Microsoft vs. Google: Which Won the Search Game in 2011?

When Microsoft launched its Bing search engine in 2009, it seemed few believed that Microsoft had what it took to go head-to-head with the all-mighty Google, but as it is today, Bing has experienced some major success. There was once a time when Mozilla, which is partnered with Google, suggested moving over to Bing, and as we discovered a few months ago, Bing has proven itself to deliver more accurate search results.

But of these two major search engines, which one had the better 2011? In terms of overall growth, it’s Bing. In terms of marketshare, it remains Google. But that could change. As Computerworld reports, Microsoft’s social media partnerships with Facebook and Twitter have proven to be a boon to its growth. While Google has integrated its search in with its own social network, Google+, usage numbers of that service pale in comparison to Facebook – at least for now.

What about 2012? Pat Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, stated that the focus has to move to mobile. He states, “Search will attempt to permeate every kind of imaginable smartphone app in one way or another. This includes searches on videos, pictures and even sounds.” This is a viewpoint that’s hard to disagree with. Search as it stands on most mobile devices isn’t always ideal, so better integration and reliability could separate the men from the boys. Or, Microsoft from Google.

On the desktop side, though, I am a little impressed that Bing’s usage has proven to be so good. I use Bing for most things, relegating Google to more technical searches, but of all the people I know, I seem to be alone. I don’t know a single person who uses Bing, and all who know about it simply couldn’t imagine moving away from Google. Why that is, I’m not quite sure. But if things keep up on the Microsoft side, more compelling reasons might come to fruition and help steal more users away from the big G.