A Window Into the Future of Mobile and Search Advertising

Microsoft launched its new Windows Phone 7 devices this week. There are a lot of questions about how Microsoft will perform in the smartphone market, though they are clearly up to the challenge. Microsoft's potential success in this market also has big implications for the company's performance in the search market, which means search marketers should keep an eye on this.

Microsoft faces stiff competition within the smart phone market and has a lot of catching up to do, with smart phones being bought up faster than ever. Established players within the market like Blackberry, iPhone and Android seem to be the most popular choice amongst users and seem to be enjoying a fair amount of of brand loyalty.

A Big Gamble?

With failed previous attempts to break the mobile phone market and the stern tests facing Microsoft, the Windows Phone 7, which is rumoured to have cost the company over a billion dollars, is being seen by many as a big gamble. But possible success could have a huge impact on the companies search advertising performance.

If the Windows Phone 7 initiative is successful and the OS gains significant adoption, it could mean big things for Bing.

The inclusion of a Bing search hard key alone could dramatically increase the amount of Bing searches that are conducted. This would provide Bing with the support required to increase its share of the search market, consequently supplying advertisers with a much needed alternative to Google.