Bambi Francisco of Marketwatch argues that the major search engines could see their numbers decline as content creation on the Web becomes a collective, social effort. But what do broadband video and
other forms of entertainment have in common with search, a function for finding information? Francsico says its unlikely Generation Y--which will completely inherit the earth in the next 10 to 20
years--will remain satisfied with general search engines. Granularity, and a richness of information about a given topic, are more interesting to this group than a single relevant entry from a search
query. How can search engines be everything to everyone in a world where one size doesn't fit all? They can't, and I don't think they're necessarily trying to be, either. There will always be a place
for searching the Web for general information. If you want to look up song lyrics, a profile of a historical figure, or find out the U.S. military spending budget, Google's the place to go, and
perhaps always will be. But will Google be the de facto destination for information about Internet advertising news? No. There is definitely a place for vertical search to aid those looking for
information about a given field. Will a shift to vertical search dilute their audience? Only if the engines can't find a sensible way to compete. To that end, I ask you if you've personalized Google
News yet by creating customized RSS feeds. That way you can create an outlet for relevant information to come to you.
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