Wait a minute! Which is it here? Is Web search evolving OR going vertical? In my opinion, you only get to do one or the other - not both. Hey, I am just sayin’!

Web search is evolving to become both more personalized and specialized, said a panel of well-known search pundits at the Search Engine Strategies Conference and Expo in New York Tuesday.

While the number of so-called vertical search engines, which allow users to search within a specific area of interest, is increasing, the panelists did not think these search engines would pose a large competitive threat to traditional Web search providers.

David Vise, author of The Google Story, said vertical search would affect traditional search in the same way cable has impacted network television.

“Cable TV’s done OK taking some share from the networks, but the networks still exist. I see something similar developing over time in search,” said Vise. Source: Computerworld

[tags]web search,evolving,the google story,cable tv,search engine strategies conference and expo[/tags]