| There is a search engine based in Pasadena, | | | | future here or is taking jabs at the very |
| California called with a stated desire to | | | | model he created or maybe a little of both. |
| become The other way to Search. All it takes | | | | |
| is a click and a search or two to see how is | | | | Perhaps visual search displays for are too |
| a true alternative to the norms of search | | | | far ahead of its time. Leading search |
| advertising. I recently asked some employees | | | | engines dont want more informed and pickier |
| at to check out Snap as an example of a | | | | searchers clicking fewer ads, but Grosss |
| company that not only thinks outside the box, | | | | career path is replete with successfully |
| but operates there, too. | | | | zigging while others zag. It might take some |
| | | | happy accident of his or an innovation of |
| Wed do well to steer clear of any insurance | | | | another company to marry well into Snaps |
| group billing itself as a revolutionary and | | | | added contextual platform before Snaps |
| unprecedented kind of policy-provider. | | | | functionality goes from a cool alternative to |
| Indeed, risk management calls for avoiding | | | | an industry staple. I think Bill Gross banks |
| risk while seeking measured solutions. This | | | | on this. |
| is in stark contrast to the Internet, which | | | | |
| is still developing as a platform and needs | | | | has also spawned Big.com, a search tool that |
| creativity and innovation as much as we need | | | | employs the simplest concept that could ever |
| oxygen. So when a giant like Bill Gross, | | | | be thought up, yet no one really did until |
| founder of Snap.com, aims to build search | | | | Big.com: thats a search engine with giant |
| alternatives, I take special notice. | | | | font. People who like include seniors, the |
| | | | vision impaired and me. Its terrific, |
| In case youre unfamiliar with Bill Gross, he | | | | almost shocking to behold. The layout of is |
| is credited with developing the concept of | | | | beautiful once you figure out what youre |
| contextual online advertising as we know it | | | | looking at. Like any standard search engine, |
| today through His ideas have evolved into | | | | youll get results by entering keywords into a |
| the success of pay-per-click that Google, | | | | search bar. In this case, its virtually |
| Yahoo and others enjoy. I dont know if | | | | impossible to not find the search bar trust |
| anyone calls him the Godfather of the | | | | me. Your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) |
| Internet, but I wouldnt object to the | | | | comes back very simply with natural or |
| phrasing. Simply put, his monetization model | | | | organic results in the left column and paid |
| still fuels the progress of our medium. | | | | search ads in the right all in huge cant |
| | | | miss print with paneled screen encompassing |
| For the last few years Gross has been hanging | | | | buttons instead of wee links to click. The |
| his hat at Idealab, a true hotbed of business | | | | ironic thing is that this giant font flies in |
| ideas. Idealabs ambitions even venture into | | | | the face of the incredible shrinking font of |
| harnessing solar energy. is an offshoot of | | | | the Internet, a trend thats due to contextual |
| Idealab and is noteworthy for the exceptional | | | | advertising which has increased the value of |
| contextual search features it provides. | | | | screen space, a trend that Bill Gross helped |
| Searches with give in-window previews of | | | | start as much as anyone. |
| contextual ads. It allows you to glimpse a | | | | |
| website in question before actually have to | | | | Google and Yahoo dont seem to be splashing |
| click and visit it. This innovation provides | | | | big font for their users. I believe part of |
| convenience to the potential visitor, who may | | | | the Googles franchise is a simple uniform |
| get a better idea of whats in store before | | | | look. Different font sizes for different |
| clicking on an ad. The mouse-over display | | | | users might ripple that magnificent pond. |
| also saves the advertiser money, improves | | | | And with Yahoo, they need all the space they |
| cost per acquisition, and lowers the visitors | | | | can get, big font might shoo some of their |
| abandonment rate by minimizing the number of | | | | offerings off the monitor and thats |
| needless clicks from uninterested visitors. | | | | definitely not part of their business plan. |
| | | | Its easy enough to change the color scheme, |
| Could you imagine a major search engine | | | | though. I like that. |
| giving both users and advertisers this break? | | | | |
| An advertiser with gets more relevant and | | | | Bill Gross has already contributed more to |
| interested visitors while cutting down on | | | | the Search business than anyone could expect |
| accidental and costly clicks because people | | | | an individual to. He could bow out now an |
| wont be clicking on sites they dont want to | | | | accomplished pioneer. But that wouldnt be |
| visit. This is one innovation most search | | | | like him or anyone with a pioneering spirit |
| engines will likely not adopt; I dont see | | | | would it? As big names in search advertising |
| Google discouraging clicks to paid | | | | emphasize profits, I think we have to dig |
| advertisements. This far reaching platform | | | | around elsewhere to see where innovation will |
| could be construed as self-defeating for a | | | | come from. And change just might come from |
| search engine when conventional standards are | | | | the same guy who changed the rules of |
| applied, but Bill Gross isnt trying to be | | | | Internet advertising to begin with. |
| like everyone else. He either sees the | | | | |