Microsoft announced yesterday that it will start paying users who start using their internet search service. The measure is a new attempt by the company to gain space in the lucrative online advertising market, which is currently dominated by Google, after not being able to close Yahoo's acquisition!.

The Microsoft system, which only applies to residents in the United States, is quite simple: it will pay a percentage of the purchase value of users who use their price comparison tool (search.live.com/cashback). When to accumulate US$ 5, the user, who needs to register on Microsoft's website, may request reimbursement. The percentage varies according to the product and the site itself calculates the refund value.

" We want to provide the best result in searches," said Bill Gates, Microsoft's board president. "This [the tool] is giving [the consumers] a reason to use a particular search and gain something in return. "

According to the company, 700 companies, such as Sears and Barnes & Noble, will participate in the tool and more than 10 million products will be offered.

The mechanism is nothing new. The company uses the technology of the Jellyfish website – acquired by Microsoft itself at the end of last year –, which has a price comparison system similar to that of the Brazilian SearchPé, only paying commission to consumers.

With the new service, Microsoft intends to attract more consumers to its search service and, consequently, to advertising linked to these searches, which is today the largest source of income for these companies. Currently Google has about 60% of the US search market, and Microsoft is only the third largest in the industry, with almost 10% – Yahoo! It's just over 20%, according to Score.

As part of the program, Microsoft will also allow advertisers to pay for advertising only when a purchase is made, instead of when the ad is clicked. For the company, this model allows a more accurate return on investment.

" We believe that the search service can give much more in return to consumers and advertisers and we see the refund for Live Search as an important opportunity to offer something more," Gates said. "[The mechanism] will help advertisers get more online sales while giving consumers a new way to "longen" their money. "

[.Via FolhaOnline.]