Mobile search engines gather steam

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Mobile search engines gather steam

By KAUSTUBHA PARKHI

Published: 16 February, 2007

While it is a no-brainer that search engines have to go mobile, there are practical limitations that a search engine, or any web application for that matter, confronts when employed on a handset. Apart from form-factor limitations, different mobile devices support different mark-up languages such WML or compact HTML. As a result, search engines need to have an interface in these formats. They also need to display results that can actually be viewed on the mobile phone! Some of the 'must-dos' for mobile phone search content optimization are compatibility across the spectrum of phone models, simple URL structure, adherence to standards and conciseness in titles.

Then, there are some realities that have to be confronted on the business front. Operators have always exerted their influence on the content made available to their subscribers: i-mode from NTT DoCoMo is a strong case in point. This influence has translated into operator specific walled gardens of preferential content and applications. On one hand, the operator initiative ensures that the end user gets a reasonable experience; while on the other hand, the choices to the end user are severely constrained.

On a geographical note, European operators seem to be favoring branded search engines such as Yahoo and Google that use their proprietary algorithms to deliver exhaustive search results, whereas the North American operators, who want greater brand visibility, are ready to work with newer search engine specialists. This dichotomy in approaches ensures that the North American operators are able to retain their brand and get a greater share of revenues while exercising tighter control over the search results displayed. It is this stranglehold being practiced by the major US operators that has incentivized niche players to make a mark. Motricity (formed by the merger of PowerByHand and PinPoint Networks, a premier mobile phone search company) has clocked $150 million of VC funding in less than 24 months since its inception. Fuel, the flagship product of Motricity, delivers an end-to-end mobile merchandising solution that leverages on its expertise in analytics. Motricity counts Cingular Wireless, Alltel, 02, Leap, Sprint and Palm among its customers and partners. JumpTap, another mobile search engine specialist offers an integrated solution containing user interface, search engine, website indexes and advertising suite. Medio, a Seattle-based company has a similar offering.

Search engine specialists big and small reason that since the mobile phone is a more personalized device compared to a PC, search results should also reflect more personalized (read localized) content. Consequently, the mobile versions of most popular search engines are heavily dependent on throwing results that have a local flavor. Maps and local points of interest (POI) such as restaurants, shops, movies and similar content seem to be the most searched (and available) content apart from the usual suspects like videos and music. As a result, most of the search engines have dedicated applications for viewing maps like Google and Yahoo Maps. In order to extend their reach to legacy phone models, most search engines allow SMS based search options; not exactly cutting edge, but effective nevertheless for reach a the mass market of devices.

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