Google has launched Custom Search Business Edition--a Software as a Service (SaaS) that aims to make it "simple and inexpensive" for small businesses to add site search with Google functionality to
their Web sites.
With Custom Search Business Edition, small businesses can leverage Google's algorithms and technology to index, crawl and list up to 5,000 pages of content for $100
annually. The service includes email and phone support, as well as full search customization and detailed analysis of visitor behavior through an XML API.
Although Google launched an
ad-supported hosted search solution last October, this new offering gives small businesses the opportunity to turn off the ads and remove any Google branding--marking the search giant's latest entry
into the subscription-based SaaS space with its Enterprise division.
Web users turn to search first to find information on an unfamiliar site almost half the time, according to Forrester
Research--but it's a statistic that companies like Picosearch, FusionBot, and Vivisimo have banked on by offering both ad-supported and subscription-based site search applications for almost 10 years.
It's Google's scale and infrastructure that set it apart in the current market, according to Nitin Mangtani, product manager, Enterprise search, Google.
"The last thing small business
owners want is a hosted site search engine that takes a long time," said Mangtani. "They cannot rely on a small vendor and get the performance, the scale, or the relevancy that we can offer at this
price point."
If the business needs a more robust site search option, site owners can index up to 50,000 pages for a $500 annual fee--in contrast to the $200-$500 per month that comparable site
search hosting firms charge. Sites with larger volumes of content are supported on a per-situation basis through the Enterprise sales group.
In terms of simplicity, the company touts its service
as quick and user-friendly, as business owners define which sites and pages to include or exclude, add the search box, and choose refinements online.
Google's Custom Search Business Edition
currently searches only text-based content, but Mangtani said there are plans to integrate images and video pending user feedback and further development.