The new MSN.com: Useful and Easy
I know it is ‘Google this and Yahoo that’ from a Web portal perspective these days, but I am intrigued and ‘silently cheering’ when a competitor joins the fray — especially when that competitor is as ‘liquid’ and potentially innovative as Microsoft.
The new MSN (browse it here: http://www.msn.com/preview.aspx) is still in Preview Mode, but it shows promise for the successful software company.
If you own a Web site, work with one, or are thinking of starting one, you should read my 3 tips on why MSN presents a seriously effective ‘destination’ for you and me. You may not be competing against the big boys, but these are ‘practices’ that can be incorporated into even the smallest ‘mom and pop’ Web site.
1. Let it breathe: White space or ‘negative space’ gives you room to think, relax, and choose. The previous MSN.com felt crowded like a mall on the day after Thanksgiving. (BIG SALES!!) This iteration encourages the visitor who casually browse from top to bottom. Check out the vertical room between the links.
2. I love the advertising: What? Who would ever say something like this? For most, advertising is a distraction to meeting their needs. I completely understand that without Web advertising much of what we see on the Web would not be possible. Seriously though, the advertising on the new MSN.com is subtle and unobtrusive – just the technique to encourage a few clicks, not just a land grab of impressions or soft brand-building.
3. Waste a little time: Read a little news; monitor my stock quotes; browse the local beat – CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. The new MSN’s got all the standard items at the ‘portal buffet, but they’ve nicely sprinkled in the ‘other stuff’ for those interested in ‘popular searches’, Twitter trends, and Facebook updates. With social media’s rise, the Internet has catapulted like a cannon by ‘just news, sports, and weather’. 
The new MSN may not change your world, but it offers a credible offering compared to Google or Yahoo. Check it out. Here’s hoping it exits ‘Preview’ very soon.
Until next time,
Dan Naden
