We’re Number Two!

That is what Microsoft hopes to be saying about its Internet Advertising Market share in three to five years, according to a report on Reuters. Actually, they want to be in the top two but normally, a company shoot for the number one spot straight away. However, in the $40 Billion a year online advertising market, number two is not that bad.

Microsoft is currently behind the front runner in Internet advertising, Google and the next in line is Yahoo!.

In order for Microsoft to increase their share of that advertising pie, they have their work cut out for them. The president of Microsoft’s platforms and services division, Kevin Johnson, has outlined the company’s plan:

• Increase their market share in Web search (they want to have a 30% share – currently, they are about 10%)
• Increase the number of page views of the company’s web sites
• Increase the percentage of time Internet users spend in the company’s websites and
• Increase the number of advertising dollars they grab.

They are evidently serious because earlier this year, they spent $6 billion to purchase digital advertising firm aQuantive.