Google Gains (Again) on MSN/Live

In March, Web users conducted 10.8 billion searches, up from 9.9 billion using what ComScore regards as the core search engines. The trend reversed big sequential declines—6 percent from January to February—for a 9 percent gain in March.

All the major search engines saw sequential search declines in February, but rebounded in March, with Ask gaining 12 percent and Google 10 percent. MSN/Live grew by 6 percent.

But Microsoft, along with Yahoo, continued to see its share of searches decline—minus 0.2 percent and minus 0.3 percent, respectively. Google's search share closed on 60 percent in March. If Microsoft and Yahoo were merged, their combined search share would be nearly 31 percent.

Microsoft's hostile Yahoo takeover is supposed to be a springboard to closing on Google's search share. But there's no guarantee that any eventual increases would be cumulative, because of overlapping brands and services.

Perhaps most troubling for Microsoft: Live Search has made no perceptible, lasting share gains since its September relaunch. Live Search 2.0 was supposed to improve results relevancy and usability. If Microsoft can't manage its own online business, how can it do any better with Yahoo's?