The next step in search

Today at PubCon we launched a new release of the Live Search API for publishers and web developers. Now, in one place, we're making available what is essentially a content management system for your site or blog, plus the ability to monetize by selling ads.

This release is the next step in what we're calling Project Silk Road, a broad range of tools and services we're offering online publishers and developers to help them generate traffic, increase engagement on their sites, drive insight, and boost productivity and agility.

We call it Project Silk Road because it's the next step in our journey to bring the power of Live Search to the online community. In much the same way that the original Silk Road offered opportunities for cultural and technological exchange and innovation, we believe that Project Silk Road can spark innovation in the online ecosystem.

Project Silk Road allows you to serve your search results in the rank and format that you choose and call them from the web service protocol you prefer. On top of that, you have access to content from Encarta, related search queries, and a set of tools — like an Excel add-in that tracks keyword performance — to help you optimize your site performance and improve the search experience for your customers.

The project is in broad beta now, and we are seeking publishers to use it and give us feedback to help it grow. Although it's in its early days, we're quite bullish about the offering — especially its ability to be customized to suit publisher needs and its flexible and extensive set of friendly data formats.

Some of its cool features:

• A 404 Error Toolkit that allows you to create a better experience and keep users on your site, even when they enter a search that returns no results.
• Related content for search queries, such as images, news, and other web results.
• Flexible terms of use with no daily limit on queries and control over how to rank and format search results.
• Increased number of supported standard web service protocols from SOAP only to now include RSS, JSON, and XML.
• Additional data types exposed through the API, including related search results and Encarta instant answers, added to previously supported data types of web, image, news, spelling, and phonebook queries.

The application and review process for participation includes criteria for site quality and traffic volume. Chosen sites must meet Microsoft Editorial Guidelines for publishers and fit within our top strategic verticals. Sites also must have enough traffic to enable them to dedicate a reasonable number of web impressions to the program.

If you're interested in the program, apply at http://search.live.com/developers.

Cheers, and let us know what you think.

Angus Norton, Senior Director, Live Search