Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder what in the world people are thinking. Then youwonder that maybe you’re not fully aware of all the details and there had to be a good reason to do something. Then you shake your head again and ask what the heck ARE they thinking?
Case in point is the announcement of the closing of Microsoft’s adCenter Analytics. I first came across a quick blurb on Search Engine Watch that linked to the Microsoft adCenter Analytics blog. While we all know that the term ‘Microsoft search’ is possibly an oxymoron does it mean that they have to keep painting a target on themselves for further ridicule? If they are serious about competing in that space (which maybe they just aren’t) it doesn’t seem too prudent to take away your ability to track results of ad campaigns in the same manner that the king of the paid search hill, Google, does…..does it?
Here is sample of some of the comments that appeared on their blog around the announcement of the end of this program on December 31st of this year.
I assume no analytics product will be offered from MS at this time then? Paid or Free? So much for those of us that came from the Deep Metrix - Live Stats purchase a few years back.
I hope you can take some constructive criticism. It is frustrating that a giant like Microsoft killed one of, if not the best analytics programs available, that being DeepMetrix. After three or so years in Microsoft’s hands the program still didn’t have some of the best features that DeepMetrix had many years ago. DeepMetrix analytics from 4+ years ago is better than what we have now with Microsoft. I never could figure this out. From the outside it sure looks like Microsoft is caught up in the procedures, politics and testing etc unlike one of the other “G”iants out there that quickly adjusts and gets it done.
Well, not a surprise really, MS getting beat at their own game of software again so pulling more products off the shelves. Maybe if they spent less time releasing buggy and bloated software, and more time listening to their customers then they would’nt make decisions like this. Chock up another notch for the big G! Sorry MS, but you really don’t make it hard for them do you? Is there even one area of online you are beating them in?
Microsoft’s take on the whole thing is probably summed up best by the statement in their blog announcement of “You’ve helped us work towards making an informed decision about building a general Web analytics solution, and despite the end of life plan, the beta was very much a success.”
Did I miss something here? A success? Generally when you tell folks that you are pulling the plug on the way that they track their ad campaigns and advise them to pull off all data by the end of the year AND give no clear path for what the future holds you would be hard pressed to label it a success. Oh, sorry, I forgot. This is the same company that thinks Vista is a success. My bad.
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