You Can’t Out Google, Google

Vertical Search: Is it Really the Next Big Thing?

This was the name of a panel discussion at SIIA lead by Dave Kellogg (President and CEO, Mark Logic). The panelists included Stephen Baker (CEO, Reed Search), Kelly Gay (Chairman and CEO, KnowledgeStorm) and Brad Mehl (VP Marketing, ThomasNet). 

According to the list Fred Wilson had provided a few days before, vertical search may very well be the next big thing.

Discovery and Navigation
All three panelists spoke about using their knowledge of specific industry or domain areas of expertise to provide the searcher with a better answer, to disambiguate search results.

The more time knowledge workers spend searching, the less time they have to analyze search results and apply them to their professions. Reed’s goal is to increase productivity by getting people to the right answer quickly. That answer might be “in an article, another website or in someone’s head”. Community is a component of vertical search. 

Context is another critical component. 

ThomasNet is a 100% web-based service derived from the Thomas Register, a 109 year old print directory of industrial buyers, sellers, and parts. 

ThomasNet adds metadata and hand crafts descriptions of organizations, standards, minority status, and other business and parts in order to add context for search. As Brad points out, when you search ThomasNet “you’re not going to get the same results you get on Google.”

Trust
Content businesses that leverage established client relationships, add value to their content by providing specialized search capabilities and community features, and aren’t afraid of pointing clients to the best answer, even if they don’t own it, will build trust and success online.  

As Stephen pointed out, even though there is increasing attention scarcity, more community sites are popping up. 

Kelly Gay agreed saying that while vertical search isn’t ONLY about community, when you find people like yourself, it can be “very sticky”.

Comments

[Easton Ellsworth]

Sticky is right!

[ann michael]

I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!

[Liz Strauss]

I can't resist saying "You are stuck with me. "