Sullivan spoke at the "Evening Forum with Danny Sullivan," one of the most anticipated sessions at the Search Engine Strategies show in New York.
"I can't say it enough. Vertical search is going to take over," he said. "The people who are going to win are the people that understand shopping search now."
Sullivan pointed to Google's "one box" display that places 10 top vertical search results above organic search results when a query can be interpreted as vertical in nature. At this point, that means a local search from Google Local or a shopping search from Froogle, but the possibilities are limitless. The box pushes organic results farther down the page, so that the user mainly sees the results that Google has determined are more relevant, making it vital for search marketers to understand how to get listed in those results.
Google defines what is vertical, Google defines what's relevant, Google is clearly getting way too commercial in manipulating the serps.
What is going to become from non commercial sites? Are they forced to start advertising with Google in the future?
Well, reason why I have special interest, and monitor Google's behaviour on this very issue, is an email I received a few weeks ago.
Part of that email:
Quote:
Subject: google grants
Comments: Is ferre there?
I\'m a reporter for usa today, doing an article on google grants. would like to talk to you about the program. are you in amsterdam? Can I call? IM?
So I had me a reason to get myself informed on what Google is up to and I'm still in the middle of collecting info and searching for answers.
ps. I took out the reporters name, phone number and email address and such, for obvious reasons.
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