Mike Nichols

Microsoft's Live Search engine isn't what the company wants it to be, even though internal tests put the relevance of its search results on par with those of its rivals. The company underestimated the power of the Google brand. And it hasn't done enough to establish Live Search in the minds of Internet users.

But Microsoft, which launched its own search engine four years ago, still sees a chance to gain traction by improving its product -- particularly for complex search sessions where people make many queries to research a topic or buy a product online.

Those were some of the highlights from Mike Nichols, Live Search general manager, during a conversation I had with him at Microsoft today. After Nichols outlined the opportunities he sees for improvement, I quizzed him on topics including Live Search's declining market share, Microsoft's internal Kumo search test, and why Microsoft isn't using Start.com as its search brand. Read on for excerpts.

Q: You talked about underestimating the power of the "category leader's" brand. What about the Live Search brand? Where does that stand now, and are there plans to change it in some form?
 
Nichols: We're considering a bunch of different options. We know that we need to address it. And I think that one of the things that's pretty clear is that we haven't filled the brand with any meaning. We haven't gotten the word out as to what the unique features of the product are. Getting the word out about why somebody should use the product. Those are some of the things that can help 'fill a brand with meaning.' We haven't done a good job with that, and we are going to do a much better job on that. But that's about all I have to say about the brand at the moment.
 
Q: So there are two things there. One is you could fill the existing brand with new meaning through marketing or some other means. Or you can change the name. Can you say which path the company will take?
 
Nichols: I can't, although both of those paths are good options.
 
Q: Are they still current options, or has the company chosen to go down one path or another?
 
Nichols: Can't comment on that.
 
Q: Is there significance to the Kumo name being the name for the test? Does that mean that would be the name if the brand were switched?
 
Nichols: No, it doesn't necessarily mean that. It's just the name for the test. We just thought it was cool.
 
Q: What about Start.com? Have you guys considered that?
 
Nichols: It's funny, I was in the group when we got Start.com and launched that first version.
 
Q: The live.com predecessor.
 
Nichols: It is a good name, and it is one we're considering.
 
Q: Any sense on the timing of any kind of brand move? I mean, your predecessor was working on this. ...
 
Nichols: I know the timing, but I cannot tell you.
 
Q: This year?
 
Nichols: (Doesn't say anything.) Was that a good poker face? (Laughs) It has been something we've been working on for a while, I'll agree with you on that.
 
Q: Maybe it speaks to the branding challenge, but Comscore's numbers for Live Search last week were the lowest on record. What's going on there?
 
Nichols: We have a good product. We haven't done a good enough job getting the word out about what the name of the product is, and where you should go get it, and why it's compelling. And I think that we have a little bit of work to do in terms of really delivering enough product innovation to graduate from a good product to a great product. And so that's what we're working on.