"Search As Commodity": Another Look...
It's been bandied about by various press analysts
and securities folks, this mantra: "Search is a commodity."
And, precisely because it's been so popular, I've gone
at the "argument" hammer and tongs.
But, there is at least a grain or two of truth here
in this bromide.
* Search WILL be a ubiquitous component of "portal"
sites and other premium Web properties going forward.
It's just something one has to have as a complementary
offering to other content, etc. Plus, it helps produce
revenues through CPM-based banners that can be targeted
to pop up with certain search word requests.
* Even if there were such a thing as METAPHYSICAL
SEARCH, the one search engine that could find what's worthy
and what's dross in the human soul, or something just
as cool, it and it ALONE could NOT carry the freight
for a supersite. It's NOT enough to be a good site
for search... and that alone.
So, search has some commodity-like characteristics.
But, the "search as commodity" argument has some
pretty large flaws. I'll start with the general flaws.
Then, I'll drill down into specific stuff about SEEK.
* First, it "underimagines" the technological
innovations that can still be delivered. We have yet
to see the technological ceiling on how FAST, EASY,
AND ACCURATE search can become. Period. No questions.
And if these INNOVATIONS were all just inside baseball...
resulting in no utterly obvious advantages to the
site visitor... it would all be pointless. But, I don't
think this will be the case.
* Second, as its been widely reported, each
search engine offers comparatively little COVERAGE of
the overall Web. (Surprisingly, little in some cases.)
Again, this MAY be read as a pure and simple negative.
However, I think it opens up opportunity
for improvement.
* Third (and this may be seen as an extension
of item # 1), with specific reference to SEEK: Kirsch
and company are working on Distributed Search capabilities
and other innovations. Kirsch, rightly or wrongly, is
viewed as the one of the best minds in search engine
technology. Period. I have yet to fully get my arms
around the possibilities of Distributed Search and
some protocol called, I think, Z3950... but it is
very, very intriguing. (In fact, Distributed Search
may only have relevance as part of SEEK's software
products... rather than its big index.)
* The "search as commodity" argument is usually
used to slam search engine-centric sites like SEEK...
implying that SEEK is very good at something that doesn't
really matter or will soon be available everywhere.
And even I believed that search was exhausted as a point
of differentiation, I'd still not be worried about SEEK.
Because it has gotten very good with DIRECTORY capabilities.
Has bought "eyeballs" from WBS. (BTW, T will offer
chat visitors to SEEK and other sites the ability to
place a call--so folks can actually hear the obscenities
being screamed at them.) Has made a significant move
into Women's programming with iVillage. Just added
games. International presence. Growing brand
appeal, etc.
* And SEEK has moved the playing field down to
the level of corporate intra, extra, and internet sites
with its award-winning UltraSeek server product... now
responsible for generating 12% of revenues. To my knowledge,
no other search engine/portal-to-be has such a strong
SERVER SEARCH PRODUCT offering. (I don't count Alta
Vista 'cause its been gobbled up by Compaq.)
That said, maybe, some day in the not-too-distant
future search WILL BE a commodity... and not a potential
and real source of competitive differentiation. But,
I don't think that day is TODAY.
Best Regards,
c m
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