New MSN Labs Search Funnel Tool
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Maybe I am just slow lately but this tool is new to me. Since the introduction of the MSN Adlabs Keyword tool I have been checking for new tools at MSN so it has to be new 
– So what the heck is this tool and what effect does it have on my life? Well here is how it works. You enter a key-word and select either Funnel in or Funnel out. An incoming funnel is a search that ends with a certain keyword; for example, an incoming funnel for “SEO” displays all the queries that customers searched before searching for “SEO”.(taken from MSN details page).
An outgoing funnel is a search that starts with the keyword; for example, an outgoing funnel for “SEO” displays all the queries that customers searched after searching for “SEO”.
Who cares? This doesn’t pertain to me does it? Well that is your decision but since your hooked you might as well read the rest of the article
I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Here is the link to the tool: MSN Adlabs Keyword Funnel tool
As the MSN details indicate this tool takes a keyword and either shows any keywords that were searched prior to arriving at that final key-phrase or vice-versa.
After doing a few searches I found some interesting data. I found ‘links:’ and ’site:’ command searches which ended in searches for their terms. This tells me that webmasters are checking their rankings and links. Sure what is so wonderful about that? We all do it don’t we? That is what I am getting at. The search data for MSN and Yahoo is inflated by automated and manual rankings checks. I am not saying Google doesn’t have this either but Google isn’t wide open to auto attacks. Google uses APIs while MSN and Yahoo can be queried without them. I think the actual search data for MSN and Yahoo is much lower than even Overture says.
I have found this recently when I have gained a few more competitive rankings on MSN yet so far have gotten no traffic. Google produces over 100,000 searches for the same phrase yet MSN is not sending me one click. What is going on?
I think more people than MSN or yahoo would have us believe are turning into Googlers. Yahoo is a hotbed of spam and I have yet to rank a quality site there, however BH sites have no trouble ranking. MSN has made changes for the better and IMO is the #2 search engine even though they lack the traffic Google has and alot of that is even automated queries.
Not sure where I am going with this… Maybe to show that you should spend more time worrying about Google than gaining rankings for a losing search engine. If you rank on MSN/Yahoo and Google you will know what I am talking about. The search volume is vastly different. The quality of the search traffic is vastly different. A well written, quality site will convert more Google traffic than the other search engines combined.
This morning I heard someone say “there are 4 major search engines. Google, yahoo, msn and ask”. I wonder how much traffic comes from a search phrase like ‘hosting’ on ask because I also rank very well on Ask and get no traffic. Yahoo is dieing and the worst part about it is they are ignoring it. They ignore any suggestions from seo/webmasters and continue to the path of desctruction. The ONLY reason MSN has improved at all is that for #1 they have started taking advice and listening to it and 2. they are starting to think like a search engine. MSN is still new to the game so IMO are doing okay. I believe MSN can rise in status if it continues on this path. I have recieved a few letters from MSN asking for advice(supposedly randomly sent) and have submitted my advice. I have seen one of those recomendations put into effect. The others are algo changes which may or may not be in effect yet.
Well I guess I kind of took it off the topic of the MSN funnel tool but maybe this is more interesting? Well I hope some of it was helpful to you. Just remember Google SEO will have long lasting effects. It may take longer but will last a long time if done right. MSN and Yahoo rankings can comes quick but bring little quality traffic.
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