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Search Engine Update & a Look Ahead. Chris Sherman Editor, SearchDay. Three Big Questions. What are the current trends and hot areas in search? What are the next moves for Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves and Microsoft? Anything radically new or earthshaking on the horizon?.
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Search Engine Update & a Look Ahead Chris Sherman Editor, SearchDay
Three Big Questions • What are the current trends and hot areas in search? • What are the next moves for Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves and Microsoft? • Anything radically new or earthshaking on the horizon?
Current Trends & Hot Areas • Local search • Personalization • The return of “push” • Collaborative search • Email & desktop search • A big theme: “consumer search”
Local Search • Google Local • Cool: Maps • Yahoo Local • Cool: Multiple tasks • Ask Jeeves Local • MSN Search Near Me • A9 Yellow Pages
Personalization • Google Personalized & Desktop Search • MyYahoo, SmartSort, Yahoo 360 • MSN Search • A9 Google Search • Ask Jeeves • News: Findory, MSN Newsbot
The Return of Push, Sorta • Remember Pointcast? It’s baaackkk… • RSS allows web sites to create “feeds” with new content • Feed readers (aka news aggregators) automatically check for new content, which appears virtually instantly • What’s different? The notion of search, find, subscribe.
Choose Your Feed Tool • Feed-driven search engines like Daypop, Technorati, Feedster, Bloglines, Blogory • Newsreaders like NewsGator, Feed Demon, SharpReader • Real-time monitoring from PubSub • Coming soon: Search alerts from Google, Yahoo et al sent via RSS rather than email
Collaborative Search • Yahoo Instant Messenger • Furl • Pluck • Nextaris
Email & Desktop Search • Email • Gmail started a new trend • Yahoo mail is greatly improved • LookOut for Outlook rocks • Desktop • Ask Jeeves, Google Desktop, MSN, Yahoo – all good starts • Copernic Desktop adds web meta search, Eudora search, etc.
Consumer Search • “Convergence,” thanks to broadband, has finally arrived • Huge stakes – integrating computer, web, audio, television, social network, refrigerator…everything you “consume” • No clear approach or winner yet, but it’s getting fun to watch
Next Moves • What can we expect in the coming year from Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves & Microsoft?
Next Moves: Google • ??? Who knows? • Persistent speculation: Google will take on Microsoft in the operating system & applications arenas. • Feasible? Bet on it… • Challenge: Retaining focus (and employees) in the wake of the IPO… • …and moving out of beta ;-)
Next Moves: Yahoo • Search is becoming Yahoo’s core DNA, both across their own properties and throughout the web. • Great new initiatives in both consumer search and mining the invisible web • Challenge: Educating users about what’s available
Next Moves: Ask Jeeves • Scaling Teoma, adding new features • Personalization and desktop search initiatives • New and very significant: Bloglines acquisition • Challenge: Continuing to effectively pursue the “third way”
Next Moves: Microsoft • MSN Search is “version 1.0” – watch for major improvements in both scale and relevancy • MSN will attack on many fronts – just introduced new advertising program that will be a major challenger to Google and Yahoo • Challenge: Persuading users to try it; overcoming the AutoGoogle effect
Conclusion • No disruptive technologies in sight on the short-term horizon • Jockeying among the titans will intensify, which will be good for everyone • Criticism of Microsoft’s initial search initiative doesn’t see the big picture—they’ve built the engine, now they’re working on the car