Tej Kohli IT blog brings you latest updates in the IT world. In a counter-attack to Google's Instant Search, Yahoo has come up with its own version of predictive search. Launched several months after Google Instant, Yahoo Search Direct will help searchers find answers (not just links) faster. Tej Kohli blog brings you the detailed report:
Yahoo unveiled Search Direct yesterday, a service that retrieves instant search results to compete with Google Instant predictive search technology.
Yahoo's new search feature will get users search results as they type characters in the search bar, even before they complete a query, hit the enter or visit a search results page, just like Google Instant does.
The objective is to shorten a few seconds from all search queries, enticing users to look up more and of course, see and click on more ads.
During the launch event, Yahoo officials touted the technique as a move to fetch users 'answers' rather than the typical blue links search engine customarily generate.
Right now the technology covers top trending searches, TV, movies, sports teams and players, weather, stocks, local, travel and shopping categories on Yahoo. Other features like popular music and local listings will also be added eventually. Presently in beta for American users only, the service will be available over the range of other Yahoo products and markets later in 2011 .
Direct Search shows the Yahoo's dedication to its users' search experience despite the fact that Bingo, Microsoft's search engine powers its search results under the 10-year contract signed August last year.
Yahoo takes 88 percent of Microsoft's search engine traffic ad sales to power its rival's search engine. However, Yahoo has complete control to experiment on the front end. Tej Kohli thinks that this new feature may help Yahoo reclaim its lost ground.
Google rolled out the real time, predictive search feature for internet users in September last year, which is an improved version of the Google suggest feature that guesses users' query as they begin to type it.
Early on, Instant appeared to boost Google's search market share, but the company has returned to its usual 65 percent search share range. Yahoo, meanwhile, is hovering around the 16 percent market and is losing share as Bing gains.
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