Microsoft Introduces New “Search Engine Marketing Service” to Boost Dynamics CRM’s Advertising Oomph

Microsoft is integrating a new "search engine marketing service" into Dynamics CRM that enables users to place online advertising and monitor results.

The service, which bears a resemblance to Google AdWords, was introduced as part of a keynote address at Convergence 2008 by Kirill Tatarinov, vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions, on Wednesday. He said after his speech that the new service is immediately available to users of CRM 4.0 and CRM Live, and is intended partly to leverage potential benefits from advertising on MSN, Microsoft's search engine.

Tatarinov announced two other somewhat-less-glamorous CRM-based marketing programs -- a service to sell excess user inventory on eBay and a merchant credit card service.

As part of his presentation, Tatarinov had Bruce Kasrel, a senior product manager, demonstrate the search-engine service...