Inside Internet Search Engines: Business

1. Inside Internet Search Engines:Business William Chang and Jan Pedersen Sigir’99

2. Outline • Business Evolution • From Search Engine to New Media Network • Trends • Differentiation • Localization and Verticals • The New Networks • Broadband Sigir’99

3. Search Engine Evolution • Cataloguing the web • Inclusion of verticals • Acquisition of communities • Commercialization; localization • The new networks • Keiretsu – linked by mutual obligation • Access Sigir’99

4. Cataloguing the web – human or spider? • YAHOO! directory • Infoseek Professional • quality content, $.10/query = 20,000 users • Web Search Engines • ....content, FREE = 50,000,000 users • Sex and progress • Community directory, community search Sigir’99

5. Inclusion of Verticals • Content is king? • Content or advertising? • When you want content, they pay; when you need content, you pay • Channels – pulling users to destinations through search Sigir’99

6. Acquisition of Communities • Email, killer app of the internet • Mailing lists • Usenet Newsgroups • Bulletin boards • Chat rooms • Instant messaging • buddy lists, ICQ (I Seek You) Sigir’99

7. Acquisition of Communities • AOL, AOL, AOL • YAHOO! Clubs • Trading communities before the web – LEGO AucZILLA Sigir’99

8. Community Commercialization • Amazon • trusted communities to help people shop • Ebay • collectors are early adopters (rec.collecting.*) • B2B or C2C or B2C or C2B, who cares? • ConsumerReview • SiliconInvestor and YAHOO! Finance • Community and commerce are two sides of the same “utility” coin Sigir’99

9. Localization of Verticals • Real-world portals • newspapers • CitySearch, Zip2, Sidewalk, Digital Cities • whither local portals? • Local queries • Vertical comes first • Our social fabric is interwoven from local and vertical interests Sigir’99

10. Differentiation? • ABC, NBC, CBS – what’s the difference? • Amusement park – YAHOO! • TV – Excite • Community center – Lycos • Transportation – Infoseek • Bus stops becoming bus terminal – Netscape Sigir’99

11. The New Networks • A consumer revolution • The community makes the brand • Winning brands empower consumers, embrace the internet’s viral efficiency • Media is at the core of brand marketing • From portals to networks • navigation, advertising, commerce Sigir’99

12. The New Network • Ingredients: • Search engine audience • Ad agency • Old media • Verticals • Bank • Venture capital • Access, technology, and services providers Sigir’99

13. Keiretsu • SoftBank • YAHOO!, Ziff-Davis, NASDAQ? • Kleiner Perkins • AOL, Concentric, Sun, Netscape, Intuit, Excite • Microsoft • MSN, MSNBC, NBC, CNET, Snap, Xoom, GE • AT&T • TCI, AtHome, Excite Sigir’99

14. Keiretsu • CMGI • AltaVista, Compaq/DEC, Engage • Lycos • WhoWhere, Tripod • Disney • (ABC, ESPN), Infoseek (GO Network) Sigir’99

15. Access • Broadband market • Ubiquitous access or “convergence” of internet and telephony • The other universal resources locator – the telephone number • Wireless, wireless, wireless Sigir’99