Traffic Flow SEO

Microsoft has made some pretty large announcements over the last couple of days that have the potential to really have an impact on their overall search engine traffic.

- First, they are replacing (as of February 2009) Google as the default search provider in the browser and via the Windows Live toolbar pre-loaded on consumer and small business Dell PCs with the Windows OS. This agreement is for a period of three years and is similar to existing current agreements with HP & Lenovo.

- Second, Verizon Wireless has selected Microsoft to provide mobile search and mobile advertising services to customers on its devices effective the first half of 2009. The contract is for a period of five years.

Both of these deals follow the recent (October 2008) agreement with Facebook to provide integrated searches on Live.com into the Facebook search box for all US residents. This is a further extension of the partnership Facebook has with Microsoft that dates back to 2006 when Microsoft first started displaying their ads on the social networking site.

Watch out Google and Yahoo here comes Microsoft!