Steve Ballmer wants to "evolve Microsoft from a software company into the world’s largest, most attractive provider of online media through MSN, Windows Live and adCenter." But despite a $100 million investment on MSN Search, adCenter's own FAQ shows a disappointing trend:
Question: How many people use MSN Search?
Answer #1: Over 40 million/month, according to Nielsen's 2004 stats
Answer #2: 39.1 million/month, according to Nielsen's 2006 stats
"Most attractive" is debatable as well. I haven't tried using adCenter, but I'm already disappointed with the unwelcoming tone of its introductory materials.
Question: WHY is there a $5 charge to create an MSN adCenter account?
Answer: You are charged a $5 administration fee only one time. It is an administrative fee that is non-refundable.
Question: If I am charged for invalid clicks, WHEN will I be refunded?
Answer: If Microsoft adCenter determines that your ad has received invalid clicks, a credit will be issued to the credit card you use to pay your monthly balances.
And speaking of unwelcoming, adCenter is not compatible with Firefox.
On the bright side, Microsoft does offer detailed instructions for importing Google and Yahoo keyword ads into its system. I was planning to check that out, but got annoyed with adCenter's account creation form. "A signup fee will be charged", it said, but the $5 amount wasn't stated. Oh well; some other time. Microsoft,advertising,adcenter
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