A Directory vs. An Engine, Case for LookSmart
Yahoo! is a search directory.Google is a search engine.
LookSmart is a directory. How is LookSmart different fromYahoo!? LookSmart's search directory is specifically aimed toward what it terms "search marketing." Through paid-inclusion and paid-placement LookSmart offers companies a marketing edge, a secure place at the head of the pack if that is where they want to be and can pay for it. Paid-inclusion means a website pays a fee just to be included in LookSmart's "hand-picked" directory, while paid-placement is basically a means by which a website can purchase prime real estate, a guaranteed spot in the top search results, in a directory search. LookSmart also offers a "Sponsored links" section in its search results that is basically where paid advertisers' links are situated like storefronts.
Most of these "Sponsored" links are called pay-per-click sites. The advertisers pay LookSmart for each click, or visit, made. But other search directories and engines do some of the same. Google's familiar AdWords are similar.
And wassup with the "furl" thang?
LookSmart has partnered with furl.net which is an online library of saved links. Yes. Interesting culture here-- the notion that if someone saves a link that it might be in the same interest category as your own, which you, too can save to furl, girl.
For educated Furl commentary visit Scip.com's article, "Furl.net: Say Farewell to Blogs and Bookmarks and Get Your Furl On," http://www.imakenews.com/scip2/e_article000250714.cfm
Furl.net, www.furl.net
LookSmart, www.looksmart.com
My wave for a skatepark website. Makes me think of summertime, sunsets and skateboarding past dinnertime.
posted by jrotman @ 2:49 PM
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