beyond the Web. As tech industry observers know, Microsoft's naming conventions tend toward the unwieldy; Windows Live Search for Windows Mobile, anyone?

Microsoft needs a benevolent dictator with a keen eye for web design and usability to take charge of the look and feel of search across MSN and Live. First order of business: fix the appearance of the search box and its options over all of those properties. Give the people what they want - order.

3 Comments

By Aussy (WPN reader) - Thu, 05/08/2008 - 17:03

Home & Mobile

As a consumer, I own a desktop, a laptop and a pda phone. All of them run Microsoft. Yet, there is no "package" that translates my everyday experience and user habits across the board. At home I use Google. The laptop doesn't get much use any more, but it's much the same as my desktop in usability. On the road I use Microsoft & Google.

What I need is a package deal: Give me a search engine, peer communication, maps, weather and widgets to customize and tie together my everyday web life at home, in the office and on the road. Working AND socializing. All under ONE banner.

But, though I get lots of spam and useless offers, NO ONE has sent me anything to gauge my daily web habits.What software do I use, why? When do I use it, what do I need and look for etc. etc.

In the days of being connected and transparant I would probably go with any company that offers me that.

By Simply Clicks (WPN reader) - Thu, 05/08/2008 - 11:06

Microsoft search branding

Microsoft has come against a common problem. The original Microsoft brand means windows and all the standard desktop tools such as Excel, Word adn PowerPoint. Microsoft doesn't mean search - Google does.

MSN and Live are pure weaklings in the branding stakes. That's unless you're talking instant messaging. Microsoft should adopt a bolder posture. Forget all of its Microsoftness and create a search experience and its attendant branding entirely from scratch. Stop trying to catch Google. Reinvent a new search game.

By Better Search Engine Rank (WPN reader) - Thu, 05/08/2008 - 09:26