Niche search engines deliver highly-targeted search results
With the launch of the new gTLDs, how will users find what they're looking for? There are going to be millions of new domain names to search through. As a new domain registry, how will you ensure users can find domain names with your sparkly new extension? Implementing your own niche search engine is the way to go. As a new domain registry, what do you think?
Niche search engines
New domain extensions (new gTLDs) are now being launched and by their very nature, each already has its own niche or specialised area. Niche search engines capitalise on this, designed to deliver highly-targeted search results in their own space.
The idea of niche search engines isn’t new. In 2012 the .XXX registry launched Search.xxx, providing results from approved .XXX sites only. In Search.xxx you search for your particular proclivity and that’s exactly what you receive. The other cool benefit with this search engine is that searches aren’t recorded in surfers’ Google search history; potential embarrassment - eliminated.
Will narrowing the search bring better results?
A domain-specific search engine allows users to target their search towards a particular domain extension. Looking to buy shoes, use the search engine for .SHOES. Currently, if you search for shoes in Google you will have to wade through the history of shoes, clogs coming from the Netherlands, eBay, song lyrics, etc.; all pretty random. Alternatively, if you go to the niche search engine for the .SHOES domain you will avoid trawling through thousands of unrelated .COM sites, and increase your chance of finding more relevant content.
Should new domain registries create their own search engines?
Having already invested a considerable amount of money, it makes financial sense for a new domain registry to implement its own search engine specific to its new domain extension. If they then drive traffic to their search engine, the likelihood of gaining more purchases increases. Once the potential of the new domain is realised, the number of new domain extension registrations will also increase.
What will Google do?
Google has been ready for quite some time with the Advanced Search tool; largely redundant with the nondescript domains .COM, .NET, etc. This tool could have been designed with the new, subject-specific domains in mind as it already allows users to search in a specific domain name extension; delivering the results of a search in a particular community, industry or location.
When or if, depending on your point of view, the new domains get established, there will be millions of new domain names on the Internet. It’s inevitable that search will change, but how? The use of niche search engines seems the best way to focus a search, making it more efficient and delivering quality content.
Google saw it coming, did you?
