Papers & Articles
13/10/2008 | Searching the Way Forward
How many of the millions who search the internet every day has the slightest idea how much effort and money is expended in the desire to be at the top of the list for any given search term? A multimillion dollar industry has mushroomed in the ten years since Google burst on to the web scene. Indeed, the Mountain View, California based phenomenon has blessed the English language (and probably many others) with a new verb, to Google, which obviously means to search the internet for information on a word or phrase.There are other search engines but, apart from Yahoo and MSN Live, none are in the same league as Google when it comes to the number of searches entered from around the world, and even they are rapidly losing ground. Google has no intention of resting on its laurels either. In an official Google blog, Marissa Mayer, Vice President, Search Products & User Experience, recently offered her vision for the future of search.
Mayer looks at modes, media, personalization and language. She concludes that search needs to be more mobile. You should be able to search for answers no matter where you are. Many mobile handsets carry internet services including search but Marissa seeks instant answers, rather than waiting for your mobile network to come to life. She looks at the possibility of wearing an item around your neck that can pick up your speech and flash up results. Another insight into the future foresees a kind of video search in reverse. You capture a video of a bird flying above and your search device identifies the breed.
Yahoo is also looking into the future; Prabhakar Raghavan, head of research has recognised that "people don't want to search". In other words, web users want instant results, not to have to pore through lists of possible answers that may have no bearing on the desired result. The search engine needs to understand the habits and needs of the customer. Some information will be required from the individual who is searching which then raises privacy issues. Google, in particular, has attracted the wrath of those who object to their personal details being stored and used for personalised adverts.
Search is assured of an exciting future. Advertising revenues will, without question, drive the innovations.
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