Digital Markets

Ask.com wages Google search war, NOT AdWords battle

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Ask.com goes 3D in a big effort to one-up Google's recently debuted Universal Search. Why then, does it not solely go the Ask.com ad sales route as well, instead of continuing to rely on arch rival Google for its revenues? Just weeks ago, in Ask vs. Google: Can $100 million buy IAC search happiness?, I reiterated: I have been asking if Ask will finally bite the who needs Google bullet and NOT renew the Google sponsored advertising links deal this year? IAC Ask.com corporate parent CEO Barry Diller has promised to act within the coming months. Will he do the right IAC thing? Jim Lanzone, Ask.com CEO says it is time to move beyond (Google's) "ten blue links." Isn't it time as well then to move beyond Google's "Sponsored Links"? SEE Google showdown: Can Barry Diller win IAC search advertising war? Ask.com now on its touted "truly new way to search":

Today, our search experience is taking a consequential leap forward in making all that information accessible in a coherent way, with the launch of Ask3D, a completely re-engineered version of Ask.com. No, you don't need red and blue glasses to see it. 3D stands for the three dimensions of searching - query expression, investigating results, and digging deeply into content. You used to have to visit three different pages or websites to see and search through each dimension. With Ask3D, you can now get everything you need on one page…in many cases above the fold.

This isn't just about getting more information; it's also about getting the right information. Accordingly, Ask3D literally morphs with each query you enter. No two searches are the same, so why should all search pages have the same stuff in the same order? We customize each page for each different query, based on relevance, but also based on what previous searchers on Ask found valuable for that query (or one like it). Some people who see Ask3D may initially be taken aback. It looks different than other search engines (which look curiously like they did a decade ago). Some might say there's too much going on. We feared the same thing. That's why we tested Ask3D for nearly 6 months with 5% of our 25-30 million monthly users. Simply put, these people came away happier with their experience than "regular" Ask.com users - they had lower abandonment rates, higher pick rates, and higher frequency of use. There are also fewer ads on Ask.com than any other major search engine.

Fewer ads perhaps, but STILL Google derived ads! Ask.com will NEVER beat Google at the search game, unless it has the guts to wage war against Google on the entire search front, the (winning?) search and search advertising battlefield. SEE: Google bets billions to lock-in search dominance Why Google Search will NOT rule the Universe!

posted by Donna Bogatin
June 5, 2007 @ 1:39 am

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