"Currently there is a combination of paid and unpaid links." The interface, set to debut July 1, will present paid listings in boxes with a yellow background positioned at the top and right-hand side of the page, headed "Sponsored sites." Previously, paid links appeared on the right, but without a colored background, and were also mixed into the main body, sometimes appearing among the featured sites, as Lee noted.
The number of paid links at the top will drop from four to three. MSN staff will sell these top listings, though if not enough are sold, one listing provided by Overture may appear. The five ads on the right-hand side will continue to be provided by Overture, MSN's third-party partner.
...algorithmic search results will now appear 'above the fold,' e.g. in the area of the screen immediately seen without needing to scroll down. The algorithmic search is powered by Inktomi, and will feature paid inclusion, a system by which marketers pay to be included in the index, but they aren't guaranteed any particular ranking.
The move puts MSN 'completely in compliance' with the Federal Trade Commission's recommendations on separating and labeling sponsored search results, said Danny Sullivan, editor of SearchEngineWatch.com"
posted by Jen @ 10:51 AM
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