The search data released by AOL serves different ways. First a searcher was identified with that data and now a new keyword tool is created.

What distinguishes this Keyword Suggestion Tool from the others of the kind like Wordtracker or Overture is that the reports are given for three major search engines. The estimates of search traffic for Google, Yahoo and MNS are based on the reported search share of these engines and given for the month period. The tool uses data of 20million queries performed in a 3 month period from March to May, 2006.

We could only guess if the estimates based on AOL data are accurate or not but the tool itself is quite handy and easy to use.

New search statistics were published by HitWise yesterday. The reports show that Google share of search volume has increased up to 60%. Top search engines were tracked for a four week period - creating a ’snapshot sample’ of what US internet users prefer to search.

The results depicted the following results:

Compared to the last month Google increased its search by 0.5%, Yahoo by 2.5% and MSN has decreased slightly (0.3%). The overall share of three major engines is 94.5% for July.

This week new patents applications were published. It’s hard to find the same tendency among the patents signed to Yahoo, Microsoft and IBM. To give a short description, IBM has developed a linguistic approach to identifying the body of the document, Microsoft has explored a process of presenting relevant snippets in search results as well as removing unlinked pages from its index.

As for Yahoo’s inventions, the company got a number of patents that touch upon different aspects starting form understanding behind the user query and remote spam filtering ending with API approach to retrieve information from dynamic sites.

What to say, the headings read for themselves. So here is what we should expect from Yahoo in the nearest future:

- Systems and methods for managing and using multiple concept networks for assisted search processing

- Systems and methods for contextual transaction proposals

- System and method for improving online search engine results

- Matching and ranking of sponsored search listings incorporating web search technology and web content

- Value system for dynamic composition of pages

- System and method for providing improved access to SPAM-control feature in mail-enabled application

Good news to Firefox users. Microsoft AdCenter update includes the Firefox browser support. Claimed to be launched on 5^th of August an update to AdCenter will include the following upgrades:

- support of Firefox 1.5 browser

- real-time data reporting

- possibility to choose time frame to view summaries instead of viewing in life-to-date format

- enhanced usability of user interface

- more procedure calls for API users

The email with the changes listed was sent to premium adCenter customers. As for me I’m pleased with the long awaited Firefox support as I use this browser myself. What about you?

Launched about a year ago Windows Live Local (WLL) has been constantly being changed and improved. On a closer look 5 things can be selected that make WLL different from other services of the kind.

1) High-Resolution “Birds Eye” aerial views. New functionality implementation i.e. real-time traffic data and coverage of Europe make WLL maps closer to what the searcher looks for in a map.

2) “Call-for-free” capability. This unique functionality gives user an option to initiate a call with a single click.

3) “Collections” function. With this feature user can create topical collections and whether print them for personal use or share with friends via MNS.

4) “Locate me” capability. Based on a WiFi technology the function lets you easily identify an exact place of your location.

5) Three-layers plot of a map. The feature makes easier to search for different categories, pinning the results of the search on the same map.

Windows Live Local has significantly been improved for the last year. Though it still has some annoying problems, I believe that if it will move forward in the same rhythm, it will convert all the remaining bad features to good ones very soon.

Those who publish their ads in MSN, use Microsoft AdCenter might be unpleased not only with some disadvantages like a limit on the amount of keywords per account, a weird editorial process or poor support channel but also by a reporting delay happened recently.

The delay is reported to last since 7/14 and the fact is Microsoft knows about it. The AdCenter support engineers claim that the delay for hourly and daily reports is 1 hour and 1 day correspondingly. Normal turnaround times for report data is 8 a.m. Pacific Time.

Users of forums at SearchEngineWatch.com and WebMasterWorld.com also complain they haven’t received any conversion data since 7/14 yet.

The growing frustrations while using Adcenter of MSN, is making all of us think, can MSN get away this time? The clear differences pointed out:
1. The number of steps for making a change to campaigns (Google takes 3 and MSN 7-9)
2. The time it takes to make any change - Google 2.5 minutes, MSN 78 Minutes
3. Support - google - live, chat enabled - call and get an answer. MSN - i have no clue yet how to do it and get it done.
4. Interface - basic and everything you may have to go somewhere else or click something else and wait forever for it to load
5. Errors - MSN simply we dont know why the errors are popping up and what needs to be done to rectify them.

While tall promises of taking advertising away from TV, killing Google etc sound tempting and threatening, I think time for co-existance has come for MSN and it has to live with being 2nd or 3rd in certain markets. Oh what a time to be in