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MSN Forms Focus Group for Search

September 30, 2004

Microsoft Corp. is quickening its march into search by setting up an advisory group of industry insiders to preview its search-engine plans and research.

Microsoft's Internet division has invited dozens of Webloggers, researchers and others to its Redmond, Wash., campus next week for an event called "Search Champs." They are scheduled to hear about and test upcoming features for MSN Search and to meet researchers from Microsoft Research, according to several people invited to participate.

MSN Search officials confirmed the creation of the Search Champs program and likened it to MSN's earlier technology preview of its own Web search technology, which is slated to compete with Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. as early as this year. Like that preview, which was launched in June and temporarily halted in August, Microsoft's latest event will provide early feedback on the company's search efforts.

"MSN created the Search Champs program as part of our commitment to listen to customer feedback on the evolving features of our search product," MSN product manager Justin Osmer said in a statement.

The Search Champs invitation outlines two days, with the first day devoted to meeting about MSN Search and the second focused on Microsoft Research, according to several search experts.

No one from Web Marketing Now was invited to Search Champs.

Reported by eWeek.