The changing digital environment and vertical search Linus Gregoriadis, Head of Research E-consultancy.com Email: [email_address] Website: www.e-consultancy.com

Presentation overview About E-consultancy About Vertical Search Report Atomisation Vertical search - opportunities and challenges

About E-consultancy

About Vertical Search Report

Atomisation

Vertical search - opportunities and challenges

Vertical Search Survey More than 500 respondents October / November 2007 Sponsored by Convera E-consultancy, IAB, AOP, ABM Business / professional internet users Publishers Advertisers

More than 500 respondents

October / November 2007

Sponsored by Convera

E-consultancy, IAB, AOP, ABM

Business / professional internet users

Publishers

Advertisers

Atomisation

Atomisation of E-consultancy Google News Blog Search Bloglines Technorati Topix digg reddit.com etc. etc.

Atomisation of E-consultancy

Google News

Blog Search

Bloglines

Technorati

Topix

digg

reddit.com

etc. etc.

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

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

Jakob's Law of the Web User Experience “Users spend most of their time on other sites”

Vertical Search

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’.

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’.

Vertical Search Engines Globalspec (for engineers) Searchmedica (for UK doctors) Scirus (science) Kosmix (health, auto, travel) Trulia (real estate) Truveo (video) Search-autoparts (automotive)

Globalspec (for engineers)

Searchmedica (for UK doctors)

Scirus (science)

Kosmix (health, auto, travel)

Trulia (real estate)

Truveo (video)

Search-autoparts (automotive)

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’

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’

Disadvantages for users Lack of good vertical search engine in sector 38% * Results not comprehensive enough 32% No better than popular search engine 27% Hard to remember URL 23% * Percentage of users citing as ‘major downside’

Lack of good vertical search engine in sector 38% *

Results not comprehensive enough 32%

No better than popular search engine 27%

Hard to remember URL 23%

* Percentage of users citing as ‘major downside’

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.

Onus is on publishers to build a vertical search engine that is manifestly better than Google and other popular search engines.

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’

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’

Potential downside for publishers Hassle (support/maintenance) 32% * Point users to competitors 32% Resource issues 26% * Percentage of publishers citing as ‘major downside’

Hassle (support/maintenance) 32% *

Point users to competitors 32%

Resource issues 26%

* Percentage of publishers citing as ‘major downside’

Vertical Search Toolbars 80% of respondents said they would use a search toolbar that delivered a vertical search for their industry / profession.

80% of respondents said they would use a search toolbar that delivered a vertical search for their industry / profession.

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.

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 Research E-consultancy.com Email: [email_address] Website: www.e-consultancy.com