A search engine is defined by organic traffic. When an internet user needs something he usually searches for it and the webmaster or advertiser gets a targeted visitor interested in it’s content or product. Now Ask is going to change this, read below to see how.
Search engines from the view of a searcher
As i’ve said above, when you need something you just search for it using one of the many online search engines. If you choose the right search engine, you might find what you’re looking for and be a happy man, if not, consider changing the search engine or the keyword.
Until now that was the only reason to search, but what if you were paid to do it ? Then you won’t probably interested in the keyword you search and just do it to be done.
What search engines mean for a webmaster and advertiser
For a webmaster or advertiser, search engines are a wonderful source of targeted traffic, that convert very well, probably the best. But that is if the user is doing a search because is interested in the product and not paid for it. In the second case, he just does it to get paid and then probably closes the page.
And why do i say that Ask is going to change the definition of the search engine is that a new website released that pays users to search using the specified search engine. MySearchFunds pays you every time you search using Ask.com search engine and this definitely screws the relevancy.
But that’s not so bad for the webmaster, because he is not paying anything to get ranked there, but for the advertiser. I don’t think you’d be a happy advertiser to pay for your PPC ads at Ask.com and then Ask.com to pay somebody to click them, will you ?
The effect in search engine industry
From my point of view, i think the few advertiser Ask.com has will move to Google, Yahoo or Live so only them will have something to win from this. Ask.com will probably just remain a garbage search engine, with cheap, low converting ads, like it wasn’t enough already.
What do you think about this ?
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I’m not sure I quite understand the premise behind being paid for using the specified search engine. Who is benefiting from this and what implications does this have? I agree that this type of arrangement can only have the end effect of causing advertisers to leave Ask.com in favor of Google and Yahoo.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Not to poke fun but who cares about Ask.com as a search engine. My network of sites see very minimal traffic from the Ask engine. This is just some way for them to try and seem different in an effort to better there position.
Google runs the show people, if you take a look at traffic on Alexa. In my experience yahoo, msn live, ask, all them are slow and behind the curve when compared.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
that’s really good..
February 26th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Is nice to see that are people trying to make competition to Google
February 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I dont’t think people really care about search engines like ask.com They tend to stay in the shadow of the big boys.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Ask.com is not in my list. Google rules! what ask.com is doing is creating a pathetic approach just to sell their name. I hope non of the readers will get cheated by it. Ask.com is totally screwed. Google will always be at our side.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I think you’re right, Ask won’t be able to turn the tables and become competitive with Google. Ever. Ask doesn’t have that big of a pull on people. Google is in everyone’s vocabulary now.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Ask is getting bigger. Not as big as Google but Fair enough to get attention of advertisers.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Why do you continually change my search engine from Google to Ask?