Bing's Search Share Stabilizes

comScore's search results for the month of June, excluding the controversial slideshow and contextual searches and excluding mobile searches, were up 11% y/y, an acceleration from the 7% y/y growth rate in May, and a sign that online search continues along a solid growth trajectory. Mobile searches should provide an additional growth spurt.

Google's share, again ex-the controversial search counts, declined modestly to 66.2% from 66.4% in May, which query growth of 13% y/y, and acceleration from the 9% in May and 6% in April.

Yahoo's share improved to 16.7% from 16.6% in May while Bing's share rose to 11.0% from 10.8% in May.

When looking at the quarter as a whole, Google's share improved to 66.2% in 2Q10 from 65.3% in 1Q10. Yahoo's share declined to 16.7% from 16.9% in 1Q10 and Bing's share declined to 10.9% from 11.5%.

The quarter over quarter results suggests that Bing's share has largely flattened around the 11% range. Microsoft may have to try new strategies to grow that share likely through increased brand awareness through more intense marketing. If you asked us, we would suggest that Miscrosoft's marketing team focus their branding efforts on highschool and college students, the next generation of retail consumers likely to use the Internet for commerce. The share gains would not be immediate but over the next five years Bing's share could increase materially. Note: we are looking at Bing independent of the Yahoo! relationship.