Changing face of Web Search
Last week Yahoo unveiled a new search interface after bucket testing it for a while. On the surface the changes might seem minimal and for a vast majority of search queries it will seem so. But for a significant volume of queries especially ones we call “topical” in search parlance the interface offers something wholly new and refreshing.
Danny Sullivan at SearchEngineLand does a yeoman job of listing all the new features. While he likes the new interface he doesn’t think it will translate into higher market share for Yahoo.
Here at Kosmix, we see real value in offering users vast breadth and depth of information for topical searches. Take a popular query like how to make sushi, which was Danny’s example. We offer videos, images, guides, howtos, cookbooks, link to history of sushi, Martha Stewarts adventures with sushi, news and blogs on sushi, celebrity take on sushi, topics related to sushi and much more … all in one page and under half a second. We do this by intelligently searching the web in real time for the best content on a topic and offering it to you in easily digestible magazine format.
With Yahoo’s makeover and their bold re branding effort more users will be exposed to the new interface. Time will tell if they like what they see. Regardless of who wins and loses in the search market place this continuing trend of richer search interfaces is a big win for consumers. What do you think?
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September 30th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Yahoo is very open to developers with their BOSS API. This will accelerate the trend of richer and more advanced search interfaces. Small developers can now launch their own custom search interfaces without much investment.
Kosmix can also encourage developers to use its own search platform by launching an API.
October 5th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Yahoo is very open to developers with their BOSS API. This will accelerate the trend of richer and more advanced search interfaces. Small developers can now launch their own custom search interfaces without much investment.
Kosmix can also encourage developers to use its own search platform by launching an API.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Hi Ramesh and Ho
Thanks for your suggestions. We strongly believe in open APIs and have some great plans around it. We will announce at the appropriate time.