Google's search share tops 61 percent; That'll spook Microsoft more

Here's why Microsoft is paying people to use its search: Google's search market share checked in at 61.6 percent, up from 59.8 percent in March, according to comScore.

Google's gains appear to have come at the expense of Yahoo primarily (comScore statement). Yahoo's search share fell to 20.4 percent in April, from 21.3 percent in March. Microsoft search fell to 9.1 percent in April from 9.4 percent in March. In fact, all search providers--Ask.com and AOL--took a market share hit except for Google.

Here comes the natural search monopoly folks.

These search market share figures put a lot of recent events in context. For starters, Google's search gains are a big reason why Microsoft has been hot for Yahoo in either a full acquisition or some sort of search purchase.

In the meantime, Microsoft will pay you to gain some search mojo. Judging from Google's share the software giant may want to step up its payments.