Microsoft Bing Video Scores Touchdown, Ranks Top 2

Hoping to entice new users to make the switch from Google, Microsoft has invested a great deal of time and resources in the promotion of their Bing search engine. It now appears that all of the strenuous efforts are finally paying off, as Microsoft (via Bing) has become the second-most popular online video site in the US.

February's comScore Video Metrix statistics indicate that Microsoft's Bing is now in second place, surpassing such established competitors as Yahoo! and AOL. Even Facebook, given its sheer appeal and the number of user accounts it continues to retain, pales in comparison to the figures Microsoft has garnered recently. (Source: comscore.com)

Interestingly enough, Microsoft was placed in the seventh spot this past January (only one month prior to realizing their second spot coup). Amazing still is the fact that the company had not launched any new video services or other incentives that would usually generate such a favorable public response. (Source: sfgate.com)

Touchdown for Microsoft Advertising

So why the sudden increase in popularity? Some analysts suggest it was because of the first week of February, which brought with it the Super Bowl. In the weeks leading up to the big game, Microsoft made a deal with Fox Sports to display a number of ads during the largest sporting event of the year.

While some might argue that a single night of advertisement could not possibly account for this sudden change in fortune, consider the sheer number of viewers (coupled with even more "sticking around just for the commercials") and the investment becomes a worthwhile endeavor. The number of users Microsoft was able to attract rose about 30 per cent and individual video views nearly doubled in the wake of the Super Bowl. (Source: businessinsider.com)

YouTube Video Still On Top

YouTube (which is now owned by Google) continues to lead the video viewing market with three times as many viewers and six times as many individual viewing sessions as Microsoft. But considering where the company was back in January, the number two spot (with steadily increasing new users) is definitely a step in the right direction for the Redmond-based firm.