If I try a search for private schools in my area (Toronto) the results page highlights a Google map pinpointing a wealth of local choices. When I click on the link for 'more results' I end up with a list of many results (nearly 200, in fact).
But how do I find a private school that has the programs just right for my children? I have a tuition range in mind, I'm interested in Advanced Placement, and I want a school specializing in Journalism. That's a variety of queries Big G is not likely to understand. How about some other search cases? Product search: say I'm looking for a very specific car part by year, model and model number. Do you recommend I use Google? Services: say I want to find a seniors' home for my mother and it has to feature a specific kind of care while meeting our budget. Are you sure Google can help me with that?
Proprietary search engines come with pre-sorted data. A proprietary search engine allows service providers, organizations and manufacturers to input and manage specific data. Niche proprietary search engines are ignored by the search marketing industry and their value is under-promoted to consumers.
Consumers and marketers should go out of their way to find and promote niche search engines that serve niche needs much better than big old Google could.
What else is wrong with Google?
Google inevitably serves results that are optimized. Providers with the budget and tech savvy hire search engine optimization (SEO) firms to make sure they show up higher in Google results. A small private school without the budget or savvy may not even show up in the results. Why? Well, they're too busy teaching - and managing their budget.
Other factors skew Google results. If a school has an older domain name they are more likely to end up higher in search results. Does the age of their domain mean the school is better? According to Google, yes. On the whole, is any organization's ability to show up in Google results a reflection of the quality of its products or services? Of course it isn't.
Niche search engines allow users to focus on the exact subject and results they want to focus on. For example, a proprietary search engine can offer the user pre-population of terms that actually help the user narrow his or her search with terms they may not know or have thought of. And older data is not given preference for any reason.
When searching for a seniors' home for my mother, I might have to do hours of research to learn all the terminology. Unless I used a search engine designed just for retirement homes. Thankfully, they are out there.
Proprietary search engine such as those at comfortlife.ca, ourkids.net or car-part.com are less well known but nonetheless far more helpful than using Google. Will Google ever offer specific search engines with criteria for each industry? That's a tall order. We see nothing in Google Labs, either, unless you count the very restricted Ride Finder.
Niche search engines allow websites and users to crack Google's monopoly on search, simply by virtue of their specialization in the subject matter. Look for them and tell your friends when you find one!
by James Huinink
He is currently working with a team of developers to perfect niche search engines for retirement homes and private schools.
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