• by Cory Treffiletti , Featured Contributor, November 9, 2005

There's an old mantra in direct response advertising that states, "If you give consumers too many choices to choose from, they'll choose not to choose one." It's the idea that consumers will throw up their hands if it takes too much of their time and energy to make a decision. Advertisers used to think this meant we needed to give consumers more information upfront in order to influence their decision-making, but in reality it just means consumers need to be armed with the correct tools to navigate the wealth of information and make a decision.

That means search is going to be even more important--and Google will probably keep growing.

Search is a navigation tool that allows you to get from point A to point B on the Internet, but where search is going will become even more important as it helps the consumer navigate content from every other device and through all other types of content.

Search can't really expand in its current format, but it can be applied to many other areas and increase the possibilities for its business. The tools are already in place for video search, though some of the methodologies are flawed. Search has already extended out of the computer and onto your cell phone with SMS search, but where else do you expect it to go?

Search will be built into your cell phone as a true service, integrated into the operating system of the phone itself and allowing you to access contact information, phone numbers and special dates on your calendar.

Search will be built into your car, specifically local search that will cross-reference your global positioning system to determine where you are and what types of restaurants, stores and other destinations are in your immediate vicinity.

Search will be built into your house, allowing you to locate your house keys--which you seem to have misplaced for the umpteenth time--by reading the product tag built into them, and letting you know where they are exactly (probably in the door where you left them, of course).

Search will most certainly be built into the television, allowing you to navigate the content you have on your media center/ digital video recorder, allowing you to find that very special episode of "Charmed" that you love so much. Whatever online download service you use, search will be very important in that product, too.

Search will continue to expand and become a ubiquitous tool offline in the same manner it already is online. I know my default online is always to head to a search box to find something. It saves time and it saves energy, and that's why investors are still jumping at the category and why analysts still predict ridiculous growth of the companies that are working in search. When it finally comes untethered from the restrictions of the computer, we'll see the true power of the format.

The effect on advertising, and specifically direct response advertising, is that it will become even easier to target the customer, which we already knew, but it will also provide a boon for direct response advertisers as all digital media can be paused and allow the consumer to respond to media right away. Consumers will be rewarded for their impulse actions, knowing they won't miss anything at all. They will now be able to make decisions faster than previously possible. That old mantra will become history and as outdated as my old Atari 2600.

It's fun to be here right now, isn't it?