Ask Jeeves Asks Google’s AdWords
Have you ever spoke with an expert in a field and asked them a question about a topic they should have the answer to, but they respond that they need to ask someone else? Well, what about Ask Jeeves? You do a search at Ask Jeeves, and then you find Mr. Jeeves requesting Google AdWords to give you the answer. Isn’t Ask Jeeves suppose to be the expert (I believe that is the origin of “teoma” the technology Ask Jeeves uses to power the engine).
For example, do a search on pay per click at Ask Jeeves. The first 10 results are from AdWords and then if you scroll all the way down, you find the Teoma results.
One person at the WebmasterWorld conference asked why doesn’t Ask Jeeves move those AdWords results away? In fact, someone said that when Ask had the PFI program, he saw that he was getting tons of impressions but zero click throughts, implying that no one really sees the Teoma results. Ask Jeeves is really proud of Teoma and I believe they should promote it more in their major search presence.
Do you think Ask Jeeves will Meltdown? like these other WebmasterWorld forum members? Will the cannibalization of its own technology hurt Ask Jeeves in the long run?
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Columnist Barry Schwartz is the Editor of Editor of Search Engine Roundtable and President of RustyBrick, Inc., a Web services firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales.
