• Alt Search Engines, Friday, February 1, 2008 12:15 PM

For Zvents, Universal Search doesn't go far enough for local searchers. The San Mateo, Calif.-based search engine takes the multimedia, multi-vertical approach to core search and applies it to local, giving users info on nightlife events and entertainment, reviews of businesses, real estate, people and local news--among other categories.

While the engine is still in its nascent stages, Nitin Karandikar says that the service is easily monetizable, as "hyperlocal searches tend to provide highly qualified prospects for local merchants." In addition, for searchers needing info on smaller locales, Zvents can help them obtain better results than a core engine like Google or Yahoo, as they tend to be overrun by links from major metro areas and their popular keywords.

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