Ask.com are getting ready to launch their new search site. And while analysts are said to be impressed by their range of fresh features, many are asking: will the site 'wow' consumers enough to take it above its competitors?Many believe it will. Greg Sterling, founder of consultancy Sterling Market Intelligence, said he was impressed with the organization and design of the new Ask site, while Charlene Li of Forrester Research said it beats Google's new interface "hands down" and is thus certain to grab notice.
And notice is what they're after - even if it's not exactly new notice. While Doug Leeds, vice president of product management at Ask, doesn't expect the site to attract a huge number of new users, the goal is to have the current 25 million unique U.S. visitors and 50 million worldwide visitors become more frequent, loyal Ask users instead of using the site only occasionally, as is the current case.
Ask will now feature a new interface design and re-engineering, with a simple homepage default, customizable backgrounds, new video search powered by Blinkx and the option to view video previews, play music clips and enlarge images quickly and more easily than many other search sites. Moreover, search results will be based on the user's location, and information on local businesses and events can even be saved into a folder to enable easy sharing with others.
However, the most prominent change is the incorporation of all types of search onto one page: the results page will be divided into three sections, granting its new name, 'Ask 3D'. The left side of the page will include the general search box, which can expand and narrow down results, while the right side will offer a customized search option. For example, a search for a particular movie will return video trailers, targeted film news and local show times based on the location of the user. And lastly, the centre section of the search page will contain Smart Answers, which display the most likely results that preview the page.
However, some are doubtful about the potential success of the project. After all, Ask's main competitor is - you guessed it - Google. And when Google, who hold 50 per cent of the search market, have a say in the matter, the odds are usually in their favour. According to research firm comScore, Ask currently rank fourth behind Yahoo! and Microsoft, but just ahead of AOL, with 5 per cent of the total market share.
Still, others are holding hopeful scepticism on the matter. Barry Parr, a Jupiter analyst, said:
"I don't think this change alone is going to bolt [Ask] into being a top tier player. On the other hand, I think a lot of people are going to find that this is a good experience for them and that it is something they enjoy using."
