• On CBS MoneyWatch: Report: Tiger to Pay Wife $60 Million
August 19, 2008 12:15 PM PDT

Microsoft sees Powerset-powered search ad revolution

by Stephen Shankland
  • Font size
  • Print
  • Post a comment
Share

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Microsoft bought search start-up Powerset with the expectation that its natural-language processing technology would give a better understanding of search queries and the content of Web pages. But wait--there's more.

Microsoft acquired search start-up Powerset for its natural-language processing technology.

Microsoft acquired search start-up Powerset for its natural-language processing technology.

(Credit: Powerset)

The company also believes Powerset's technology could help advertisers find placement on Web search results, said Scott Prevost, Powerset's general manager and product director, in a meeting here with reporters in conjunction with the Search Engine Strategies conference.

Today, advertisers bid to have their ads shown on search results pages depending on specific keywords that users type into search engines. That can be an onerous process, given how many keywords are involved with a particular segment. Using natural language processing could lead to an entirely different mechanism for linking ads to search results, though, Prevost said.

"If people aren't bidding on keywords, and are bidding on concepts, it could completely change the ball game," Prevost said.

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
Recent posts from Digital Media
I want my Vevo: Will video site be next-gen MTV?
Facebook forms safety advisory board
Apple confirms acquisition of music site Lala
Amazon to open bricks-and-mortar stores?
Tarantino's cheerily crazy Japanese cell phone ad
@Uh-oh: Twoddler lets toddlers send tweets
DARPA's giant red balloons officially at large
Iran Internet access down pre-protests, report says
advertisement

The yogurt makers of tech: Gadgets to avoid

Don't buy these one-trick ponies--unless you like gizmos that gather dust.

Google wants to unclog Net's DNS plumbing

The Net giant, ever eager for a faster Internet, debuts its Google Public DNS service. With it, Google could become even more central to the Net.

About Digital Media

The Web is now the place to go for news and entertainment. Look here for the latest on blogs, music, video, virtual worlds, social networking and more.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Digital Media topics

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right