Gruber points to a Siegler article showing Google’s search market share climbing just over 5 percentage points over the past 2 years. What’s struck me most about the article wasn’t Google’s steady climb, rather it was Microsoft’s falling search numbers and the footnote of the data table.
The Microsoft’s share dropped 4 points in just over a year – and the caveat is a new live.com search site: club.live.com. For those counting, that makes 3 Microsoft search sites.
Site 1: MSN.com – the Yahoo look alike
Site 2: Live.com – the Google look alike
Site 3: club.live.com – the “hey guys! we made search into a game somehow!” site
Hey Microsoft, want to be a yahoo clone w/ your msn.com portal thing? then do it, and be the best at it (or – buy it already)! Want to be a google clone with your live.com site? then do it, and be the best at it! Want to be an online games clone (or whatever that’s supposed to be?) with your club.live.com, then do it!
Read any “how to start a business slash make a product successful” book, and you’ll find one rule: Do one thing and do it well, don’t over extend yourself.