search evolution: from web directories to universal search
DESCRIPTION
Search on the web has developed from simple directories to systems that can analyze complex semantic relationships. What are the challenges resulting from this? What are the future trends of search?TRANSCRIPT
Search evolution: from web directories to universal search
Development and challenges
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…and what will the future bring?
Introduction
Origins of search – web directories
Search engines catch up
Different vertical searches and universal search
Challenges
Lookout
Agenda
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Christian Kunz
WEB.DE / 1&1 employee since 1998 – started as directory
editor for WEB.DE
Stages in career: project manager, head of project
management, senior product manager search, senior project
manager search
Project Management Profesional (PMP)
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Owner of SEO Südwest (SEO blog http://www.seo-
suedwest.de)
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Experience
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Project Management
SEO
Product Management
Benefits
Search from search provider‘s point of view
Getting to know each other
Interesting exchange of ideas
Fun
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1&1 – Member of United Internet AG
SEDO Holding AG79.45 %
Indirect shareholdings
via EFF Shareholdings in
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Shareholdings in
young
Internet companies
100 %
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Goldbach 14.96 %
Hi-media 10.65 %
fun 49.00 %
Virtual Minds 48.65 %
ProfitBricks 30.02 %
Versatel 25.10 %
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Effective: March 21st 2013
Locations
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Origins of search – web directories
Origins of search – web directories
WEB.DE directory: start end of 1995 Entries edited manually Free entries First and main feature of WEB.DE
(Cinetic) Biggest German web directory in that
time
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Origins of search – web directories
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
Editors („Freischalter“) Check new entries for doublets, category,
availability 5-room-apartment in KA-Durlach
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Origins of search - directories…
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Search engines catch up
Search engines catch up
Search engines catch up
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About 85 % of search requests still happened in directory
!
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
Search engines catch up
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1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Recent years till now – different vertical searches
Recent years – different vertical searches in parallel
Different vertical searches as „search silos“
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Recent years till now
Web search („Blue links“)
Image search Local search
Integration / connection via navigation only
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
…
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Search today – universal search
Mai 16th, 2007 – all in one
Universal search – mixture of different media
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Knowledge Graph
News
Ratings
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Universal Search – mixture of different media
YP search results
Address search results
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Universal Search – mixture of different media
Product search results
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Universal Search – mixture of different media
App Content
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
2012: Universal search implementations decrease
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Shopping and video loose, images and local win (Germany)
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
Source: http://www.searchmetrics.com/de/universal-search-study/
Shopping results – the trend is clear
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Shopping and price comparison – one winner
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
Source: http://www.searchmetrics.com/de/universal-search-study/
Organic search gets crowded out…
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Local resultsGoogle Hotel
finder
Google sports results
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
Organic search gets crowded out…
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Local results
1995 1996-2000 Recent years till now
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Challenges
Challenges
Ranking algorithm – determine which results to display:
Keyword lists and meta keywords
IP targeting
Klick feedback (self-learning system)
Micro and macro layout
Determine search type (informational, navigational,
transactional)
Interpretation of semantic markup
Order of syndicated web results fix
Accompanying tests mandatory
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Challenges – Universal Search
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Challenges – Universal Search
Keyword
Vertical Searches
Location
Search History
Voice Search
Find advantages related to absolute number one in
search technology
With a smaller team
With fewer resources
Keep pace
Build up and accumulate search know-how
Find a definition for quality in search
Always be geared to market leader?
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Challenges – seize your chances
Partners
Environment of search projects at 1&1
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Software Development (4 developers)
Information Technology
Product Management
Project Management
Web Producing,
Screen Design
Quality Assurance
(development)
Quality Assurance
(end-to-end)Ext
erna
l Sup
plie
rs
Google: 351 reported search
algorithm updates – for 2012…
Challenge: Be quick and flexible…
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One way to be flexible: Kanban
Agile development
Iterative, incremental
Self-organization
Increasingly used throughout United
Internet
Practised by search team since 2012
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One way to be flexible: Kanban
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SEO as accompanying action in all projectsAlways keep in mind how new products, features or
technology can effect your ranking
Pure SEO projects (rare)Focus on technical and onsite factors
SEO for different brandsAvoid cannibalisation
SERP in SERPNot appreciated by Google & Co.
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Challenge: SEO for search?
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Challenge: keep balance between turnover and usage
New features attract new users
New features keep users inside
product
Every click on a feature is lost for
ads and sponsored links
Lookout: future search trends
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The retirement of the organic search results
Where have the organic results gone?
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Keep the user and present your own content
Tariff info
Product pages
FAQ, help documents
Editorial content
Interconnection of different services
Services info
Personalisation
Search phrase suggestions
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Multiple clients: adaptive and responsive design
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Online reputation and quality
Metrics that are hard to manipulate
Integration of search and social media
Expertise and brands
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Understand the user
Google‘s biggest technical challenges
according to Amit Singhal are:
Semantic understanding
Speech-to-text
Understanding of natural language
Understanding of conversations
Thanks for your attention.
Any questions?
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