Microsoft, home of the Windows and the Zune, has just announced that they're going to launch Bing, a rebranding and reformatting of their search engine. So far, they've earmarked $100 million just for the marketing.
Bing, of course, stands for Something to challenge Google. The problem, as far as I can tell, is that it is trying to be the next Google. And the challenge for Microsoft is that there already is a next Google. It's called Google.
Google is not seen as broken by many people, and a hundred million dollars trying to persuade us that it is, is money poorly spent. In times of change, the rule is this:
Don't try to be the 'next'. Instead, try to be the other, the changer, the new.
If Microsoft adds a few features and they prove popular, how long precisely will it take Google to mirror or even leapfrog those features?
With $100 million, you could build (or even buy) something remarkable. Something that spread online without benefit of a lot of yelling and shouting. Something that changes the game in a fundamental way. The internet works best when you build a network, not when you buy a brand. In fact, I can't think of one successful online brand that was built with cash.
1 comment:
"Don't try to be the 'next'. Instead, try to be the other, the changer, the new"
Completely agree! - and thats exactly what I believe Microsoft is trying to do. Whether it will succeed or not is a different discussion altogether.
Everyone does this - not just microsoft. Why is Google working on Chrome browser? Firefox and Safari aren't seen as broken by people! (I was going to add IE but I know you will pounce on that statement :))? - Currently Chrome offers very similar (if not less) features that these browsers!.
They probably want to do something new with it in the long run!.
Sure Chrome has some better features - So does Bing!. Have you tried the video search in bing? - have you seen the visual search feature? - they offer a better search experience.
Why can't we keep the same open-mind about Microsoft?
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