vertical search and the changing digital world
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given by Linus Gregoriadis of e-Consultancy at the AOP Vertical Search seminar on 21st Jan 2008TRANSCRIPT
The changing digital environment and vertical search
Linus Gregoriadis, Head of ResearchE-consultancy.comEmail: [email protected] Website: www.e-consultancy.com
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Presentation overview
1. About E-consultancy
2. About Vertical Search Report
3. Atomisation
4. Vertical search - opportunities and challenges
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Vertical Search Survey
• More than 500 respondents– October / November 2007– Sponsored by Convera– E-consultancy, IAB, AOP, ABM
• Business / professional internet users
• Publishers• Advertisers
Atomisation
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Atomisation of E-consultancy
• Google News• Blog Search• Bloglines• Technorati• Topix• digg• reddit.com• etc. etc.
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• 80% of internet professionals are already using industry-specific RSS feeds.–More than half (54%) have a customised
homepage system.– 35% have used a desktop widget
providing business information, alerts and vertical search.
Source: E-consultancy / Convera Vertical Search Report 2007
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Jakob's Law of the Web User Experience
“Users spend most of their time
on other sites”
Vertical Search
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Vertical Search
• More than half of respondents (54%) said they would be ‘very likely’ to use a search engine that focused specifically on serving their specific business / work needs.– A further 39% said they would be ‘quite likely’.
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Vertical Search Engines
• Globalspec (for engineers)• Searchmedica (for UK doctors)• Scirus (science)• Kosmix (health, auto, travel)• Trulia (real estate)• Truveo (video)• Search-autoparts (automotive)
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Advantages for users
• Quicker to find desired info 53%*
• Focused on business interests & workflow 50%
• Save time 48%
• Top results more relevant 47%
* Percentage of users citing as ‘major advantage’
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Disadvantages for users
• Lack of good vertical search engine in sector 38%*
• Results not comprehensive enough 32%
• No better than popular search engine27%
• Hard to remember URL 23%
* Percentage of users citing as ‘major downside’
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Kicking the Google habit
• Onus is on publishers to build a vertical search engine that is manifestly better than Google and other popular search engines.
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Benefits for publishers
• Improve brand (by becoming authority website) 66%*
• Keep users on-site 63%• Potential to monetise through
advertising 54%• Reclaims online community
from Google 42%
* Percentage of publishers citing as ‘major benefit’
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Potential downside for publishers
• Hassle (support/maintenance)32%*
• Point users to competitors 32%
• Resource issues 26%
* Percentage of publishers citing as ‘major downside’
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Vertical Search Toolbars
• 80% of respondents said they would use a search toolbar that delivered a vertical search for their industry / profession.
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Conclusions• Content and websites - more than just
a destination. – In a world of ‘atomisation’, what is the most
effective and appropriate way of getting the brand out there?
• When it works, vertical search can be a way of building the brand and increasing online ad revenue.
Questions?Linus Gregoriadis, Head of ResearchE-consultancy.comEmail: [email protected] Website: www.e-consultancy.com