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Blekko Search Engine Focuses On SEO Analytics

Blekko-B

Blekko launched a public beta on Monday, but the real question becomes can it innovate past other startups to survive? The search engine, based on slashtags, offers built-in analytics and search engine optimization features. No one suggests the engine will reach the fame or come close to owning Google's more than 70% U.S. search share, but can it offer marketers something different and useful to improve campaigns?

At launch, Blekko will focus on SEO analytics, according to Rich Skrenta, the search engine's co-founder. The SEO tab becomes one differentiator, as it provides insight into ranking for Web pages. Marketers can view SEO stats for a site by using the slashtag /SEO, (www.mediapost.com/seo) for example. SEO pages contains both URL and domain-level SEO information. SEO pages show geographic link distribution by state and country, inbound links and their percentages, anchor text and ratio, duplicated content, page source, sections and slashtags.

"We will have search ads in the future, from a partner, but we haven't yet put any thought or discussion into the company this might be," Skrenta says. "We're focused on launching the site and building an audience. Monetizing the search audience is a pretty proven business."

Skrenta admits the team needs to work on getting searchers to the site and that search is the most valuable traffic on the Web.

I spoke with Skrenta in August about the private beta. His suggestion to attach the monetization to the slash tag rather than the query term made sense. There are startups that will help marketers do ad buys on Google by giving the marketer 10,000 keywords to cover the space, but Skrenta believes if a marketer can put a slashtag in front of the term "digital camera" (/digitalcamera) it opens the opportunity to better targeting for advertisers.

It's all hypothetical at this point because it's an ad-free site. A marketer can bid on the term "diabetes" or "video game," but as he gets down to the tail containing four-, five- or six-word queries, he can take the class of unmonitized queries and tie it to a slash tag as opposed to the terms and get additional reach through that process.

Great idea, but as Andy Beal points out any that search engine requiring a video tutorial to use it will likely not see mainstream success. Not initially, at least. And, while slashtags may help filter out spam and other unwanted results now, wait until the masses-including black-hat SEOs-move in. He believes searchers don't want to use these slashtags. They just want to enter their search query and go.

I'm not totally on board with his point of view. Marketers and average searchers will need to go through a learning curve, as with most technology these days. I will depend on whether the searcher, or marketer, wants to learn something new and whether Blekko founders can train or teach old dogs new tricks.

Ironically, Blekko is creating buzz on Google. Google Trends identified "Blekko" Monday morning (8:17 pacific), the day of the official launch, as one of the top trending topics at No. 12. The new search engine fell in line behind No. 10: "2010 daylight savings time dates;" and No. 11:" maurice lucas."

Blekko Founders Skrenta and Mike Markson also built Topix, which connects people to local information and discussions forums.

If you tried Blekko, what are your thoughts? As a marketer would you use Blekko to gain SEO insights?

1 comment about "Blekko Search Engine Focuses On SEO Analytics".
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  1. Mai Kok from So What, November 1, 2010 at 4:43 p.m.

    The real question is does Blekko go the distance for Search of the 2010s? Search is moving towards mobile. Google sees this. Apple senses this, but Apple is retarded because of Steve Jobs.

    The real future of search is in mobile - and in international markets. Do you really think Blekko can offer anything like that? I dont think so.

    At best, Blekko can offer an niche search experience that will be different from the mainstream search experience.

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