What's search got to do with anything?

Today's online users (72% of the US population) want to find information fast and therefore are well acquainted with Web search engines as a means to find relevant sites. Many organizations are meeting demand by employing search engine optimization techniques to gain listing in the top 10 major search engines (which account for 92% of web traffic). Surprisingly, however, most organizations fail to provide online users with a similar and positive search engine experience once they arrive to their web site. As a result, online users become frustrated and in turn the organization loses a motivated, self-qualified lead.

The fact is that 71% of Web surfers admit to having experienced impatience during searches. One widely cited trigger for search frustration is results that include all kinds of irrelevant information. Danny Sullivan of SearchEngineWatch labels this "search rage." For you, it means lost profits.

Further to the point, a poorly designed search engine can actually drive users away. A Roper Study (December 18, 2000) reports that, on average, Internet users get frustrated with searching the Web for specific information after twelve minutes. Nearly one in five Internet users gets discouraged if the search takes as little as five minutes, or even less.

The implications of relevant, targeted search are far-reaching for every industry, from nonprofits to ecommerce outfits, as the statistics show. Poor or no search functionality leads to impaired brands, lost customers and failing profits.

Almost all websites should have a search engine built into their own website. But traditional site search, as most know, usually offers little adaptability for the specific needs of vertical industries. There simply aren't tools available that give site owners control of their own search engine. Which leads us to the next question: Why are organizations using custom vertical search engines?