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Microsoft unveiled the latest in a series of enticements to attract more internet users to its search engine, as it announced an air miles-style promotion in the US.

In spite of winning over some users in the short term, similar attempts in recent months have not been able to halt a longer-term slide that has seen the software company fall further behind rival Google.

Under the latest plan, known as Search Perks, Microsoft said that US internet users would be able to earn a “ticket” each time they conducted a search on its Live Search site, then redeem those for things such as music downloads (525 tickets) or t-shirts (1,100), or exchange them for regular air miles.

Under the pilot programme, to run until next April, users will have to download a piece of Microsoft software that counts the number of searches they conduct. Rewards are limited to 50 searches a day, and the programme is open initially to 250,000 people.

Early tests had showed the volume of searches from users rising three-fold, Microsoft said.

Read on Financial Times