The search industry is changing, and Microsoft is keeping up with the times, according to Satya Nadella, the senior vice president of the company’s Search, Portal & Advertising Platform Group. Nadella outlined both processes as today’s keynote speaker at SES San Jose 2008.
(Coverage of the SES San Jose conference will continue through its end. Keep an eye on Murdok for more notes and videos from the event this week.)
Satya Nadella
To begin with, Nadella believes there are three key factors causing the industry’s evolution. User intent is the first one, with Nadella noting that over 50 percent of the time spent on search engines is tied to sessions lasting more than 30 minutes. Search needs to be better at helping people complete tasks.
Content and context are up next. Nadella observed that, if you searched for [opening ceremonies] the day after the Summer Games began, a great deal of sensitivity to context and time was required in order for search engines to serve a good result. Bringing user intent and the context of content together is an overall goal.
Advertising efficiency is another main point. Nadella sees search companies opening their “black boxes” and allowing advertisers to more efficiently evaluate their programs and customers.
As for Microsoft’s part in all of this, the company believes its purchase of Powerset will help it build a great search experience. Simplification and innovation are top priorities, with a broad advertising portfolio and platform being an obvious goal, as well.
Perhaps most importantly, given the matter of market shares: Nadella assured the audience that Microsoft is pursuing these things with a long-term perspective and the intent of staying in the fight.
