Microsoft will begin a beta search advertising program shortly says Bloomberg – no word yet on if they plan to extend this system into other websites as Google have done with Adsense and as Yahoo are expected to do shortly.
‘Microsoft Corp., which runs the No. 3 U.S. Internet search engine, plans to start a service where clients will pay to be listed alongside its MSN search results, people familiar with the plans said.
The service will be similar to competing programs from Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. Microsoft will announce a pilot program March 16, said the people, who asked not to be identified. These paid searches auction off placement next to Web search results to companies with related products.’