Microsoft Patent Seeks Solution To Search Spam

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

Microsoft has filed for a patent that will allow them to analyze e-mail spam to determine how better to handle search engine spam. While there are other applications to the patent, as Bill Slawski says, the most interesting part of it deals with the relationship between e-mail spam and Search Engine Optimization spam.

I think there is something interesting about the fact that Microsoft applied for the patent. Google might have, but since Google showed up late to the e-mail party with gmail, it had a ways to go before getting into the weeds on that one. Besides, Google is better at other things. Yahoo! could have thought of it, I guess, if they weren’t facing other issues. Microsoft, on the other hand, has a big budget and lots of money. Plus, being third in search gives them plenty of incentive to find ways that it can gain a competitive edge. If Microsoft can figure out how to use e-mail spam to eliminate search spam then it might improve MSN Live’s search results enough to be competitive with Google’s. Or at least, I can image that’s what Microsoft executives are thinking. But will it work?

I think the big question will be, if Microsoft succeeds then what will Google follow with? Obviously, Microsoft won’t share its technology with its biggest competitor and front runner. But you can bet that Google will fight hard to figure out a solution to its search spam problems. Microsoft may never be able to take much share away from Google, but it might hope to gain some competitive advantage that can help close the gap with Search Engine Optimization and other aspects.